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Retirement

David Backes Signs One-Day Contract, Retires As Member Of St. Louis Blues

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The St. Louis Blues have brought David Backes home. The veteran forward has signed a ceremonial one-day contract with the team, just to announce his retirement from hockey. Backes released a long letter to the organization and the fans of St. Louis, including an explanation of just why he has chosen to hang up the skates at this point:

The game got faster and younger and I haven’t been associated with either of those adjectives in a long time.

My final goal was to play 1,000 games, but I came up 35 short.

In the end, it’s not that all these numbers don’t matter – they do, and I am damn proud of them. But the metrics that mean the most to me are the countless experiences and everlasting relationships that the game provided me.

That’s what I find is beyond measure.

Backes, 37, played a decade in St. Louis to start his career, ascending to the captaincy of the Blues by 2011. He scored 206 goals and 460 points in 727 regular season games with the team, but. was unable to find much success in the postseason. In his time there the Blues reached the Conference Finals just once, and by then he was already slowing down. In 2016 he was one of several high-profile free agents that signed expensive, long-term deals that failed to pan out as the league underwent a transformation toward youth and speed.

That second chapter of his career came in Boston, where he managed just 39 goals over 217 games, his declining footspeed slowly moving him further and further down the lineup. Always aware of his waning effectiveness, Backes decided to embrace a new role as a sort of enforcer for the Bruins by 2019, adding physicality and toughness to the fourth line.

When he was scratched more often than not during the first part of the 2019-20 season, the Bruins ended up trading Backes to the Anaheim Ducks, where he finished out his career with 21 appearances. That would take the veteran forward to 965, 35 short as he explained in his letter today. Though he failed to win any major awards, Backes was a Selke Trophy finalist in 2012 and finished in the top five for that award four years in a row. A fan favorite in St. Louis, he’ll now be able to say he finished his career where it started.

Toronto Marlies Hire Hannu Toivonen, Troy Paquette

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The Toronto Marlies have made a duo of coaching hires today. Lance Hornby of the Toronto Sun reports that the team will bring on Hannu Toivonen as their goalie coach and Troy Paquette as their video coach.

Toivonen’s a name that will likely ring a bell for some. Drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round in 2002, Toivonen could never stick around at the NHL level despite strong showings early in his career in the AHL. Toivonen’s NHL career lasted just three seasons between 2005 and 2008, but he continued playing overseas and in minor leagues until his retirement just recently in 2019. After taking 2019-20 off, Toivonen got his first coaching gig as a goalie coach with the University of New England last season. He’ll now join the Marlies as his first professional coaching job, looking to make an impact with prospects such as Joseph Woll, Ian Scott, and Erik Kallgren.

The hire of Toivonen comes after the Marlies quickly announced and renounced the hiring of Dusty Imoo last month after social media backlash.

Paquette is somewhat of an early bloomer in the coaching world at just 25 years old. A former goalie, Paquette never played at a level higher than junior hockey with his last game action in 2015-16. However, this will be Paquette’s fourth season already as a video coach. He’s been with the OHL’s Kingston Frontenacs for the past three years, as well as serving as the goalie coach for Queen’s University the past two seasons.

Henrik Lundqvist Announces Retirement

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After heart surgery took him off the ice last season, Henrik Lundqvist has decided enough is enough. The legendary goaltender has announced his retirement, thanking all the people that have been part of his career over the last few decades.

From the excitement I felt as an 8-year old at my first practice to the 15 years of butterflies I had every time I took the ice in the greatest city in the world. I’m extremely grateful for what hockey has brought me and taught me in life. These lessons will never leave me. 

In the end, Lundqvist will have played every single game of his NHL career in a New York Rangers sweater after all. After 15 years with the organization, he attempted to play a year with the Washington Capitals in 2020-21, but after a heart issue was discovered in offseason training, that never happened. Now 39, Lundqvist will hang up his pads after 887 regular season appearances.

That’s good enough for eighth all-time, though Lundqvist will likely be passed by Marc-Andre Fleury this season. He sits sixth all-time in wins and finished in the top-six for Vezina Trophy voting for ten straight seasons to start his career. He took home the award in 2012 after posting a .930 save percentage in 62 appearances, finishing third in Hart Trophy voting that year as well. One of the best of his generation, Lundqvist was never able to raise the Stanley Cup but did Olympic and World Championship gold as part of Team Sweden.

Even without any championships, Lundqvist is heading to the Hall of Fame as the unquestioned greatest Swedish goaltender of all time. He’ll finish his career with a 459-310-96 record, with 64 shutouts.

