Now that Detroit's Dallas Drake finally had the Stanley Cup ring he so desired, it was a good time for him to call it quits and sail off into the sunset after over 1000 NHL games.
"I'm a little disappointed in Brett right now," Drake said. "If he comes back I want him to come back and play for Green Bay. But no, you don't have to worry about me doing that."
I was rather surprised that the Wings bothered to pick up Drake last season, given his age (almost 40!) and the fact that he is long removed from his best days on the ice. The guy put up only 12 points in 2006-07.
As we know, the Wings collective is great at assimilating all sorts of players into their lineup, and Drake performed adequately in his fourth-line role, giving the Wings experience, defensive presence, and leadership. Certainly, Drake had to be doing something right to justify his regular spot in the lineup while producing about as much offense as Luke Richardson.
While Wings fans may remember Drake fondly, I'll always remember "Dirty Dallas" as being one of the nastier players in the NHL. Drake had a penchant for leaving his feet to make a hit, and leaving the scene of the crime before he could face the music.
While Dallas Drake has my respect as a warrior and tough little bugger, I don't think the NHL will really miss his headhunting ways.
Denver recruit David Carle has retired from competitive hockey after doctors discovered a heart abnormality. The condition, known as hypertrophic cardiomyopathy - or thickening of the heart - can cause sudden cardiac death if there is too much exertion.
Carle also informed Denver coach George Gwozdecky that he would not be able to play. Gwozdecky told Carle that he would honor his scholarship, and make him part of the team.
"Not only are we morally and ethically obliged (to fulfill the scholarship), but we have established, and we try to establish, strong relationships with our student-athletes,'' Gwozdecky told the paper. "And we have had that relationship with the Carles for a long time because of Matt.
It's nice to see that the university will continue to sponsor David's education, and it's certainly good that they discovered this condition early. We certainly do not want another Jiri Fischer near-death incident. Hockey is an intense sport, and requires any athlete in the league to be in top condition.
The interesting aspect to this story is that the abnormality was discovered at the NHL's testing combine, and not during a routine checkup. We never figure the combine would be used to catch something serious like this, but it's good to know that there is a screening process. Hopefully, any future abnormalities can be detected in the same manner.
Trevor Linden, one of the classiest and more generous professional athletes of all-time, has formally announced his retirement from the NHL after a career which saw him compile 867 points in 1,382 games.
While Linden's announcement is no surprise, it still feels like a rusty dagger through the heart. Hockey in Vancouver without Trevor Linden just doesn't feel 'right'.
"Today is an emotional and exciting day for me as an athlete and a person," said Linden. "It closes one chapter of my life, my playing career, while opening up another which I am very much looking forward to. The game of hockey has been good to me and I would like to thank my family, former teammates, coaches, managers, support staff and the incredible fans that have been so generous in their support of my career."
To those outside of Vancouver, I can understand why you might think the hubbub and fandom over Trevor was so overblown. For the second half of his career, Linden was paid generous salaries, but was truly nothing more than a solid 2nd-3rd line player. While most of Vancouver worshiped the guy, most fans outside of Vancouver rarely ever thought about the guy unless his name popped up in NHLPA matters.
Let me fill you in on why Trevor is so beloved by fans and peers, alike, and why he's one of the few sports figures that I would ever call a 'hero'.
Given that Hasek is a frickin' fossil with a shredded groin, and the fact he was relegated to back-up/cheerleader during most of the playoffs, we all knew it was time for "The Dominator" to ride into the sunset.
This time, it's for good.
Hasek, 43, made the announcement at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, five days after winning his second Stanley Cup as a member of the Red Wings. While he has announced his retirement before, the goaltender said this time, it's final.
"It's about motivation," said Hasek. "I'm glad I can make my decision. I'm not ready to compete [anymore] on the highest level."
Despite the fact that Hasek wasn't an NHL starter until the ripe age of 29, having been over in Europe winning Czechoslovakian league awards like they were going out of style, Hasek is a no-doubt inner-circle Hall of Famer who brought a unique style that dominated the game and intimated shooters like few ever could.
