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Retirement

Corey Crawford Announces Retirement

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It turns out that Corey Crawford’s indefinite personal leave of absence will be a permanent one as the veteran netminder has decided to retire, as announced by the NHLPA.  He released the following statement:

I have been fortunate to have had a long career playing professional hockey for a living. I wanted to continue my career, but believe I’ve given all I can to the game of hockey, and I have decided that it is time to retire. I would like to thank the New Jersey Devils organization for understanding and supporting my decision. I would like to thank the Chicago Blackhawks organization for giving me the chance to live my childhood dream. I am proud to have been part of winning two Stanley Cups in Chicago. Thank you to all of my teammates and coaches throughout the years. Also, thank you to the fans who make this great game what it is. I am happy and excited to move on to the next chapter of my life with my family.

The 36-year-old was unable to come to terms on an agreement with Chicago over the offseason and hit the open market.  He was able to secure the multi-year deal he had been seeking from the Blackhawks with New Jersey as they gave him a two-year, $7.8MM contract to serve as a veteran mentor and platoon partner for youngster Mackenzie Blackwood.  After putting up a 2.77 GAA with a .917 SV% in 40 games last season, it seemed like a good fit for both sides.

Instead, Crawford will retire without ever officially suiting up for New Jersey.  His playing days come to an end with 488 career NHL games under his belt – all with Chicago over parts of 13 seasons.  He worked his way up the depth chart, eventually beginning as a minor-league option and working his way up to the number one role.  He’ll hang up his skates with a 260-162-53 record with a 2.45 GAA, .918 SV%, and 26 shutouts along with a pair of Stanley Cup titles in 2013 and 2015.

New Jersey will now be faced with a challenge as they look to fill their backup spot on short notice.  Jimmy Howard is the top unrestricted free agent still available but he is coming off a season to forget with Detroit.  At this point, their best bet may be to wait for teams to make their surplus netminders available on waivers over the next couple of days and take their pick from there.  While Scott Wedgewood has some NHL experience and could conceivably begin the year as Blackwood’s backup, it seems all but a certainty that GM Tom Fitzgerald will look to add another goalie in the coming days.

While the contract is technically a 35-plus contract, the new CBA MOU provisions allow for the cap hit to not count against the books as long as it’s a back-loaded or evenly-distributed deal and doesn’t contain signing bonuses beyond the first year.  As that is the case for Crawford, New Jersey won’t face any lingering cap penalty.

Radio-Canada’s Martin Leclerc was the first to report that Crawford would be retiring.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.

Colin Wilson Announces Retirement

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A few months ago, Colin Wilson released a long, emotional piece in The Players’ Tribune, detailing his battle with addiction and a recent diagnosis of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). It was a brutally honest look at the mental health struggles of many athletes and ended with this:

And like I said, I don’t know if I’ll be back out on the ice anytime soon. But I know that, no matter what the future holds for me, I did it. I played in the NHL. I lived my dream. And I fought through hell to make a career for myself. My name might not be on the Stanley Cup, and that’s fine. Because I know there is an opportunity ahead of me to not just leave my mark on the game of hockey, but also on lives all across the world.

I don’t want to pretend like I have it all figured out, because I don’t. I’m still learning as I go. But what I do know comes from what I went through. So if you’re going through it, remember this:

Be kind to yourself, to your mind.

Have patience with your soul, your body.

And know that you don’t have to do it alone.

Today, he has at least figured out what the future will not hold. Wilson has retired after 11 NHL seasons, explaining that though it is a bittersweet moment to leave hockey behind, he’s excited for what will come next in his life.

Originally selected seventh overall by the Nashville Predators in 2008, Wilson made it to the NHL by the 2009-10 season and never looked back. A solid middle-six contributor, he reached a career-high of 20 goals and 42 points in 2014-15. In 632 career games, he scored 286 points, helping his team reach the playoffs on eight different occasions.

Though his career likely didn’t burn as bright as some expected after his dominant performances at Boston University, Wilson can still say he was a very good NHL player. Wish him well in the next chapter of his life and hope that the honesty he showed in October can continue to guide him.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Ryan Callahan Announces Retirement

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After being forced to miss last season due to injury, Ryan Callahan has officially announced his retirement.

