In the first of what I suspect will be a lot of retirements by 30+ year old players this season, Dan Hamhuis has announced he is done. A kid from small town Smithers walked on to WHL's Prince George Cougars (which he now owns) back in an era where the pulp mill town was known for churning out NHL defensemen - Zdeno Chara, Derek Boogaard, Joel Kwiatkowski, Eric Brewer. Hamhuis was the best of them all at that level. With his devastating hip checks he was named as the best defenseman in all of junior hockey. A first round draft pick (12th overall) in 2001, Hamhuis went on to 1128 game NHL career with Nashville, Vancouver and Dallas.
He was a depth defenseman by this late stage of his career, and there was no guarantee of a contract offer forthcoming next season anyway.
No one feels bad for these guys, but Hamhuis would have been playing next season for $200,000 essentially.
If they can't complete the season, and the league has to pay the broadcast rights holders back 100s of millions of dollars.
He was a depth defenseman by this late stage of his career, and there was no guarantee of a contract offer forthcoming next season anyway.
No one feels bad for these guys, but Hamhuis would have been playing next season for $200,000 essentially.
If they can't complete the season, and the league has to pay the broadcast rights holders back 100s of millions of dollars.