A little later in the morning, the Rangers made their own announcement. This season, Lundqvist’s jersey will be raised to the rafters at Madison Square Garden and his No. 30 will be retired from use.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports

Coyle, Forbort Expected To Step Into Top Roles For Bruins

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With the unexpected departure of David Krejci, the unknown status of injured Tuukka Rask, and a shockingly busy first day of free agency that included adding a number of top names, there are plenty of questions surrounding the Boston Bruins and how they may look next season. With so many possible lineup combinations and the team having yet to even practice together once, it would be understandable to leave fans wondering how the team may be structured in 2021-22. However, head coach Bruce Cassidy is not afraid to hint at his plans. Speaking with beat writer Eric Russo, Cassidy was open about who he sees stepping into some of the most important vacancies in the Bruins lineup.

First and foremost on the minds of most is who will step into Krejci’s role as second line center, especially after Taylor Hall was re-signed following stellar production with Krejci and Craig Smith. Well, despite some speculation to the contrary, Occam’s Razor prevails. Third line center Charlie Coyle will indeed get the first shot at centering the second line, as Cassidy called him the “obvious choice”. Coyle may be coming off of the worst offensive season of his career, but the two-way forward will be healthy this season following off-season knee surgeries and will look to return to form, which is a player whose career full-season scoring pace is 40 points. Cassidy notes that with Hall and Smith having experience playing together and Coyle and Smith also having played together, the familiarity that the three would share makes it an easy initial choice as the team’s second line. However, Cassidy does note that free agent additions Erik Haula and Tomas Nosek both play their best at center as well and could be next in line if Coyle is not a fit.

On defense, while some were content with the Bruins’ most frequent top pair of Matt Grzelcyk and Charlie McAvoy, not everyone was convinced. Count Cassidy among that group. The head coach opined that the role may have been asking too much of Grzelcyk. He believes that free agent addition Derek Forbort, who plays a much more defensive and physical style, could in fact be the better match with McAvoy. Cassidy stated that between competing for that role and likely playing alongside Brandon Carlo on the top penalty kill unit, Forbort will be expected to play “big minutes”. Of course, Forbort will have to prove himself worthy, as Grzelcyk has the advantage of being the incumbent. Cassidy noted that Mike Reilly will likely continue to play with Carlo, but that too could change if Grzelcyk is bumped from the top pair.

Elsewhere on the roster, Cassidy firmly stated his support for Connor Clifton as getting the first shot as the regular third pair right-handed defenseman in the wake of Kevan Miller’s retirement. However, he also noted that youngsters Jakub Zboril and Urho Vaakanainen as well as recovering veteran John Moore all have experience playing their off side and will compete for opportunity. In the bottom-six, Cassidy offered a vote of confidence for Jake DeBrusk retaining his starting job as third line left wing, while also advocating for top prospect Jack Studnicka to get a look for a roster spot. With the versatility of additions Haula, Nosek, and Nick Foligno, there are plenty of potential combinations on that third line and there is a high likelihood of a more offensive fourth line in Boston than in years with the overflow of the third line position battle matched with the likes of Curtis Lazar and Trent Frederic. In goal, Cassidy did not just announce free agent splurge Linus Ullmark as the new starter; in fact quite the contrary. Cassidy expects Ullmark and breakout rookie Jeremy Swayman “to compete for the majority of the starts.” While Ullmark was compensated like a starter by the Bruins in both salary and term, Cassidy notes that Swayman will be given a fair chance to “come in and potentially be the No. 1.”

How it all plays out in Boston remains to be seen, but Cassidy did not hold anything back about his thought and plans for the current roster. That should give fans of the Bruins and their Atlantic Division rivals something more concrete to consider as the days tick down to the start of the regular season.

Anders Nilsson Announces Retirement

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Veteran goaltender Anders Nilsson has decided to call it a career. The 31-year-old announced his retirement on his personal Instagram, putting an end to a twelve-year pro career. Nilsson cited his ongoing battle with symptoms related to head injuries, which kept him from playing in the 2020-21 season, as prematurely ending his playing days.

Nilsson, a third-round pick of the New York Islanders in 2009, played with eleven teams in four different years in his pro career, all of whom he thanked in his announcement. A product of Swedish club Lulea, Nilsson made his debut with the Islanders in 2011-12, just two years after being drafted. He would spend three years in the organization before briefly leaving North America in 2014-15 to play for the KHL’s Ak Bars Kazan. He returned the following year to sign with the Edmonton Oilers and bounced around to the St. Louis Blues, Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks and Ottawa Senators over just four seasons. Just when it seemed like Nilsson had finally found a long-term NHL home in Ottawa, injuries limited him and ended up costing him this past season. He was traded for the sixth and final time this past fall to the Tampa Bay Lightning, who planned to use him for Long-Term Injured Reserve purposes.

