TEMPE – In a night that will be remembered for years to come, Sun Devil Hockey officially retired Joey Daccord’s No. 35 jersey during its home opener on Oct. 3, 2025, honoring the program’s first true superstar and one of its foundational figures.
Now a goaltender for the Seattle Kraken, Daccord holds several firsts and program records. More importantly, his story embodies the mantra that built ASU Hockey: Be the Tradition.
“He’s the greatest ambassador for our program you could ask for," Head Coach Greg Powers said following the ceremony." He’s got a great story. He loves this place. He loves this institution, and I’m happy he came back and saw what he helped build. The environment, the crowd, the facility, everything.”
Daccord reflected on his own journey with equal gratitude.
“When Coach Powers said, ‘If you come here, you can be that tradition,’ it gave me the platform to achieve everything I’ve ever dreamed of. I wanted to play Division I hockey, then in the NHL, and I’ve been fortunate enough to play for Team USA," Daccord said following the jersey retirement ceremony. When I think about it all now, it’s pretty insane. I’m just so grateful to this university, this athletic department, and to Coach Powers."
Long before the Sun Devils had any alumni in the NHL and years before they were a nationally ranked Division I team playing in the NCHC at Mullett Arena, Daccord was laying the foundation at the infamous and less glamorous Oceanside Arena.
"I always loved watching visiting teams walk into Oceanside. They never looked excited to be there, and we were fired up,” Daccord said at his postgame press conference. “We made it a really tough place to play. This new arena is world-class, a palace of college hockey, and the guys now are lucky to have it.”
That gritty attitude helped build the culture that still defines Sun Devil Hockey. The program he helped mold into excellence now boasts five NHL Draft picks on the roster, and alumni like Josh Doan are skating alongside Daccord in the pros. Not to mention, there were recent hallway renovations to Mullett Arena, too.
“What we accomplished here, the foundation we set, it started as a blank slate. We could mold it however we wanted. To see how it’s grown, and the amazing players this team has now, it’s incredible. You’re going to see more and more Sun Devils make it to the NHL,” Daccord stated.
Closing the night, Daccord shared one last message for the next generation of Sun Devils chasing the same dream.
“Believe in yourself. People see NHL players and think it’s always easy, but it’s not. It wasn’t for me, and it rarely is for anyone,” he said. “You have to keep pushing through the ups and downs, good games, bad games, and adversity. It all makes you stronger. That’s what I learned here. We went through a lot, and it prepared me for professional hockey. It made me a better person and a better goalie.”