In a message on Twitter, the veteran forward thanked everyone that had been a part of his 13-year career, including the New York Rangers for giving him a chance when they selected him 127th overall in 2004. Callahan would eventually become captain of the Rangers, not bad for a hard-working mid-round pick from the OHL.

Next, Callahan thanks the Tampa Bay Lightning, the second chapter in his NHL career where he spent the last five and a half seasons. More than his on-ice success, he thanks the Lightning for helping launch his charitable foundation.

A veteran of 757 regular season NHL games, Callahan twice made it to the Stanley Cup Finals but failed to lift the silver chalice over his head. His career will end with 386 points, but it’s his do-anything-it-takes attitude that teammates and fans will remember long after he’s gone. Joe Smith of The Athletic profiles Callahan for perhaps the final time, explaining how his career winded down in Tampa while getting some insight into where his life will lead him now.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Mark Letestu Announces Retirement

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Mark Letestu never tallied more than 16 goals in a season, but the forward still put together an impressive NHL career as a key utility player, appearing in 567 games. However, that time looks like it’s over as The Athletic’s Aaron Portzline (subscription required) writes that Letestu is retiring.

“The tool bag … it’s had enough,” Letestu told The Athletic on Sunday. “I skated good enough. I shot the puck really well. I thought the game really well. But I got a lot of breaks along the way, too, right from the very start. Luck is a big part of all of it, absolutely, but I also took advantage of those opportunities and played well when I needed to. I got a lot of time out of being a short, slow guy in a fast man’s league.”

The 35-year-old Letestu hasn’t seen much NHL action since playing 80 games between Edmonton and Columbus in 2017-18. He stayed with Columbus for the 2018-19 season, but spent most of that time with their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, playing 64 games there, while only appearing in two games with the Blue Jackets that year. Last year wasn’t much better as Letestu signed with the Winnipeg Jets last offseason, but even with their injury woes, Letestu still only played seven games for the Jets.

Letestu originally signed with the Pittsburgh Penguins, eventually playing four years for the Columbus Blue Jackets. He signed with the Edmonton Oilers in 2015 and played with the Oilers for three seasons before the Blue Jackets reacquired him at the trade deadline in 2018 to help out in their playoff hopes. He was known as a jack-of-all trades forward, who could operate in any situation on the ice, making him quite valuable to any team that had him. His best season was in 2016-17 with the Oilers when he tallied 16 goals and 35 points (along with 11 points in 13 playoff games). In all, Letestu scored 93 goals and 210 points over his 12-year career.

Deryk Engelland Announces Retirement

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One of the most beloved players in Vegas Golden Knights (short) history has decided to hang up his skates. Deryk Engelland has retired from playing professional hockey after 11 seasons in the NHL. He will remain with the organization as Special Assistant to the Owner, Bill Foley, who released a statement:

Deryk Engelland epitomizes what it means to be a Golden Knight. A no-ego, selfless, hardworking player who has an unwavering commitment to protecting those who are unable to protect themselves. Since he joined our organization in 2017, Deryk’s service to our community has been exemplary. On behalf of the entire Vegas Golden Knights organization, we would like to congratulate Deryk on an outstanding career. He has made an indelible mark on our city and we are excited for this next chapter, as he stays with the Golden Knights family and continues the outstanding work he has done in our community.

Engelland was never a top player in the NHL, but he had a special connection to Las Vegas that helped the franchise get off the ground immediately in 2017. Selected by the New Jersey Devils in 2000, he spent the first two seasons of his professional hockey career with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. After stops in Lowell, South Carolina, Hershey, Reading, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Pittsburgh, and Calgary, he made it back when he was picked in the expansion draft—though he had never really left in the first place. His familiarity with the city allowed him to help the new players feel comfortable as they went to the expansion franchise, but it was his words to a packed arena on October 10, 2017 that cemented him as a Vegas legend.

Nine days earlier, just before the season started, Las Vegas had been shaken by a mass shooting that killed 58 people. Engelland stood at center ice before the first home game in franchise history and delivered a short, emotional speech.

