LATEST | Longtime NHL forward and B.C. native retires after over a thousand games
After more than 1,000 games in the National Hockey League across parts of 16 seasons, longtime forward Andrew Ladd has decided to hang up the skates.
Ladd made the new official in a post on his X account on Sunday afternoon, saying the following:
"The time has come for my next chapter. When I was a kid I never thought I had a chance to make a living playing hockey. There was my love for the game. I loved being a part of a team, I loved competing, I loved the next chance to win, I loved the challenge, I loved the escape of immersing myself in the moment, I loved the feeling of belonging, I loved the confidence it gave me, I loved to prove people wrong. As I reflect on the journey, the 1001 games, the 2 Stanley Cups, the opportunity to captain a Canadian city, what I'm most grateful for is the people." Part of Ladd's statement said.
He went on to thank the teams he spent his time with, "The Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes for allowing me to represent your organization and cities. Friends in all those places who gave my family and I community. The fans who are the fuel of our game and created so many amazing moment like the 1st game back in the Peg, the anthem at the madhouse, and standing for an entire game 7 in Carolina. Your energy and passion created those moment."
He went on to thank the teams he spent his time with, "The Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes for allowing me to represent your organization and cities. Friends in all those places who gave my family and I community. The fans who are the fuel of our game and created so many amazing moment like the 1st game back in the Peg, the anthem at the madhouse, and standing for an entire game 7 in Carolina. Your energy and passion created those moment."
The Maple Ridge, British Columbia native suited up for the Carolina Hurricanes, Chicago Blackhawks, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes between the 2005-06 and 2021-22 seasons, where he recorded 550 points (256 goals, 294 assists), 615 penalty minutes and was a plus-20. He won the Stanley Cup twice during his career, in 2006 with the Hurricanes and 2010 with the Blackhawks.
Injuries have caught up with Ladd in the latter years of his career and he was forced to miss the entire 2022-23 season with a knee injury.
Congratulations to Andrew Ladd on a solid professional hockey career and all the best in retirement!
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