Brandon Bollig Announces His Retirement
Winger Brandon Bollig has decided to call it a career. In an announcement on his Instagram page, the veteran revealed that he is hanging up his skates at the age of 31.
Bollig was an effective energy player for several years in the Chicago organization after signing him as an undrafted free agent out of St. Lawrence University back in 2010. He made his NHL debut in the 2011-12 season and two years later, became a regular with the Blackhawks, playing in all 82 regular season games as well as 15 playoff contests.
That caught the eye of Calgary, who moved a third-round pick in 2014 to acquire him. He spent three years with the Flames, two in the NHL and one with their AHL affiliate in Stockton. He then joined the Sharks as a free agent in 2017 before being dealt to Nashville in advance of the trade deadline last season. However, he remained in the AHL with both organizations and did not sign anywhere after becoming a free agent back in July.
Overall, Bollig played in 241 games at the NHL level, collecting 23 points along with 392 penalty minutes. He also suited up in 272 AHL contests, meaning that he carved out a career of over 500 professional games played, a pretty good showing for an undrafted player.
Josh Gorges Announces Retirement
Though he hasn’t played an NHL game since last year, Josh Gorges’ playing career was not officially over. That changed today when the veteran defenseman announced his retirement from the game of hockey. Gorges played 34 games last season for the Buffalo Sabres, and failed to reach an extension with the team as they moved on to a younger core.
The 34-year old defenseman will finish his NHL career with 783 regular season games, most of which were spent with the Montreal Canadiens. Gorges was a fan favorite in Montreal and a warrior in his own end, suiting up 57 times in the postseason for the franchise and averaging nearly 22 minutes a night in those games. Though he was never considered an offensive player, responsibility was heaped upon Gorges to slow down the opponent’s best players every single night.
In 2014 he was traded to the Sabres where he would wear an “A” as an alternate captain for three seasons, before transitioning out of that role last year. The well-liked veteran nevertheless failed to help Buffalo to the playoffs, and was an obvious choice to let go when his contract expired given the youth being injected into the lineup for this season.
Kings’ Jeff Carter Linked To Boston Bruins
When one national writer connects a contending team with a trade candidate, it’s simply speculation. When three link the two in the span of a few days, there is usually something to it. Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman suggested that the Boston Bruins could be a possible destination for Los Angeles Kings veteran center Jeff Carter in his latest “31 Thoughts” segment. The same day, The Athletic’s Fluto Shinzawa published an entire piece on Carter’s ideal fit in Boston. His colleague, Craig Custance, also wrote about how the best blueprint for a rebuild in L.A. could be to emulate the Bruins, who recouped picks and young players in 2015 by trading away Milan Lucic and Dougie Hamilton, but largely leaving their core intact. This time around, could Carter be in Lucic’s shoes with the Bruins and Kings swapping roles? It’s looking like a real possibility.
The logic behind a Carter deal is obvious for the Kings. L.A. sits in last place in the NHL, with just 24 points through 33 games. The team is far older than they would like to be given their struggles and, as Custance suggests, would benefit greatly from moving out a handful of veterans to inject youth and potential into the roster along with a solid core of Anze Kopitar, Drew Doughty, and Jonathan Quick. It is no surprise that TSN’s most recent Trade Bait list features Kings defenseman Jake Muzzin at No. 2, Carter at No. 5, and Alec Martinez at No. 16. Although Carter, still a capable offensive player, has three years remaining on his contract beyond this season at a remarkably reasonable $5.27MM cap hit and even lower salary, he is also 33 years old and is unlikely to improve in the years it could take for L.A. to return to the postseason. The Kings would be able to add some impressive young pieces in exchange for Carter, kick-starting their rebuild. TSN’s Frank Servalli warns that Carter could use the threat of retirement to decide on his destination, but he would be unlikely to turn down the opportunity to end his career with a contender like Boston.
However, does the deal make sense for the Bruins? Obviously, the first aspect worth noting is Boston’s depth down the middle. Patrice Bergeron and David Krejci, while aging themselves, are still playing at an elite level and are both signed long-term. Adding Carter would give the Bruins three centers age 32 or older signed through at least the 2020-21 season. The Bruins would have the gauge the asking price on Carter against the fact that he would most likely be their third-line center. Yet, this alone doesn’t rule out a Carter trade. Shinzawa notes that Jakob Forsbacka Karlsson, while improving, is not yet ready for prime time match-ups as the anchor of his own line. Carter would be a very helpful addition in the short-term, especially as the Bruins square off against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Tampa Bay Lightning and their equally impressive depth down the middle. Carter playing alongside a young winger like Ryan Donato or Danton Heinen could be a dangerous combo this season and beyond. If and when Forsbacka Karlsson – or Trent Frederic, Jack Studnicka, or Jakub Lauko – looks ready to take on a regular role over the next few years, the right-shooting Carter could also slide to the wing, where the Bruins have yet to identify a long-term option next to Krejci and Jake DeBrusk.
