Players that retired early but not because of injuries or ability

[Megahab]

I am interested in reading about players that retired early but not because of injuries and not because they weren't good enough to make a roster spot. An example would be Ken Dryden.

Which other players fall under this category?

 

[Big Phil]

I don't know, I would say Mario Lemieux in 1997. Sure he had his back issues, but he wins the Art Ross and I would say the theme of his retirement hinged a lot more on how frustrated he was with how the game was being played at that time.

Jacques Lemaire was 34. Still pretty young to an extent and the guy could still play the game as we witnessed him tying Lafleur for the playoff scoring lead in 1979. Yet he left the Habs and went to Switzerland to play. The Habs called his bluff, which wasn't a bluff. He still played the game, but he left the NHL at least.

 

[The Panther]

Wasn't there a thread about this just a week or two ago? My answer was Jim Peplinski, who retired at about 28/29 from the Flames, for no apparent reason.

 

[Ivo]

Robert Svehla retired when he was 34. Not that it's a young age for a hockey player, but he was not slowing down and just had one of his best seasons, with 45 points. Definitely had more good seasons in him and I am not aware of any serious injuries bugging him.

Zdeno Ciger was a strange case - he left the NHL after having a breakout season with Edmonton - 31 goals and 70 points. He was only 26. He didn't really retire, just went to play back in Europe and even attempted an unsuccessful short-lived comeback in the NHL years later, but I always thought it was strange for a guy to leave after a breakout season and before he could really capitalize on it (financially and otherwise).

 

[Moose Head]

Mario Tremblay Retired at 29. He was injured in the second half of his final season, but as far as I know it wasn't the career ending variety. He was still an effective player getting 39pts in 56 games after getting 66 pts the previous season.

 

[MS]

Fred Arthur - medicine.
Todd Bergen - golf.
Tom Edur - god.
Chad Kilger - personal.
Jeff O'Neill - personal/fear of flying.
Lee Sweatt - banking.
Paul Ranger - personal. (came back 3 years later)

 

[Sprague Cleghorn]

Apps, Drillon

 

[nutbar]

Mike Eruizone

 

[Killion]

I am interested in reading about players that retired early but not because of injuries and not because they weren't good enough to make a roster spot. An example would be Ken Dryden.

Which other players fall under this category?

The legendary Bill Durnan. aka Dr. Strangeglove. A natural Righty, when he was a kid a Church Coach in Montreal taught him to play goal ambidextrously, using two catchers rather than a Blocker/Catcher, switching his stick from left to right depending on what side the shooter was coming in on him from. Often forgotten as his career only spanned 7 years but one of the greatest goaltenders to have ever played the game, a Rookie at 28. Thereafter he won the Vezina Trophy in 6 consecutive seasons along with being a 1st Team All Star 6X's and 2 Stanley Cups in Montreal. In his 7th season however, the wheels started to fall off, the money he (and everyone else) was making not great & with a family to raise constantly struggling, had suffered a couple of minor injuries that were bothersome but not career ending, things coming to a head eventually & he literally pulled himself from a Playoff Game in his final season (replaced by Gerry McNeil) & that was that. Retired. He said in later years that had the money been what it was in the late 60's onward, no problem. He'd have had to have been dragged from the crease kicking & screaming....

Interesting story & guy, as originally he'd been property of the Leafs but during his first training camp got injured, treated like a cast-off, declared he'd never play pro. Went on instead to get a job, playing Senior part-time, won an Allan Cup. Eventually wound up in Montreal working as an Accountant with Canada Car & Foundry, one of his colleagues (Len Peto) a Director with the Canadiens. Peto knew all about Durnan, applied some pressure & $$$ incentive, he signed with the Habs just as they were gelling under Irvin Sr., with the arrival of Maurice Richard. Whenever lists or rankings of Best Goaltenders All Time are bandied about, its interesting that noticeably absent is Bill Durnan from the discussion. Understandable I suppose as he only played 7 seasons however, same with Ken Dryden; 71/72 he arrived late though brilliantly with that great playoff performance; taking 73/74 off to article. Unlike the Habs of the 70's however, Durnan did not play behind a total powerhouse and was seriously tested game in game out. Held the record for consecutive Shutout Play with 4 straight games in 1949 until 2004 when Brian Boucher finally broke it.

