Growing up in Medford, Massachusetts, Joe Sacco watched his favourite player, Bobby Orr, dominate other teams at the Boston Garden for his beloved Bruins. Sacco attended Boston University where his younger brother, David, would follow a year later. The two bothers were both drafted by the Toronto Maple Leafs as their 4th choices, Joe in 1987 and David in 1988. Both spent time playing for the USA National Team and Olympic team. They both had separate Maple Leaf stints, and they both played for the Anaheim Mighty Ducks at the same time starting in the 1994-95 season.
Joe was called up the Leafs in the 1990-91 season where he played 20 games. The next season saw him in action with the USA National Team, Olympic team, World Championship team and the Maple Leafs. After another season with the Toronto organization, mostly spent with their farm club in St. John's, Joe was picked up by the Mighty Ducks in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft. In his first year with Anaheim, he registered a career high in goals (19), assists (18), and points (37). After four seasons with the Ducks, Sacco was traded to the New York Islanders in the 1997-98 season where he stayed until signing with the Washington Capitals in 1999.
The former BU star went on to play three seasons with the Caps before being acquired by the Philadelphia Flyers in January 2003. Upon his arrival with the Flyers, Sacco would split his time between the NHL club and its AHL affiliate before calling it a career at seasons end.
On the international stage, Sacco has gone on to represent his homeland on numerous occasions inlcluding; World Junior Championships (1989), World Championships (1990, 1991, 1992, 1994, 1996 and 2002) and Winter Olympics (1992).