The Bruins could find a way to make a talent like Carter’s work, but the cost will likely dictate whether or not a deal gets done. If Carter is playing the Lucic role in Custance’s proposed role reversal, the Kings would likely land a strong if unspectacular return. Lucic had just one year remaining on his contract as opposed to Carter’s three, but was younger and healthier and expected to play a top-line role in L.A. The Bruins received a first-round pick, established backup goaltender Martin Jones (who they flipped to San Jose), and standout AHL defenseman Colin Miller in exchange for Lucic. The Kings don’t need a young goaltender, nor do the Bruins have much to offer in that department. Boston will also be hesitant to move a first-round pick after forfeiting that pick last year in the Rick Nash trade. However, the Kings need scoring and the Bruins have a plethora of young forwards. Heinen could fill the Jones role of an established young NHLer, although the Kings could instead ask for Donato or Anders Bjork, while one of the team’s prospect centers could be substituted for the first-rounder and Jeremy Lauzon or Jakub Zboril could play the part of Miller. Anything more than that package of three talented young players would probably be a deal-breaker for GM Don Sweeney and company, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility that the combination gets a deal done.
With a seemingly sensible fit on both sides and several major pundits pedaling the rumor, this isn’t the last of Carter-to-Boston speculation. However, the Bruins have also been linked to Carter’s teammate Tyler Toffoli, the Minnesota Wild’s Charlie Coyle, and the New York Rangers’ Kevin Hayes and Mats Zuccarello, yet no move has been made. There is no guarantee that Boston is looking to make a move right now, but as the season wears on these names will only continue to pop up until the Bruins inevitably make a move in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
Paul Martin Announces Retirement
Though he hadn’t played at all this season, Paul Martin has officially announced his retirement with help from Michael Russo of The Athletic. Martin was bought out this summer by the San Jose Sharks after they couldn’t find a trade partner to take his contract off their hands, and there was no deal to be found after that. San Jose will pay him just over $1.4MM this year and next, while he moves on to the next chapter in his life and career.
Martin, 37, was a rock solid two-way defenseman for nearly 1,000 games between the regular season and playoffs. Originally selected by the New Jersey Devils in 2000, he spend three seasons at the University of Minnesota where he won two National Championships and became a program legend. It didn’t take long for him to translate that college success into an NHL career, stepping right onto the Devils blue line and finishing his rookie season with 24 points in 70 games. Martin never looked back, playing exactly zero games in the minor leagues until his final season last year, when the Sharks didn’t have room for him in the NHL.
Though never flashy, Martin racked up points while being a reliable partner to several other offensively-minded defensemen over the years. He will finish his career with 320 points in 870 regular season games, while also having suited up for USA Hockey at the World Junior Championship, World Cup, World Championship and Olympic Games. He reached the Stanley Cup Finals with the Sharks in 2016, losing to the team he’d played for a year prior in Pittsburgh. He never did get the chance to raise the Cup over his head, but given how his teammates speak about him in Russo’s piece, that never changed how hard he worked or how admired he was on and off the ice.
As Russo writes, Martin intends on spending more time on his foundation Shine A Ligh7 now that he won’t be pursuing that Stanley Cup any longer.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Jordin Tootoo Announces Retirement
Long-time NHL grinder Jordin Tootoo is set to be honored tonight by his junior team, the WHL’s Brandon Wheat Kings, and again by the Edmonton Oilers tomorrow. Well, the 35-year-old got the weekend’s festivities off to a hot start this evening by officially announcing his retirement from pro hockey. The veteran of 723 NHL games missed all of last season due to injury and had not signed with any team this off-season. He now sets his sights on a new venture.
Tootoo, a long-time Nashville Predator, was selected in the fourth round of the 2001 NHL Draft. A two-way standout with the Wheat Kings and a member of Canada’s World Juniors team, Tootoo entered the league with high expectations. Although he never quite developed into a scoring threat at the NHL level, Tootoo made a living doing the dirty work: forechecking, winning battles along the boards, fighting for space in front of the net, and of course fighting. Tootoo’s hard work kept him in Nashville for eight years. In his final season with the team, his hard work earned him a career-high 13 minutes of ice time per night, which he turned into a career-best 30 points. That off-season, Tootoo signed with the Detroit Red Wings. He would suit up for two seasons apiece with Detroit and the New Jersey Devils before closing out his career in 2016-17 with the Chicago Blackhawks. In fact, Tootoo earned an extension from Chicago that would have played out last year, had it not been for an upper-body that kept him out all season. At the end of a 13-year NHL career, Tootoo totaled 65 goals, 96 assists, and over 1000 penalty minutes.