As Nilsson noted, post-concussion symptoms and neck pain forced his hand, causing him to retire at the relatively young age of 31. With 161 NHL games to his credit, Nilsson had proven himself to be a worthwhile backup, even if his career .907 save percentage and 3.06 GAA was just average. A big, composed goaltender, Nilsson was a quality depth option who likely would have extended his NHL career this off-season if not for the severity of his injuries.

Coyotes’ Niklas Hjalmarsson To Retire

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The career of one of the best defensive defensemen of the modern era is coming to an end. Craig Morgan of AZ Coyotes Insider reports that Arizona unrestricted free agent Niklas Hjalmarsson is set to retire after 14 NHL seasons. Morgan notes that the humble veteran is unlikely to make a formal announcement, but multiple sources have confirmed that Hjalmarsson’s NHL career has ended.

While Hjalmarsson is still a capable pro, this move should not come as much of a surprise. The 34-year-old has been in decline over the last few years, more or less since leaving the Chicago Blackhawks in 2017. This season, he refused to waive his No-Movement Clause ahead of the trade deadline, preferring to stay with his family in Arizona rather than compete for a Stanley Cup. It seems that his three titles with Chicago were enough for the respected veteran, and when that drive is gone the career doesn’t last much longer. Recently, rumors emerged that his family would be moving back to his native Sweden, again a sign that Hjalmarsson was ready to move on as well.

While Hjalmarsson never received the accolades of other top defenseman or even his other championship teammates with the Blackhawks, he was quietly one of the best defensive players in the NHL over much of his career. A player whose numbers don’t do him justice, Hjalmarsson played with elite hockey IQ and vision, rarely getting caught out of position. Hjalmarsson could single-handedly shut down an offensive rush or stymie a power play. An incredibly effective shot blocker, Hjalmarsson’s defensive zone presence was the stuff of nightmares for the opposition in his prime. While only ever contributing modest offense, not much of puck-mover, and not a noticeable physical presence, it didn’t matter – Hjalmarsson was an effective top-four defenseman all the same. A dependable player who ate minutes and took on difficult match-ups throughout his career, including 137 career playoff games, Hjalmarsson was a key piece of every team he played for.

While not unexpected, Hjalmarsson’s departure from Arizona is yet another confirmed absence from the Coyotes’ 2021-22 blue line, which is set to look very different. Arizona had seven defensemen play 40+ games this past season. Heading into the off-season, four of those were unrestricted free agents: Hjalmarsson, Alex Goligoski, Jason Demers, and Jordan Oesterle. A fifth, captain Oliver Ekman-Larsson, has since been traded. Hjalmarsson is now confirmed not to return and veterans Goligoski and Demers are not expected to return either. Depth defensemen Aaron Ness and Jordan Gross are also UFA’s and may not re-sign. Jakob Chychrun will lead a new unit that looks to include Shayne Gostisbehere, Ilya Lyubushkin, Kyle Capobianco, and rookie Victor Soderstrom. Chychrun will need to channel Hjalmarrson and other former teammates if he want to play the well-rounded game needed to become a bona fide No. 1  and leader of a young defense corps.

Matt Calvert Announces Retirement

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Take one more name off the unrestricted free agent list, as Colorado Avalanche forward Matt Calvert has decided to retire from professional hockey. Calvert has dealt with post-concussion symptoms over the last few seasons and played just 18 games for the Avalanche this year. According to the NHLPA, he is retiring due to a “career-ending injury,” though it does not specifically note the concussions.

In a statement, Calvert thanked those that have helped him along the way:

I’ve been lucky enough to play the game I love since I was five years old. I never played to make it to the NHL. I played to compete. I played for my teammates. I played for the fans. I played for my family. I played because I loved to battle, and I played to win. I dreamt of becoming an accountant when I was 18 years old and three years later, I was playing in the NHL…

Calvert will return to Brandon, Manitoba where he and his family live, and explains that he is still looking forward to skating on the outdoor rinks in retirement. The 31-year-old will end his career with 566 regular season games under his belt, all with with either the Columbus Blue Jackets or Colorado Avalanche. Calvert scored 95 goals and 203 points during those games, usually occupying a third or fourth-line spot and adding value on the penalty kill.

A fifth-round pick in 2008, the former Brandon Wheat Kings captain certainly carved out a long career in the NHL. From OHL star, scoring 99 points in his final year of junior, he successfully made the transition to depth player that so many fail to do. He would have likely been on many team’s radar if he was healthy and wanted to play next season, but instead he’ll hang up his skates.

