Paralympic Gold Medalists Jen Lee, Kevin McKee and Josh Pauls Announce Retirements
COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. – Jen Lee (Daly City, Calif.), Kevin McKee (Davenport, Iowa) and Josh Pauls (Green Brook, N.J.) announced their retirements from the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team today.
The three longtime Team USA standouts were pillars of the program’s unprecedented run of success dating back to the 2010 Paralympic Winter Games in Vancouver, British Columbia. Each closes his career with a gold medal at the 2026 Paralympic Winter Games in Milan, Italy, where the U.S. defeated Canada 6-2 in the gold-medal game.
“The U.S. National Sled Hockey Team will not be the same without Jen, Kevin and Josh,” said Dan Brennan, general manager of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. “All three were unique and brought true professionalism, grit, humor and determination to our team both on and off the ice. Their leadership set the standard for all our current players moving forward.”
“We are really going to miss these three guys. Not just as hockey players, but also for the leadership they have provided for so many years,” said David Hoff, head coach of the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team. “They are quality people, examples of the type of person we want in our program. I am so proud of each of them. Outstanding hockey players, and even better people.”
About Jen Lee
Goaltender Jen Lee played in 70 games across 13 seasons with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team, winning four Paralympic gold medals (2014, 2018, 2022, 2026) and five World Para Ice Hockey Championship gold medals (2012, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025).
He retires as the team’s all-time leader in goals-against average (0.73) and save percentage (.899), with a career record of 50-2-0-3 (W-OTW-OTL-L) across all competitions.
A U.S. Army veteran and University of Texas graduate, Lee made his national team debut at the 2011 Para Hockey Cup in London, Ontario. The Daly City, California, native started two games at the 2012 World Para Ice Hockey Championship in Hamar, Norway, helping Team USA to the first world championship gold of his career.
Lee made his Paralympic debut at the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, Russia, appearing in one game as the U.S. won gold. He played in two games at the 2018 Paralympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, to earn his second Paralympic gold.
At the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing, China, Lee stopped every shot he faced across four games, including a 16-save shutout of Canada in the gold-medal game, to claim his third Paralympic gold. His performance in Beijing helped earn him USA Hockey’s 2022 Disabled Athlete of the Year award. He closed his career in Milan with two wins in two starts to earn a fourth-consecutive Paralympic gold medal.
Lee never lost a game at the Paralympics, going 9-0-0-0 with a 0.54 goals-against average, a .922 save percentage and five shutouts.
“I’m grateful to the coaching staff for sticking to their guns and believing in me all these years,” Lee said. “I’m grateful for my teammates, not only as teammates, but as brothers and family. This is a forever bond no matter which journey we all decide to take after we are done playing. As a kid you dream to be an athlete or try to be part of a team and part of something big. I was able to do that, it’s a dream come true.”
About Kevin McKee
Forward Kevin McKee played 16 seasons with the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team, totaling 61 goals and 84 assists for 145 points in 184 career games. All four marks rank among the top five in program history.
A four-time Paralympic gold medalist (2014, 2018, 2022, 2026), McKee also represented the U.S. at nine World Para Ice Hockey Championships, winning six gold medals (2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) and three silver medals (2013, 2017, 2024).
McKee made his national team debut at the 2011 Para Hockey Cup in London, Ontario, and made his Paralympic debut at the 2014 Paralympics in Sochi, skating in two games as the U.S. won gold.
The Davenport, Iowa, native starred at the 2018 Paralympics in PyeongChang, tallying eight points (2G, 6A) in five games for Team USA as he helped the team win Paralympic gold, the second of his career. He added an assist in two games at the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing to earn his third.
After an injury early in the 2025-26 season, McKee returned in time for the Milan Paralympics and scored a goal in his first game back before closing his career with a fourth Paralympic gold.
Across four Paralympics, McKee totaled 10 points (3G, 7A) in 12 games.
“Thank you, Dan Brennan, for selecting a small-town boy from Iowa in 2010 and giving him a chance to live out his dream of playing on the U.S. National Sled Hockey Team,” McKee said. “I’m truly going to miss the amazing staff on this team and my teammates. I’m grateful for the memories we have made on and off the ice, and I will never take that for granted. It’s been an honor to put on the USA Hockey jersey for the last 16 years.”
Josh Pauls
Josh Pauls retires as the only five-time Paralympic gold medalist in sled hockey history (2010, 2014, 2018, 2022, 2026). He also represented the U.S. at 10 World Para Ice Hockey Championships, winning seven gold medals (2009, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) and three silver medals (2013, 2017, 2024).
The standout defenseman’s 18-year career began at the 2008 Para Hockey Cup in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, and he retires with a program-record 237 games played across all competitions. Pauls’ 142 career assists rank second in program history, and his 213 career points (71G, 142A) are the third-most of any American sled hockey player ever.
The Green Brook, New Jersey, native made his Paralympic debut at the 2010 Paralympics in Vancouver, helping the U.S. to the first of five consecutive Paralympic gold medals. At the 2022 Paralympics in Beijing, he set the U.S. record for career Paralympic games played and became the first sled hockey player to win four Paralympic gold medals. He added a fifth in Milan, where he posted nine points (2G, 7A) in five games. Across five Paralympics, Pauls totaled 30 points (6G, 24A) in 24 games.
Pauls was named Best Defenseman of the 2015 World Para Ice Hockey Championship after helping Team USA to gold, and later that year was nominated for the ESPY Award for Best Male Athlete with a Disability.
“Spuds”, as he is affectionately known, was named captain at the start of the 2017-18 season and led the team to three Paralympic gold medals (2018, 2022, 2026) and four World Para Ice Hockey Championship gold medals (2019, 2021, 2023, 2025) in nine seasons while wearing the C.
“To every teammate I’ve ever played with, I want to say thank you. No matter how much you think you’ve received from me, I guarantee I took more from you, and I learned way more from you than I was able to ever teach,” Pauls said. “The memories of sacrifice, joy, defeat and revelry will have me looking back at the last 18 years as some of the purest joy I’ve ever experienced.”