Like all of you, I’m proud to call Las Vegas home. I met my wife here. Our kids were born here. I know how special this city is. To all the brave first responders that have worked tirelessly and courageously through this whole tragedy, we thank you. To all the families and friends of the victims, we’ll do everything we can to help you and our city heal. We are Vegas Strong.

At 4:18 of the first period, Engelland scored the second goal on home ice in Golden Knights history. It was just the 23rd of his career.

Alex Steen Announces Retirement

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The St. Louis Blues will not have Alex Steen on the ice for them this season, announcing today that the veteran forward has been forced to retire due to a back injury. The release indicates that he has “multiple levels of degenerative herniated discs of his lumbar spine.” Though he is retiring, Steen’s contract won’t actually be coming off the books entirely.

Jeremy Rutherford of The Athletic confirms that he will be treated as an injured player for this, the last season of his contract, meaning he will earn his full $3.5MM salary and the Blues will still have to deal with his $5.75MM cap hit. That cap hit can be moved to long-term injured reserve for cap relief, though it is still a more complicated process than the complete relief that actual retirement would bring.

Steen, 36, started his NHL journey back in 2002 when he was selected 24th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs, though he wouldn’t actually make it to North America until 2005. When he did, he was already a polished professional from his years in the Swedish Elite League and stepped into the Maple Leafs lineup immediately. With 18 goals and 45 points in his rookie season, there were high hopes that he could be a superstar in Toronto. After a few more solid, if unspectacular seasons, the Maple Leafs made one of their patented (at the time) moves to secure a more veteran talent, trading Steen and fellow first-round pick Carlo Colaiacovo to the Blues for Lee Stempniak.

His Maple Leaf career in the rearview, Steen started the real meat of his hockey journey with St. Louis, a team that he would play 12 seasons and more than 850 games for. Seven different times he earned votes for the Selke Trophy as one of the league’s best defensive forwards, while also reaching new career highs in goals (33) and points (64). His career finishes with 622 points in 1,018 games, and at long last, he got to lift the Stanley Cup in 2019.

Steen isn’t a hall of fame candidate, but he will go down as half of one of the best father-son duos to play in the NHL. His father, Thomas Steen, played 950 games with the Winnipeg Jets and tallied 817 points of his own while also earning Selke votes for that focus on defense. When Alex Steen scored his 600th point during the 2018-19 season, they became just the fourth father-son duo to each record at least that number, behind Gordie Howe/Mark Howe, Bobby Hull/Brett Hull, and Peter Stastny/Paul Stastny. Quite the great company to be in.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Maxim Lapierre Announces Retirement

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Maxim Lapierre, who played 614 games over his NHL career for five different teams, has announced his retirement, according to a report from NHL.com.

The 35-year-old forward played 10 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens, Anaheim Ducks, Vancouver Canucks, St. Louis Blues and Pittsburgh Penguins. He was known as a  physical bottom-six player who spent his first five seasons with the Canadiens. His best season was back in 2008-09 when he scored 15 goals. He was a major factor in the playoffs for the 2010-11 Vancouver Canucks team. He was acquired at the trade deadline and produced three goals and 66 penalty minutes to help the Canucks come within one game of winning a Stanley Cup Championship. His last NHL season was with the Penguins during the 2014-15 season. In total, Lapierre scored 65 goals and 139 points and 586 penalty minutes.

After his contract in Pittsburgh ran out, Lapierre, a Montreal native, signed a one-year deal to play for Modo in the SHL overseas. He then followed that up playing four years for Lugano of the NLA. Last season, he joined the Berlin Polar Bears in the DEL. He did help Team Canada to the bronze medal in the 2018 Pyeongchang Olympics.

Jonas Gustavsson Announces Retirement

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If you were a hockey fan in the summer of 2009, you may remember that one of the biggest stories was which NHL organization would get a chance to sign “The Monster.” Jonas Gustavsson, a 6’4″ Swedish goaltender that had just absolutely dominated in the Elite League—posting a .932 save percentage in the regular season and a .961 in the playoffs en route to a league title—was being hotly pursued by several NHL teams, including the Toronto Maple Leafs, Dallas Stars, San Jose Sharks, and Colorado Avalanche. Given he was just 24 and would be signing an entry-level deal, Gustavsson was truly one of the most high profile free agents available.

