BUFFALO — Hockey is a brotherhood, and the bond between Josh Pauls, Declan Farmer and Brody Roybal is as strong as ever more than a decade after the three became teammates.
Pauls, the 32-year-old captain, made his U.S. National Sled Hockey team debut in 2008. Farmer, 27, joined him in 2013 and Roybal, 27, in 2014.
“You’ve got to realize those careers don’t happen all that often,” said Pauls, a defenseman. “We’re the exceptions, not the rule. … I think these guys are just freaking special.”
The trio ranks 1-2-3 in team career statistics, led by Farmer, a forward with 382 points (217 goals, 165 assists) in 165 games. Roybal, also a forward, is next with 269 points (131 goals, 138 assists) in 155 games, and Pauls has 202 points (68 goals, 134 assists) in 222 games.
Those totals include their efforts in helping the United States win the 2025 World Para Ice Hockey Championships, which took place over the past week at LECOM Harborcenter in a leadup to the 2026 Milano Cortina Paralympic Winter Games in Italy.
U.S. defeated Canada in the gold medal game 6-1 on Saturday for its seventh world title. Pauls was named U.S. player of the game, and Farmer earned tournament MVP.
“I think as they’ve matured as players, their game has also really matured,” U.S. coach Dave Hoff said. “When they were younger, the risk-reward was maybe a little more on the risk side and you won some of those and lost some, but now I think they manage the game so much better. As a coach, anytime you walk in the locker room, you look at our lineup and you have those three names on our side, you feel good about our chances. Pretty nice to have three guys like that on our side.”
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