However, it is not Tootoo’s statistics that most will remember him for. It won’t even be his grit, his loyalty, or his work ethic. Instead, Tootoo will always be known for the impact he had on the indigenous populations of Canada. The first native Inuk to play in the NHL, Tootoo has devoted his career to advancing the game of hockey for indigenous peoples. It is an effort that has earned him respect and recognition across the league, even with a team he never played for – the Oilers – honoring his work. Tootoo will now turn his full attention to the mission that means so much to him. Tootoo has already done so much, but just as the hard-working veteran played on the ice, there is always more to do.
Vancouver Canucks To Retire Sedins’ Numbers
Vancouver Canucks fans were given an exceptional memory at the end of last season when franchise icons Daniel and Henrik Sedin played in their final game at home. The two combined for two goals and two assists—split just as you’d imagine between the twins, with Daniel scoring both—including the game-winner in overtime, and on the powerplay no less. The two would skate several laps around the rink to say farewell to their city and fan base, before eventually officially announcing their retirement at the conclusion of the season.
Now, the Canucks plan on giving a memory back to two of the best players in franchise history, and retire their numbers to the rafters. Owner Francesco Aquilini was on Sportsnet radio this morning and explained that the team is planning on holding the ceremony during the 2019-20 season during their 50th anniversary celebration. That doesn’t mean just a single moment on the ice though, as Aquilini explained:
Daniel and Henrik are a big part of this community. They’ve given back so much, I mean they’re just iconic players. Iconic players and iconic people, they’re just amazing. So we’re going to really do something special for them, and it’s not just going to be one night, it could be like a week’s long festivities.
The Sedin twins were the faces (or is it just face?) of the Canucks franchise for nearly two decades following the draft floor magic that then-GM Brian Burke worked to secure both of them. Selected second and third overall in 1999, they finished with nearly identical career point totals—though accomplished in different ways—and each won an Art Ross Trophy as the league’s highest scorer. Interestingly, only Henrik won a Hart Trophy as league MVP and only Daniel won a Lester B. Pearson Award (now Ted Lindsay Award) as Most Outstanding Player as voted by his peers. Inseparable both on the ice and in any hockey fan’s memory, they’ll see #22 and #33 go up to the rafters together next season.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images
Rick Nash Still Not Fully Healthy, Undecided On Playing Future
Despite the rumors that exploded late last night and early this morning about Rick Nash submitting his retirement papers to the NHL, the veteran forward has not made a decision about his hockey playing future. Nash’s agent Joe Resnick reached out to Darren Dreger of TSN to report that nothing had changed, but Nash himself spoke to Aaron Portzline of The Athletic (subscription required) to explain the situation. Not going into details, Nash told Portzline that he is still experiencing side-effects from his last concussion and would wait until they subsided before making a decision.
Nash’s representatives told teams that he wouldn’t be signing with anyone in the July 1st frenzy, and now several months later has still not come to any final decision on his playing career. Concussions can having lasting effects on a player’s performance and off-ice life, and while Nash certainly still has the skill to play in the NHL there’s no telling what effect it would have on his health. Portzline believes that if Nash were to return to the league it would “almost certainly be with the [Columbus] Blue Jackets or one of five or six other teams he’s identified as Stanley Cup contenders.”
Scoring 21 goals last season split between the New York Rangers and Boston Bruins, Nash headed into the summer as one of the best free agent forwards on the market. In fact, he ranked sixth on our Top 50 Free Agents this offseason, and was easily the highest that remains unsigned. It’s hard to imagine a player that has been such a consistent goal scoring threat would be out of the league after his 13th 20-goal campaign, but it seems as though that is a very real possibility. Nash has 437 career regular season goals in his 1,060 games, and at one point was among the very best in the league at putting the puck in the net.
In fact, those 437 goals actually tie Nash with the great Pavel Bure for 67th all-time in NHL goal scoring. If he did sign, he’d be behind only Alex Ovechkin and Patrick Marleau among active players, and could pass several other Hall of Famers with an average season. The big, powerful winger won the Maurice Richard trophy once as the league’s top goal scorer and received Selke votes several times as one of the best defensive forwards.
Radim Vrbata Announces Retirement
With the 2018-19 season on the horizon, another veteran forward without a contract has announced he’s hanging up his skates. Radim Vrbata has officially retired today, pushing out a statement through his agent Rich Evans.