He would eventually sign a one-year, entry-level contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs to become the backup for Vesa Toskala. While he wouldn’t have the impact that many expected after his overseas dominance, Gustavsson still played in 181 NHL games over parts of eight seasons, including two playoff appearances for the Detroit Red Wings in 2014. He returned to Sweden in 2017 and now has decided to hang up his skates. Gustavsson announced his retirement today, thanking his teammates and the fans that have supported him through the years.

Now, with years to reflect on it, the massive goaltender stands as a cautionary tale for those projecting greatness onto overseas talents. He would never come close to matching his SEL numbers on North American ice, even if he did still carve out a decent little NHL career.

Perhaps more notable than his numbers in either league, is the silver medal he won in 2014 as a member of Sweden’s Olympic team. Of course, he didn’t actually see the ice at the tournament as Henrik Lundqvist played every minute of competition for the Swedes.

Martin Hanzal Retires From NHL

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It’s been talked about for quite some time. Martin Hanzal has been considering retirement for quite a while, but he finally decided to retire from professional hockey, according to Arizona Coyotes’ beat writer Craig Morgan. The 33-year-old Hanzal was a solid forward for many years with the Phoenix/Arizona Coyotes, but back injuries cut his career short. He finished his career scoring 127 goals, 338 points and 574 penalty minutes in 673 career NHL games.

“It’s a little bit of a relief because the last couple of years I wasn’t sure if I’d play another NHL game or be healthy again so now it’s official: I am retired from the NHL,” Hanzal said by phone. “If I was healthy, I would probably still be playing, but after three back surgeries and especially after the last one, I just can’t do it anymore. I was doing everything I could after this last one and it took me a year to get back on the ice. When I went to see the doctor again, it was either do another surgery or be done playing. Even the doctor said, ‘We’re not sure another surgery will help.’ I still have a long life ahead of me. I don’t want to do another surgery when it’s not 100 percent sure it will even help.”

Hanzal was a first-round pick by the Phoenix Coyotes in 2005 (17th overall) and debuted with his team in 2007 and played 10 years for the franchise, who at 6-foot-6 and 230 pounds, served as a power forward, who gave the Coyotes’ much of their grit. After 10 years and with an expiring contract, the Coyotes decided to trade Hanzal at the trade deadline to Minnesota in 2017 for a slew of draft picks (which eventually netted Arizona defensemen Pierre-Olivier Joseph and Kevin Bahl – both since traded). Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to help much with Minnesota’s hope of a long playoff run as they were eliminated in five games that year. He then signed a three-year deal to sign with the Dallas Stars, but back issues allowed him only to appear in 45 games over that time before his contract ran out this past year.

Justin Williams Announces Retirement

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It’s over for Mr. Game 7. Justin Williams has announced his retirement through a lengthy statement from Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet, ending a long and successful career. Part of the statement:

Since I first broke into the league a day after my 19th birthday back in 2000, this game has brought me so much that I will never be able to repay it. The countless experiences, relationships, lessons and hardships will remain with me forever as I move on to the next stage of my life. I’ve never once taken for granted the privilege it is to be able to play a game for a living, and that is probably why I was able to play it professionally for as long as I have…

…My family has sacrificed a lot for me to be where I am so I want to thank mom and dad for being there for me every step of the way. My sister Nikki for being my biggest fan since day one. My wife Kelly and my kids Jaxon and Jade for embracing this journey with me. Life is so much better when you have people you love to share it with. Thank you everyone as I retire from pro hockey.

If this is truly the end for Williams (he’s teased us before), he’ll leave an outstanding legacy as one of the most timely performers in NHL history. 44 of his 320 career regular season goals were game-winners, and he routinely broke hearts in the playoffs with elimination-game offense. He won the Stanley Cup three times, raising it twice with the Los Angeles Kings and once in 2006 with the Carolina Hurricanes, the team he finished his career with. In 2014 he was the Conn Smythe winner after racking up 25 points in 26 games, including the overtime game-winning goal to start the final series.

His 1,264 regular season games put him 79th all-time and he hangs up his skates just shy of 800 points with 797.

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