It seems as though Kyle Turris has called it quit on his playing days, as the veteran forward has joined the Coquitlam Express of the BCHL as a special advisor to the general manager and player development coach. Turris released the following statement:
The Express organization played a key role in my personal and professional growth. I am excited about having the opportunity to work with Tali and Patrick as they help each player develop individually, while pursuing the Fred Page Cup as a team.
Turris, 33, played just 23 games with the Edmonton Oilers last season, scoring a single goal and registering four points. His offensive touch had disappeared over the last few years, leading the Nashville Predators to execute a buyout of the last four years of his contract in 2020. That buyout will pay Turris $2MM every season through 2027-28, meaning he’ll be nicely compensated even if never plays again.
As he mentions, the Express is the organization that developed Turris years ago (though they were the Burnaby Express at the time) and turned him into the third-overall pick in the 2007 draft. The dynamic forward scored 66 goals and 121 points in 53 games during his final season in the BCHL, before heading to the University of Wisconsin for a year and then entering the NHL.
For his career at the highest level, Turris was actually rather productive, racking up 168 goals and 425 points in 776 games. His best performance was with the Ottawa Senators, where he had three seasons of at least 24 goals and 55 points. Now he will start a new career, giving back some of his knowledge and experience to the next wave of BCHL talent.