Unlike fellow veteran Scott Hartnell, who also announced his retirement today, Vrbata was never expected to do much in the NHL. Where Hartnell was all the rage coming out of junior, and ended up selected sixth overall, Vrbata was undersized and seen as a perimeter player that may not translate fine offensive success to the next level. Vrbata fell all the way to 212th overall in the 1999 draft, where Colorado picked him in the seventh round. That draft status wouldn’t hold him down though, as he finishes his career with the fourth-most games played and points from that draft class—just behind another seventh-round pick named Henrik Zetterberg.
It didn’t take long for the Avalanche to realize they’d found something unexpected at the end of the draft, as Vrbata would put up 120 points in just 55 games during his final season in the QMJHL in 2000-01 before making the jump to the NHL on a full-time basis during the 2001-02 campaign. He scored 18 goals and 30 points in 52 contests for Colorado that year, and would continue to be an offensive threat throughout the rest of his career. With a high of 63 points for the Vancouver Canucks in 2014-15, Vrbata finishes his career with 623 in 1,057 games and 12th all-time among Czech-born players.
Scott Hartnell Announces Retirement
Though it had become apparent that he would not find an NHL contract this offseason, veteran forward Scott Hartnell confirmed it today when announcing his retirement on Twitter. Hartnell released a long statement thanking every organization he has played for in his 17-year career, and admitting that he’s now looking forward to spending more time with his wife and son.
Hartnell, 36, got a chance last season to return to the team that drafted him sixth overall in 2000 and suited up for 62 regular season games for the Nashville Predators. Finding a way to contribute 13 goals—cracking double digits for the 15th time in his career—he was nevertheless held out of all but four postseason contests and not retained at the end of the year. Those 62 games raised his career total to 1,249 which actually puts him 89th on the all-time list and just ahead of other legendary forwards like Sergei Fedorov, Daniel Alfredsson and Patrik Elias. Hartnell was never quite the offensive player that those three were, but still will finish his career with 707 points and an incredible resume of consistency.
Drafted because of his mix of physicality, leadership and offense for the Prince Albert Raiders, Hartnell assumed a limited role for the Predators right away and played in 75 games as an 18-year old in 2000-01. Though he registered just two goals and 16 points, it would be the only time he would be kept under 12 goals or 24 points in a full season for his entire career. In fact, other than his rookie season, his final season and the lockout-shortened 2012-13 season, Hartnell would recorded at least 33 points each year while reaching a career-high of 67 in 2011-12 with the Philadelphia Flyers. Those consistent point totals were accompanied by consistent penalty minutes, as the in-your-face forward will finish with 1,809.
With stops in Nashville, Philadelphia and Columbus, Hartnell quickly became a fan favorite and an easy to hate enemy for rival teams all around the league. Getting under the opponent’s skin and riling up a fan base came natural to him, but there is little doubt that he was well respected around the league for his all-out play style.
Brian Gionta Announces Retirement
This time last year, many had written off veteran forward Brian Gionta as having played in his last game. Instead, the 39-year-old captained the U.S. Olympic team at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea and then returned home to a contract with the Boston Bruins for the stretch run and two rounds of postseason play. With that adventure added to a 16-year NHL career, Gionta now feels he can hang up his skates. The respected veteran announced at a press conference with the Buffalo Sabres today that he has retired from playing professional hockey. Gionta will remain with Sabres in a small off-ice role moving forward.
One of the most famed locker room leaders of his generation, Gionta served as the captain of both the Sabres and Montreal Canadiens during his career. He began as top prospect of the New Jersey Devils, a 1998 third-round pick out of Boston College. At BC, Gionta was a two-time Hobey Baker Award finalist and helped the Eagles to three Hockey East championships. In his second pro season, Gionta helped the Devils to a Stanley Cup championship in 2003, during which run he played in all 24 playoff games and chipped in nine points. Gionta truly broke out in the first post-lockout season, finishing in the top ten in goal scoring with 48 goals and 89 points in 2005-06. After seven years in New Jersey, Gionta played five seasons with Montreal and then returned home to upstate New York for three seasons with Buffalo.
Altogether, Gionta recorded 595 points in 1026 NHL games. An extremely durable player, Gionta played in 75+ games in nine different seasons, often averaging upwards of nineteen minutes of ice time per night. At just 5’7″, Gionta was a pioneer of the movement toward smaller players in the NHL, as his play proved that small stature doesn’t necessarily mean a lack of toughness and grit. Gionta was also a model player, especially considering his two-way nature, as he stayed out of the penalty box for much of his career. Gionta will always be remembered for his unique style, versatility, hockey IQ, and of course, leadership. Should he really embrace the management side of the game with Buffalo, he will likely continue to find success in the game of hockey.