Gordon began his collegiate career with the Boston College Eagles in the 1982–83 season, where in nine games, he posted a 3–3–0 record with a 2.43 goals against average (GAA).

Gordon became the Eagles' starting goaltender in 1983–84, where in 35 games, he had a 21–13–0 record and a 3.74 GAA, helping Boston College qualify for the 1984 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.

On March 16, 1985, in a game against the Providence College Friars, Gordon and Friars goaltender Chris Terreri made hockey history, as both goalies placed water bottles on the top of their nets, the first time that goalies placed water bottles on the top of their nets in a hockey game.

[1] Gordon led Boston College into the 1985 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, as the Eagles reached the semi-finals before losing to Providence 4–3 in triple overtime.

[2] Boston College qualified for the 1986 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, however, they lost to the Minnesota Golden Gophers 11–7 in the East Regional Semi-finals.

In six playoff games, he also posted a 2–4 record with a 4.94 GAA as the Citadels lost to the Sherbrooke Canadiens in the North Division Semi-finals.

[2] Gordon did not see any action in the postseason, as the Knights won the Turner Cup, defeating the Fort Wayne Komets in the finals.

He appeared in the 1991 Men's World Ice Hockey Championships held in Finland, where in two games, he was 0–1–0 with a 7.50 GAA, as the USA finished in fourth place.

Gordon also appeared in one game at the 1992 Winter Olympics held in Albertville, France, where he had a 0–0–0 record with a 7.06 GAA in 17 minutes of play as the Americans finished in fourth place.

Quebec swept the Cincinnati Cyclones in the first round of the playoffs, however, they lost to the Detroit Vipers in the Turner Cup Quarter-finals.

In the postseason, Roanoke defeated the Dayton Bombers and Chesapeake Icebreakers to reach the North Conference finals, however, they were swept by the Richmond Renegades.

Gordon joined the Providence Bruins of the American Hockey League as an assistant coach to Bill Armstrong for the 2000–01 season.

In his first season with the Bruins, the team had a 35–31–10–4 record, earning 84 points and a trip to the playoffs, as the club finished in third place in the New England Division.

Providence defeated the Hartford Wolf Pack and Worcester IceCats to win the division in the playoffs, however, the Bruins lost to the Saint John Flames in the Eastern Conference finals.

Providence faced the St. John's Maple Leafs in a best-of-three qualifying series, in which they were swept in two games to be eliminated from the playoffs.

Gordon led Providence to a 36–29–11–4 record in his first full season as the head coach in 2003–04, helping them reach the qualifying round of the playoffs.

Gordon led the Bruins to another postseason appearance in the 2005–06 season, as Providence had a 43–31–1–5 record, earning 92 points and fourth place in the Atlantic Division.

Providence quickly swept the Manchester Monarchs in the first round of the playoffs, but the Bruins were upset by the Portland Pirates in the Atlantic Division Finals.

Gordon earned his first NHL victory the next night, on October 11, 2008, as the Islanders defeated the St. Louis Blues 5–2 in his first home game.

Late in the 2011–12 season, the Maple Leafs fired Wilson as head coach, hiring Randy Carlyle as his replacement, and keeping Gordon on as an assistant.

[8] On July 13, 2015, Gordon was named head coach of the AHL's Lehigh Valley Phantoms, the affiliate of the Philadelphia Flyers.

[14] On April 8, 2009, Gordon was named an assistant coach to Ron Wilson for the United States at the 2009 IIHF World Championship held in Switzerland by USA Hockey general manager Brian Burke.

[15] Gordon joined Wilson and Burke once again as an assistant coach for the US at the 2010 Winter Olympics held in Vancouver, British Columbia, helping the United States to the silver medal.