Kevan Miller Announces Retirement

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After countless major injuries, Kevan Miller has decided to call it quits. The Boston Bruins defenseman announced on Instagram that he will be retiring from professional hockey. His explanation:

Although my spirit for the game is there, unfortunately my body isn’t. My overall health and my family are now the priority. This was not an easy decision to make but it’s time to hang up my skates. 

Miller, 33, played in 28 games for the Bruins this season and was scheduled to become an unrestricted free agent. A warrior for Boston through the early part of his career, he earned a four-year, $10MM contract from the team in 2016 as a core piece of their defense. Unfortunately, he would never manage to play more than 68 games in a single season again. Since 2018-19 he has played in just 67 regular season contests, missing the entire 2019-20 season due to injury. Though he worked desperately to return, the toll his body has taken over the years was obviously too much.

The Bruins will now have to look elsewhere for a replacement, though it seemed unlikely that they would commit any substantial resources to him for next season anyway. The team has five defensemen under contract already and has a contract negotiation with Brandon Carlo coming up. The team transitioned to a younger group this season after letting names like Zdeno Chara and Torey Krug go, so Miller was really the last vestige of the previous defense corps.

In 352 career regular season games, Miller recorded 13 goals and 71 points. He also suited up 33 times in the postseason for the Bruins, averaging more than 20 minutes a night and scoring seven points.

Pekka Rinne Announces Retirement

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As it turns out, Pekka Rinne won’t be playing for another franchise after all. The legendary Nashville Predators goaltender has decided to hang up his pads, announcing retirement after 15 years. Rinne explained his decision in a long letter to the fans of Nashville, thanking some of the players that have meant the most to him over the years.

Rinne, 38, stands alone at the top of the mountain for the Predators, holding basically every franchise record that a goaltender can. He is the team leader in games (683), starts (667), wins (369), shutouts (60), goals-against average (2.43) and saves (17,627). He also leads all Finnish goaltenders in games, starts, wins and shutouts. Those 369 wins tie him for 19th all-time with Tom Barrasso, though he’ll likely be passed by Carey Price next season. He won the Vezina Trophy in 2018 and was a finalist three other times. He took home the King Clancy trophy this season.

Selected in the eighth round in 2004, Rinne’s is one of the best draft stories in history. Originally eligible in 2001, he was passed over three times before the Predators took a chance on him at 258th overall. Janne Kekalainen, the team’s European scout, saw Rinne playing as a backup for Niklas Backstrom in Finland, and convinced GM David Poile to spend a late pick on the overager.

Rinne was a pending unrestricted free agent this summer, and though he indicated at the end of the season he might be interested in playing, even if it meant suiting up for another franchise, he’ll finish his career playing for only Nashville. The team now turns to Vezina candidate Juuse Saros while also having top prospect Yaroslav Askarov in the pipeline after spending the 11th overall pick on him in 2020.

Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images

Sergei Mozyakin Announces Retirement

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One of the greatest players to never try his hand at the NHL is hanging up his skates. Sergei Mozyakin, among the most decorated Russian players of all time, has retired at the age of 40.

Name an award in the KHL, personal or team-based, and Mozyakin has likely won it. The legendary forward is the league’s all-time leader in goals, points and games played, has two Gagarin Cup championships, and has been named league MVP four times. He has Olympic gold, World Championship gold and several other medals on the international stage, sometimes serving as captain of the Russian team.

In fact, it is not quite accurate that he never tried to play in North America. Selected 58th overall in the 1998 CHL Import Draft, Mozyakin left his club team in Russia and was going to follow the same junior route many other talented international players did, playing in Canada. After just four games with the Val-d’Or Foreurs though, a contract dispute landed him back in Russia, never to leave again. He registered one assist for the Foreurs, his only point while playing for a North American club.

Somewhat hilariously, Mozyakin’s NHL draft rights were still owned by the Columbus Blue Jackets, who selected him 263rd overall in 2002. Because the KHL and NHL do not have a transfer agreement, those rights were carried indefinitely.

In 842 combined regular season and playoff games in the KHL, Mozyakin scored 419 goals and 928 points. He has served as captain for Metallurg Magnitogorsk for nearly a decade and had 21 points in 38 games this season. Even though his regular season totals were depressed, the old Mozyakin showed up one last time in the postseason, scoring 10 points in 11 games.

It’s not clear if Mozyakin ever would have found success in the NHL, but perhaps the decision to stay in Russia was the right one anyway. He will now go into retirement as one of the greatest to ever play in that league.

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