Jason Cirone

Jason Gerardo Cirone (February 21, 1971 – October 2, 2024) was a Canadian-Italian professional ice hockey centre. He played for the Winnipeg Jets of the National Hockey League and was the former head coach of the Metro Jets of the North American 3 Hockey League. He was head coach of the Midland University Men's hockey team in Fremont, Nebraska. Internationally, Cirone represented Italy at several World Championships and at the 2006 Winter Olympics.

Playing career As a youth, Cirone played in the 1984 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Don Mills.

Cirone was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the third round (46th overall) in the 1989 NHL entry draft. He played junior hockey for the Cornwall Royals and Windsor Spitfires of the Ontario Hockey League. Cirone appeared in three games with the Jets during the 1991–92 season.

In August 1993, the Jets traded Cirone to the Florida Panthers in exchange for forward Dave Tomlinson.

Cirone had a successful career in minor-league hockey. He played for the Moncton Hawks and Rochester Americans of the American Hockey League; and the Cincinnati Cyclones, Los Angeles Ice Dogs, Kansas City Blades, and Flint Generals of the International Hockey League. In 2006–07 he was a player-assistant coach with the Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees of the Central Hockey League. Cirone had two stints overseas for Asiago HC on the Italian Ice Hockey League in 1992–93 and then again from 2001 to 2006, and the Frankfurt Lions of the German Ice Hockey League in 2000–01. Cirone also spent two seasons playing roller hockey for the Buffalo Stampede in 1994 and 1995.

Cirone held an Italian passport, and played in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy as a member of the Italian team.

Coaching career Cirone was the Midland University Men's Hockey team's head coach in Fremont, Nebraska from 2013 to 2021. Cirone was previously the head coach of the Metro Jets of the North American 3 Hockey League located in Waterford, Michigan. He also had previously served as an assistant coach for the Jets.

Death Cirone died from cancer on October 2, 2024, at the age of 53.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1986–87 Toronto Red Wings U18 AAA GTHL 36 53 64 117 125 — — — — — 1987–88 Cornwall Royals OHL 53 12 11 23 41 11 1 2 3 4 1988–89 Cornwall Royals OHL 64 39 44 83 67 17 19 8 27 14 1989–90 Cornwall Royals OHL 32 21 43 64 56 6 4 6 10 14 1990–91 Cornwall Royals OHL 40 31 29 60 66 — — — — — 1990–91 Windsor Spitfires OHL 23 27 23 50 31 11 9 8 17 14 1991–92 Winnipeg Jets NHL 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1991–92 Moncton Hawks AHL 64 32 27 59 124 10 1 1 2 8 1992–93 HC Asiago ITA 16 6 5 11 18 — — — — — 1993–94 Cincinnati Cyclones IHL 26 4 2 6 61 — — — — — 1993–94 Birmingham Bulls ECHL 11 3 3 6 45 10 8 8 16 67 1994–95 Cincinnati Cyclones IHL 74 22 15 37 170 9 1 1 2 14 1995–96 Rochester Americans AHL 24 4 5 9 34 — — — — — 1995–96 San Diego Gulls WCHL 3 2 1 3 20 — — — — — 1995–96 Los Angeles Ice Dogs IHL 26 8 10 18 47 — — — — — 1996–97 Long Beach Ice Dogs IHL 11 4 3 7 14 — — — — — 1996–97 Kansas City Blades IHL 70 18 38 56 88 3 0 3 3 2 1997–98 Kansas City Blades IHL 82 22 30 52 166 11 3 3 6 20 1998–99 Kansas City Blades IHL 82 42 26 68 151 3 1 0 1 8 1999–2000 Kansas City Blades IHL 71 19 24 43 133 — — — — — 2000–01 Frankfurt Lions DEL 51 18 17 35 138 — — — — — 2001–02 HC Asiago ITA 37 20 13 33 77 4 0 1 1 4 2002–03 HC Asiago ITA 33 16 18 34 124 11 3 2 5 22 2003–04 HC Asiago ITA 38 31 21 52 79 12 6 5 11 16 2004–05 HC Asiago ITA 18 1 13 14 34 3 0 1 1 2 2005–06 HC Asiago ITA 46 18 31 49 78 — — — — — 2006–07 Rio Grande Valley Killer Bees CHL 59 28 35 63 84 5 0 1 1 4 2007–08 Flint Generals IHL 63 21 41 62 64 5 0 1 1 2 IHL totals 505 160 189 349 894 31 5 8 13 46 NHL totals 3 0 0 0 2 — — — — — ITA totals 188 92 101 193 410 30 9 9 18 44

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 2004 Italy WC D1 5 2 1 3 10 2006 Italy OG 5 1 1 2 6 2006 Italy WC 6 0 2 2 18 2007 Italy WC 6 2 2 4 4 2008 Italy WC 5 3 1 4 0 Senior totals 27 8 7 15 38