Josh Wesley is Pustertal's defensive boss. © Markus Ranalter

Famous dad and love for God: This is Pustertal's leader

HC Pustertal isn't in the mood for a vacation: With a thrilling away win in Klagenfurt, the Wolves stayed alive in the quarterfinal series. One person who particularly enjoys these moments is defensive boss Josh Wesley, who brought a special story back to Bruneck this summer.

March 13, 2025

Childhood memories are fascinating. Regardless of age, certain moments from one's earliest years remain in one's memory forever – vivid and unchanging, as if they happened yesterday. For Pustertal defenseman Josh Wesley, one of those moments occurred on June 19, 2006. The little boy, ten years old at the time, was sitting in the stands of the RBC Center, the ice hockey arena in North Carolina. And Josh was thrilled. Really.

Before his very eyes, the all-important Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals was unfolding. It's the greatest title a hockey player can win. Lifting this trophy makes Josh immortal. And on the ice stood Josh's idol: his dad, Glen, a true NHL legend. The defender played more than 1.600 games in the world's best league, but a Stanley Cup triumph had eluded him until June 19, 2006. That's when Glen Wesley and the Carolina Hurricanes won the greatest possible hockey title in the all-or-nothing final against the Edmonton Oilers.

Glen Wesley won the Stanley Cup in 2006. © Getty Images North America / GRANT HALVERSON

“That is the best memory I have,” says son Josh in an interview with SportNews. "Our whole family was there when Dad raised the Stanley Cup. Seeing the immense joy on his face brought tears to my eyes. All the hard years of work finally paid off for him," recalls the 28-year-old. Two years later, Glen Wesley's career ended, and when his jersey number 2 was retired and hung under the stadium roof, the NHL legend skated onto the ice with his two sons, Josh and Matthew. "That was a great honor and a special moment. My dad was a truly special player, and he's the best father anyone could ask for."

NHL legend Glen Wesley (center) with his sons Josh (left) and Matthew (right). © GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / KEVIN C. COX

Glen Wesley is still active in the ice hockey business today, working as a development coach for the NHL club St. Louis Blues, while his son Josh has embarked on a professional career. After playing in the American Hockey League (the second-highest league in America), the East Coast Hockey League (the third American league), and the Czech Extraliga, he moved to tranquil Bruneck last summer, where the 1,91-meter-tall, 94-kilogram defenseman quickly rose to become a leader on defense and in the locker room. Of course, he still gets tips from his dad, regardless of the fact that Josh is now 28. "He often watches my games online, which makes me very happy. And we're in contact every day."

“I am proud to have this name.” Josh Wesley

The footsteps left behind by such a famous father are enormous, as Josh Wesley knows. "Of course, there were days when I was compared. It's certainly not easy. But at the same time, I'm very proud to have this name and to continue our hockey tradition," says Wesley, who emphasizes: "At the end of the day, I am myself, namely Josh Wesley."

Prayers before the games

And this Josh Wesley is not only a family man, a nature lover, and recently the boyfriend of a woman from Bruneck, but also a very religious man. "Religion is the most important thing in my life," he says, adding: "I am a committed Christian and whenever I can, I follow services at home via online video. Of course, that's not easy because of the time difference. I am grateful to God for the mercy he has shown me in my life. That's why I talk to him every day and pray before our games."

On Friday, it's that time again, when Wesley & Co. will take to the ring against Klagenfurt. A veritable ice hockey festival awaits in the packed Intercable Arena in Bruneck, where the Wolves will aim to force a decisive Game 7 of the quarterfinal series. Wesley, as we know, has fond memories of such do-or-die games.