 

[Terry Yake]

Dr. Randy Gregg

 

[kdb209]

Wasn't there a thread about this just a week or two ago? My answer was Jim Peplinski, who retired at about 28/29 from the Flames, for no apparent reason.

From a main board thread:

Healthy players that retired at a young age;

 

[crobro]

Rob Mclanahan

Pierre Larouche

Steve Shutt

Guy Lafluer

Bobby Chouinard

Blaine Stoughton

 

[VMBM]

Mike Eruizone

Maybe his 1980 Team USA mate Mark Pavelich too, the NHL during the 1986-87 season... though having Herb Brooks as a coach (in the NYR) possibly helped him to have those PPG or near PPG seasons (plus the fact that it was the 1980s), but he had some talent too.

Pekka Rautakallio (NHL, after 1981-82), due to family reasons.

 

[Theokritos]

Zdeno Ciger was a strange case - he left the NHL after having a breakout season with Edmonton - 31 goals and 70 points. He was only 26. He didn't really retire, just went to play back in Europe and even attempted an unsuccessful short-lived comeback in the NHL years later, but I always thought it was strange for a guy to leave after a breakout season and before he could really capitalize on it (financially and otherwise).

Zdeno Cíger: "There are more important things in life than money."

Maybe his 1980 Team USA mate Mark Pavelich too, the NHL during the 1986-87 season... though having Herb Brooks as a coach (in the NYR) possibly helped him to have those PPG or near PPG seasons (plus the fact that it was the 1980s), but he had some talent too.

HC Bolzano and other Italian clubs (mostly Silvio Berlusconi's Milan) were throwing around some serious money in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Kent Nilsson and Mark Pavelich 1987, Mark Napier and Cliff Ronning 1989, Jari Kurri 1990. During the 1994-95 lockout Bolzano reportedly paid Jaromír Jágr no less than $ 10,000 per game.

 

[kmad]

Stefan Legein, top-ranked Blue Jackets prospect, a sure thing to be an NHLer, who just decided he didn't care about hockey.

Peter Zezel retired so he could spend more time with his terminally ill niece.

 

[MXD]

Bill Nyrop.

 

[Moose Head]

Bill Nyrop.

From the same era, Robin Sadler. He was being compared to a young Larry Robinson. Just couldn't take the pressure and left, returning his signing bonus to the Habs. Think he later ended up going to Europe.

 

[Hobnobs]

Blaine Lacher and Jim Carey. They retired because they sucked sure but still young and healthy. Both rookies in the same year and both managed to play for Boston.

 

[JJ18Sniper]

Denis Potvin retired at 34 after a season where he had 19 goals (87-88). He lost his passion for the game after the death of his father several years earlier and the Isles dynasty was long over at this point.

 

[nutbar]

Carl Brewer - quit the Leafs and joined the Canadian national team.

 

[Bear of Bad News]

Blaine Lacher and Jim Carey. They retired because they sucked sure but still young and healthy. Both rookies in the same year and both managed to play for Boston.

Jim Carey actually retired due to an inner ear concussion suffered with Cincinnati in 1999.

 

[Hobnobs]

Jim Carey actually retired due to an inner ear concussion suffered with Cincinnati in 1999.

Did not know that. Well atleast I was half-right

 

[DisgruntledGoat*]

Stefan Legein, top-ranked Blue Jackets prospect, a sure thing to be an NHLer, who just decided he didn't care about hockey.

Didn't Legein change his mind a year or two later and decide to give it another shot? What ended up happening there?

 

[Hobnobs]

Didn't Legein change his mind a year or two later and decide to give it another shot? What ended up happening there?

Signed in Germany but havent played a game. Spent some time in the AHL before going to Västerås (Lidströms old team) in sweden.

Tier 2 player in europe.

 

[scribe114]

Marty Pavelich of the Wings retired after the 1956-57 seasona at age 29 rather than take a demotion to the minors by Jack Adams due to his friendship and business partnership with Ted Lindsay. Went into business for himself and kept it moving.