Kristi Yamaguchi’s ex-husband is Bret Hedican, the former NHL defenseman she married in 2000 and amicably divorced in 2025. She confirmed the split herself, telling People the two decided together that they would be “happier separating.”
Kristi Yamaguchi ex husband story ends where it began, at the boards of an ice rink where both once competed
Most of what ranks for this search still describes a married couple, because for 23 years that was one of the most reliable facts in sports celebrity. The stale results are exactly why the Kristi Yamaguchi ex husband question needs a dated answer, and hers came in her own words.
The Divorce, In Her Own Words
Yamaguchi addressed the split in a rare 2026 interview with People: “After 23 years together, we had an amazing marriage and loving family, especially bringing up our two daughters together, but I think it got to a point where we amicably thought maybe we aren’t at our happiest and we’d be happier separating. We decided to separate and eventually divorce.”
No filing details, cause, or settlement terms have been made public, and neither has said anything that contradicts the amicable framing. On what comes next she was equally direct: “There’s a lot of life left to live, whether it’s starting to date or new relationships… [I have] absolutely no regrets from the past. We’ve got a beautiful family and incredible memories, but I’m looking forward to creating new ones.”
Who Is Bret Hedican?
Bret Hedican is a retired NHL defenseman, born August 10, 1970, in Minnesota, whose career ran more than 1,000 games and included a Stanley Cup with the Carolina Hurricanes in 2006, per his Wikipedia biography. He skated for Team USA at the 1992 Winter Olympics under Herb Brooks and returned to the Games in 2006.
Since retiring he has worked in hockey broadcasting as a color commentator. Between her Olympic gold and his Cup, the two formed one of the most decorated athlete marriages in American sports. Two-athlete marriages ending without scandal have become their own small genre; the joint divorce filing of Kelsey Plum and Darren Waller followed a similar quiet script.
Same Games, Same Team, Eight Years Before the Wedding
The two met as Team USA teammates at the 1992 Winter Olympics in Albertville, the same Games where the 20-year-old Yamaguchi became the first Asian-American to win Olympic figure skating gold. They married in 2000 and raised two daughters, Keara and Emma, both now in college.
The daughters have started writing their own public chapters, which the skating and Dancing with the Stars fandoms follow closely:
“Kristi Yamaguchi’s daughter recreated her iconic jive”
– r/dancingwiththestars, November 2025 (325 upvotes)
Of watching them grow up, Yamaguchi told People: “It’s bittersweet because you feel, as a mom, they’ve grown up so fast… it’s so fulfilling to see how they’ve grown up and are going after their dreams now.”
What Kristi Yamaguchi Does Now
Beyond skating, Yamaguchi is a bestselling children’s author and the founder of the Always Dream Foundation, which supports early childhood literacy in California and Hawaii. The work grew out of her first picture book, Dream Big, Little Pig, published in 2011 when her daughters were, as she told U.S. Figure Skating, “4 and 6 around that time and at that learning-to-read age.”
The divorce closed a chapter without touching either career: her foundation and books continue, and his broadcast work does too, separately.
FAQ
Is Kristi Yamaguchi still married to Bret Hedican?
No. Kristi Yamaguchi and Bret Hedican divorced in 2025 after marrying in 2000. She has described the split as amicable, saying they decided together they would be happier separating.
Where is Bret Hedican now?
Bret Hedican works in hockey broadcasting as a color commentator following an NHL career of more than 1,000 games, a 2006 Stanley Cup with Carolina, and two Winter Olympics appearances.
Who are Kristi Yamaguchi’s daughters?
Kristi Yamaguchi and Bret Hedican share two daughters, Keara and Emma, both in college as of her 2026 interview. Keara has drawn attention recreating her mother’s Dancing with the Stars jive.
Is Kristi Yamaguchi related to Roy Yamaguchi?
No known relation exists between Kristi Yamaguchi and chef Roy Yamaguchi. They share a surname and Japanese-American heritage, and nothing on the record connects the two families.
