Goligoski is a mobile, puck-moving defenseman who has put up points and munched minutes throughout his career.

The Pittsburgh Penguins selected Goligoski in the second round (No. 61) of the 2004 NHL Draft. He played three years at the University of Minnesota before turning pro with Wilkes-Barre/Scranton of the American Hockey League for the 2007-08 season.

He made his NHL debut in a 2-1 loss to the Boston Bruins on Feb. 13, 2008. His three-game stint with the Penguins that season also produced his first NHL point, an assist, in a 5-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators on March 1, 2008.

Appearing in 45 regular-season and two Stanley Cup games for the Penguins in 2008-09, Goligoski had his name inscribed on the Cup after Pittsburgh won the Stanley Cup Final in seven games against the Detroit Red Wings. Goligoski made both of his playoff appearances in the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Washington Capitals, collecting one assist.

He scored his first NHL goal against the Senators on Oct. 5, 2008. It came on the power play, with assists from Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin.

A native of Grand Rapids, Minnesota, Goligoski played his first full NHL season with the Penguins in 2009-10, skating in 69 games and accumulating 37 points, including six multi-point games. Goligoski assembled a seven-game point streak from Oct. 14-30, 2009.

Traded by the Pittsburgh Penguins to the Dallas Stars on Feb. 21, 2011, Goligoski collected 46 points in 2010-11 while playing a combined total of 83 games for the Penguins and Stars. Goligoski made his Stars debut against the New Jersey Devils on Feb. 22, 2011.

The 2011-12 season saw Goligoski lead Dallas defensemen in goals (nine) and points (30), and tie for first in assists (21), and in 2012-13 he led the team in assists with 24.

In 2013-14, Goligoski led the Dallas defense with 42 points, including 36 assists. He was also first on the team in time on ice per game (24:19) and blocked shots (153).

Goligoski paced the Stars with 157 blocked shots in 2014-15 and was first in time on ice per game (23:49) for the fifth straight season. He registered 11 multi-point games and nine multi-assist games among his 36 points.

Goligoski, who played for the United States at the 2005 IIHF World Junior Championship and 2012 World Championship, signed a five-year contract with the Arizona Coyotes on June 22, 2016, six days after he was acquired from the Stars. He played his 1,000th NHL game for the Minnesota Wild, a 4-3 win against the Vancouver Canucks at Xcel Energy Center on Oct. 20, 2022.

Goligoski retired from the NHL on Sept. 5, 2024, after 17 seasons. He played the final three seasons of his NHL career near his native Grand Rapids.