Decker’s competitiveness carried her to U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame

Brianna Decker is described by her most influential hockey coach as the female Sidney Crosby.

Why?

"There's the strength, then there's the technique, but I've never seen a kid who can leverage her size like Brianna," Shattuck St. Mary's School girls hockey coach Gordie Stafford told NHL.com. "Look at a guy like Crosby and how he's lauded for his ability to balance intensity and emotion, protect the puck, and keep it along the wall.

"I mean, Brianna Decker was a lot like Sidney Crosby ... a female Sidney Crosby."

Decker is too humble to admit her former mentor offered an accurate depiction of her in comparing her to the Pittsburgh Penguins center, who also starred at Shattuck, but there's no denying the fact the Olympic gold medalist, NCAA champion and six-time IIHF Women’s World Championship winner had the same competitive pedigree and mindset whenever she took the ice.

"I just hated losing so much," Decker said. "I would do whatever it took to win, and I think that carried me through my career. I simply practiced like I wanted to play."

She won a national championship at Shattuck on the way to becoming one of the most decorated players in the history of women's hockey. On Wednesday, the 33-year-old will be enshrined into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the Class of 2024 during an induction ceremony in Pittsburgh.

"I was fortunate to have a front-row seat when she got to the University of Wisconsin as a young, eager kid, all the way through becoming one of the best players in the world," said New Jersey Devils director of player development Meghan Duggan, one of Decker's linemates in college. "This honor is a no-brainer. It's just a matter of time before she's inducted into every hall of fame in the sport because she deserves it."

Decker's competitive verve was acquired at a young age in large part because she was pushed by two older brothers, Bryan and Ben. A third brother, Brody, would later join the backyard battles. Mother Marilyn and father John encouraged her whenever possible and never stopped her from competing against boys.

"I played tackle football in sixth grade. ... When I told my mom I wanted to try it she said, 'Yeah, go for it,'" Decker said. "I think my mom just really wanted me to be able to think and do whatever I thought I could do as far as sports. If my brothers could do it, I could do it."

In her 15 seasons with the U.S. women's national team, she had 170 points (81 goals, 89 assists) in 147 games. She ranks third in U.S. history in points (68) and fourth in assists (40) at the Women's World Championship.

"She's one of the best hockey players to ever play the game and has won at every single level," said Penguins manager of minor league operations Amanda Kessel, her longtime friend, linemate and college rival. "She's just been a very integral part of USA Hockey and especially on the women's side."

Decker and Kessel grew up together in Wisconsin; Decker, a center, was from Dousman, and Kessel, a wing, from Madison. They'd compete against each other on separate boys teams but were teammates on the Madison Capitals Under-14 girls team.

Each would move away from home to attend Shattuck St. Mary's, the renowned prep school in Minnesota, which proved to be a pivotal part of their hockey development under Stafford's watch.

"From Day 1, Brianna was very driven, very competitive," Stafford said. "She has three brothers, so -- and this is true for a number of accomplished female athletes -- they get punted around by their brothers and that teaches them resilience and competitiveness and everything that translates into her character as a hockey player."

Decker admits moving from home was a life-changing experience, but necessary.

"Gordie was a second dad to me; I couldn't ask for a better mentor and friend," Decker said. "I think it took four years as a teenage girl to finally absorb everything he was trying to teach. A lot of those things you don't even think about, but when in college, [with] the national team, in your 20s, you're like, 'Oh my God, this is what he was talking about.’”

Stafford keeps an article in his office about Decker's invitation to the women's national team at the first IIHF Women's U18 World Championship in 2008.

"I have it because it was her senior year and she had scored 13 hat tricks in a row at one point," Stafford said. "She doesn't like when I mention things like this, but she had 80 goals and 40 assists in 46 games as captain that season."

Decker helped the U.S. earn gold at the first two Women's U18 Worlds in 2008 and 2009.

She looked up to men's hockey players -- Jaromir Jagr was always a favorite -- but Cammi Granato stood out as a women's player who had an impact on her. Decker said watching Granato and the U.S. women celebrate a gold medal at the 1998 Nagano Olympics, the first women’s Olympic hockey tournament, was inspiring. She was 7 years old.

"I just remember them celebrating and I would rewatch their celebration video all the way through my participation in the Olympic Games when I was playing," she said. "Cammi was an incredible role model and leader."

Decker played four seasons at Wisconsin and helped lead the Badgers to a national championship as a sophomore in 2011 with Duggan on her wing.

"We were connected as linemates right from the beginning," Duggan said. "We trained together off the ice, we got on early, stayed on late. She pushed me as much as I pushed her. It was a great working relationship, and our team had a ton of success."

Decker led the nation with 37 goals as a junior and left Wisconsin second in the program’s history with 115 goals, behind Hilary Knight (143 goals, 2008-2012).

"It was way more fun to play with her," said Kessel, who played for the rival University of Minnesota during their college years. "At one point in my freshman season, she separated my shoulder on a hit. When Brianna Decker enters the corner, she's probably going to hit you, and you have to expect that. I wasn't happy, but it's hockey, and that's why you would rather be on her team."

Decker helped the United States win gold at the 2018 PyeongChang Olympics and was part of silver-winning teams at Sochi in 2014 and Beijing in 2022. A broken leg three shifts into the opening game of the 2022 Beijing Olympics against Finland sidelined her for the remainder of her last international event.

She's now in her third season as an assistant to Stafford at Shattuck.

"As intuitive a player as she was, she's intuitive as a coach, too," Stafford said. "She's very demanding, but empathetic. She holds a high standard. Players want to know how to get better. If they look at you and think that you can help them get better, they will respect that, and that's how Brianna is."

Decker enjoys her role as a coach to the next generation of players who dream of one day representing their country at the Olympics.

"I tell them nothing's just going to come to you so if you're working hard, putting the effort in, good things will come and you're always going to stand out," Decker said. "Skill will get better because of your work ethic. Once you think you're the best, you're not. Always put your team before yourself."