Joel Boyd, MD: AOSSM 2025 Robert E. Leach, MD Sports Medicine Leadership Award Recipient

Joel Boyd, MD is an adjunct assistant professor in the department of orthopaedics University of Minnesota.Since 2000, Dr. Boyd has been the team physician for the Minnesota Wild, joining the franchise in its inaugural season. His tenure has spanned more than two decades, marking a historic and enduring presence in professional hockey. Dr. Boyd is set to serve the team physician for the U.S. Men’s National Team at the 2025 4 Nations Face-Off.

The AOSSM 2025 Robert E. Leach, MD Sports Medicine Leadership Award is given to an individual who has provided outstanding service in the orthopaedic community and made numerous contributions to the specialty of sports medicine. The recipient is chosen by the AOSSM President, President-elect, and Vice President.

Dr. Boyd is a long time Gladden Society member. Past recipients of the Robert E. Leach, MD Sports Medicine Leadership Award include Ned Amendola, MD, AAOS President and Gladden Member.

Dr. Joel Boyd’s lifelong passion for hockey took root in Washington, D.C., where he grew up watching Mike Marson—the NHL’s second Black player—play for the Washington Capitals. That early exposure to the game laid the foundation for a career that would break multiple racial and professional barriers in sports medicine.

Dr. Boyd holds the distinction of being the first Black team physician in NHL history and the second to serve in that role within the NFL. He also made history as the first Black resident to complete training at the Cleveland Clinic. His involvement with elite athletes extends to the global stage, where he has been an Olympic team physician since 1995. In 1998, he served as team physician for both the U.S. Men’s Olympic Hockey Team at the Winter Games and the U.S. Men’s National Team at the IIHF World Championship.

Prior to his NHL experience, Boyd served as a fellow at the University of Western Ontario, where he provided care for the OHL’s London Knights and the university’s men’s hockey team. He also served as medical director for the Minnesota State High School League for over a decade, gaining further experience in the sport as a central figure for the Minnesota high school boys state hockey tournament.