1000 Game Veteran Officially Hanging Up His Skates & Announces Retirement From NHL
Former Boston Bruin, New York Ranger and Winnipeg Jets Captain Blake Wheeler has officially announces that he will be returning from the NHL after an esteemed 1000 game career.
After just 54 games last season, Blake Wheeler unfortunately went down with a leg injury that made it unclear if he would be making a push to get back to playing shape.
It is hard to know when the right time is to move on to the next chapter of year life, but it sports a lot of the times that question gets answered for you.
At 38-years-old, Wheeler love and passion for the game was no longer at its peak like it once was, and when that happens, it usually indicates that its time to hang em up.
According to Wheeler, the emotional ups and downs of an NHL season are no longer excites him, with him being 38 years old and how the Rangers have been playing this season it's safe to say he made the right choice. - Bowman
Blake Wheeler Comments on Knowing When It is Time to Retire
When Wheeler was asked about if he can still play in the NHL, he answered that he 100% believes he can physically, but its emotionally that is at the end.
My body, can I still go play a hockey game? Hell, yeah. I can still play,» Wheeler said. «It's just the emotional, get up 82 times - I don't want to do that. There's only so much gas in the tank for that."
Wheeler then continued to talk about how emotional of player he was on and off the ice:
"As an emotional person, that was my battery every game. Tapping into the emotion,» Wheeler said. «What was really challenging for me as a leader was after the game, you've got to dial that down and talk to the media in a way that's respectful. And I'm like a 10 out of 10 on the emotion scale for the last three hours. I can't get there."
Nonetheless, Wheeler will be missed and has one heck of a career, Blake Wheeler will finish playing 16 seasons, recording 321 goals and 943 points in 1172 games split between the Boston Bruins, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets and New York Rangers.
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DECEMBRE 19 | 196 ANSWERS 1000 Game Veteran Officially Hanging Up His Skates & Announces Retirement From NHL Goodluck in Retirement Blake Wheeler! |
Yes | 184 | 93.9 % |
No | 12 | 6.1 % |
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