Former Hockey East commissioner Joe Bertagna was named the co-winner of the 2026 Parker-York Award for contribution to New England Hockey by the New England Hockey Writers Association at its annual awards gathering Sunday afternoon in Saugus, Mass.
Bertagna was presented the award, which was first bestowed in 1959, along with former Amherst coach Jack Arena, who served at his alma mater for 46 years as a player and then the
head coach.
Bertagna played at Arlington High and then at Harvard for coaches Eddie Burns, Cooney Weiland, Bill Cleary and Tim Taylor. After playing professionally both domestically and abroad, he returned to New England and made his mark with many programs and leagues.
He spent 38 years as a Division I conference commissioner, the longest stretch in college hockey history. Bertagna headed ECAC Hockey for 15 seasons and Hockey East for 23, ending
in 2020. He also led the EHL junior hockey league.
Bertagna served as the Harvard women’s team’s first head coach. He also helped start the Women’s Beanpot, now in its 47th year. He also was the goalie coach for the Milwaukee Admirals, the Boston Bruins and the U.S. men’s national team at the 1991 Canada
Cup and the 1994 Olympics. He ran a goalie camp starting in 1974 that ran for close to five decades.
Bertagna played a role in establishing the Hockey Commissioners Association and ultimately College Hockey Inc. He was the executive director of the American Hockey Coaches Association from 1991 to 2005 and was actively involved with USA Hockey for several years, serving on its board of directors and various committees and councils.
Highlighting his many honors was winning the 2023 Lester Patrick Award presented by the National Hockey League for outstanding service to hockey in the United States. Also, the top goaltender at the Women’s Beanpot is presented with the Bertagna Award.
Bertagna, who has authored a number of books on hockey, resides in Gloucester, Mass. with his wife, Kathy.