Gionta most recently served as captain of Team USA at the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea. He appeared in all five of the team's games before being eliminated in the quarterfinals by the Czech Republic. The 5-foot-7, 178-pound forward last played in the NHL in the 2016-17 season with the Buffalo Sabres, where he appeared in all 82 games and tallied 15 goals and 20 assists for 35 points. He established career highs in all offensive categories in 2005-06, when he skated in all 82 games with the New Jersey Devils and recorded 48 goals and 41 assists for 89 points with a plus-18 rating.

Gionta has played in 1,006 career NHL games with Buffalo, Montreal and New Jersey from 2001-17, totaling 289 goals and 299 assists for 588 points. The 39-year-old winger has also skated in 112 career postseason games, posting 32 goals and 36 assists for 68 points. The seven-time captain played alongside current Bruins assistant coach Jay Pandolfo with the 2002-03 Stanley Cup Champion New Jersey Devils.

Prior to joining the professional ranks, Gionta played four seasons (1997-2001) at Boston College, where he was a three-time Hobey Baker Award finalist and is the school's all-time leading scorer with 123 goals, to go along with 109 assists for 232 points in 164 career NCAA games. As a senior captain in 2000-01, Gionta lead the nation with 33 goals as Boston College captured their first National Championship since 1949.

The Rochester, New York native was originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in the third round (82nd overall) of the 1998 NHL Entry Draft.