In terms of the all-time great goaltenders, Hasek definitely belongs with the ranks of Plante, Roy, Sawchuk, Dryden, and Durnan. Six Vezinas and Two Hart Trophies, and the best career save percentage (92.2%) among all goalies is quite impressive, indeed.
Despite a mid-career pit-stop with the Colorado Avalanche, Rob Blake will always be associated as being one of the more popular and famous players in Los Angeles Kings' history.
That said, does any Kings fan want Rob Blake to put off retirement and come back for yet another season with the silver and black? Apparently, Rob is considering doing just that.
"I'll probably sit down with the Kings before (July 1) and hopefully get something worked out," Blake said in a telephone interview from his home in L.A. "I wanted to get trained a little earlier this year and make sure I still want to play. I've kind of come through that point where I'm excited and I want to play a couple more years for sure. It's just a matter of sitting down and hopefully working something out to stay here."
Rob Blake just finished his 19th season in the league, probably his worst ever, and is coming off of hip surgery and a serious ankle injury. For a guy that has shown a major decline in speed, this is a very bad sign.
During his two year second stint with the Kings, Blake has played horrible defense, which his -19 and -26 attest to. In order to keep up his offensive numbers, Blake seems more prone to jumping up into the play, and leaving himself open for a counterattack the other way. His penchant for trying to get the "BIG HIT" also leaves him grossly out of position all too often.
I don't begrudge guys like Blake for wanting to keep playing the game they love, but it would be better for the Kings if Robbie went to play in the local beer league. If he comes back, the Kings will only be worse for it.
Given that Wesley is approaching the big 4-0, and has been rumored to be retiring for the past few years, today's announcement is no surprise.
Just like buddy Ron Francis, Wesley will remain with the Hurricanes in the role of "Director of Defensemen Development". Who comes up with these titles?
"There were a lot of memories, alot of great things that I can reflect on," said Wesley. "But I think for right now I'm going to enjoy time with the family and hopefully improve my golf game."
"It's [Director's role] a new role that the organization has given to me and I think it's something I'm going to enjoy in working with the younger defensemen," said Wesley. "Hopefully I'll be able to help them in different perspectives."
Besides being quite easy to notice with his fiery red hair, Wesley will always be remembered, by myself at least, for being part of the most lopsided deals of all time.
Sami Kapanen, the spunky jack-of-all trades saw the writing on the wall when the Flyers made him a healthy scratch/bit player during their playoff run. After a regular season which saw the little bugger get a whopping eight points in 74 games, it's not as if the Flyers were going to utilize Kapanen in a big role.
Flyers right wing Sami Kapanen has decided to end his NHL career with the Flyers and play in his native Finland next season.
Kapanen, who will turn 35 on June 14, has agreed to return to KalPa Kuopio of the Finnish League, where he played 10 games during the 2004-05 NHL lockout.
Kapanen had one year remaining on a contract that would have paid him $1.25 million next season. That salary will come off the Flyers' books for the 2008-09 season.
Part of me has always thought as Kapanen as a disappointment. Given his speed and smarts, I figured he be able to put up much better offensive numbers than he did. Sure, 458 points in 831 games is nothing to scoff at, but Sami only ever crossed the 60-point barrier twice in his career, and took a huge nosedive in 2002, when he was 29 and still in good shape.
On the other hand, Kapanen has been one of the most flexible and useful players during his later career. How many other players would you be comfortable playing at both forward and defense, and in any situation? Sami could do it all and never put up a fuss about it, unlike Sergei Fedorov.
Flyers fans are probably feeling a bit sad and glad today, given how much Kapanen busted his balls for the Flyers, but also knowing that this gives Philly a much needed bit of cap room to use on a younger player who isn't skating with a giant fork in his back.
Despite the fact that Modano has two years left on a five-year deal, it wouldn't have surprised many if the 38-year old heartthrob decided to call it career after 1300 NHL games. It seems that the Stars' semi-successful playoff run helped shape Modano's decision.
"I've thought about it some, but Brett [Hull] wouldn't let me retire," Modano said.
"To be completely honest, I'm sure there will be some tough times," he said. "It's not as easy as it used to be, but the playoffs were so much fun, and I just think there's more that we can accomplish. I just have a really good feeling about that."
Modano spent time as a wing alongside Brad Richards as well as seeing action as a checking line center during the playoffs, so it remains to be seen what his role in 2008-09 will be. Will he be asked to play primarily on the third line, ala Roenick, or will Mikey be expected to carry a heavy offensive load once again?
Despite Modano's advanced age, the guy can skill skate and the guy can still play. Averaging over 19 minutes per game this season, Modano finished with a respectable 57 points and played in every game. Certainly, Modano can provide value for the $2.5mil he'll be paid next season.
Like him or not, Modano is one of the best Americans to ever play the game, and it's good to see one of the NHL's bigger names stay around for another go-around, especially if we get to see more of his hot wife.
Although Trevor Linden has not officially announced his retirement, it's pretty much all but certain that the most popular player in the history of the Vancouver Canucks has played his final game in the NHL.
All of the signs were there: Trevor flying in his parents for the game, the fans giving Linden a standing ovation after the game, kudos and handshakes from the opposing Calgary Flames, giving Linden the First Star, and lots and lots of tears.
There's no denying this city's affection for Trevor Linden, a city he embraced from the day he arrived at age 18, a gangly 18-year-old from Medicine Hat, Alta.
That's why, once more with feeling, the fans at GM Place gave their hero several rousing ovations, enveloping him in the type of adoration fans generally save for a final goodbye to their true loves.
"Maybe that's a hint," Linden joked afterward. "It was quite overwhelming, at the same time, I'm not surprised. I've been treated incredibly by the city of Vancouver for a long time and the fans of the team. For someone who doesn't like attention, it was a little difficult."
It's too bad that Linden, who played 1382 regular season and 124 playoff games, never got a chance to taste champagne from the Stanley Cup, and had to endure the disdain of coach Alain Vigneault for his farewell season.
Linden is one of the few sports personalities that one could seriously put a 'hero' tag on. Known for his tremendous charity work, Linden used his celebrity to benefit others, and was always a class act on and off the ice.
As you can imagine, plenty of hockey fans were touched, figuratively, by Trevor Linden over the years. The tributes are always flowing in ...
About three weeks ago, FanHouse highlighted that Minnesota Wild stalwart Wes Walz had walked out on his club, essentially going AWOL. Rumors were rampant that Walz was contemplating retirement, after starting the season quite poorly. With just 4 points in 11 games, and a team-worst -5, Walz may have felt that he could no longer play a positive role in the Wild's success.
"I thought for sure I was riding off into the sunset 10 years ago," Walz said in January 2006. "But I always felt I had more to give over here. I'm just so glad I was given an opportunity to satisfy my dreams of playing in the NHL and maybe even having an impact."
Walz, the spunky little forward with a big heart, is truly one of the league's better comeback stories. Despite having loads of speed and skill, not a single NHL club wanted his services after he played just two games for the Red Wings in 1995-96. Contemplating retirement at that point, Walz got a call from Zug of the Swiss League, and went into a three year exile from the NHL.
Seeing what other teams were missing, the Wild plucked Walz from his 'prison' and gave him a second chance. Given a role that suited his style, and the confidence of coach Jacques Lemaire, Walz rewarded the Wild with some fine defensive play over his six-plus seasons.
And, with Walz gone, Marian Gaborik is now the lone remaining active player from the Wild's original season roster.
Now that Detroit's Dallas Drake finally had the Stanley Cup ring he so desired, it was a good time for him to call it quits and sail off into the sunset after over 1000 NHL games.
Trevor Linden, one of the classiest and more generous professional athletes of all-time, 
Despite a mid-career pit-stop with the Colorado Avalanche, Rob Blake will always be associated as being one of the more popular and famous players in Los Angeles Kings' history.
Another one of the NHL's longest serving players, Carolina's Glen Wesley, 
With 
Although Trevor Linden has not officially announced his retirement, it's pretty much all but certain that the most popular player in the history of the Vancouver Canucks has played his final game in the NHL.
About three weeks ago, 
