Veteran NHLer Stepan retires after 13 seasons
Published
Veteran forward Derek Stepan announced his retirement from the National Hockey League after 13 seasons.
Stepan, 33, spent last season with the Carolina Hurricanes, recording five goals and 11 points in 73 games.
Originally a second-round (51st overall) by the New York Rangers at the 2008 NHL Draft, Stepan helped Team USA win gold at the 2010 World Juniors. He made the 2011 NHL All-Star roster as a rookie and was the fourth player in NHL history to score a hat trick in his debut on Oct. 9, 2010.
The Hastings, Minn. product appeared in 890 regular-season games, recording 182 goals and 333 assists split between the Rangers, Arizona Coyotes, Ottawa Senators and Hurricanes. He also skated in 120 postseason games, scoring 20 goals with 55 points.
“After 13 years in the NHL I’ve decided to retire," said Stepan in a statement. "I want to thank my family and friends for always supporting me and allowing me to live my dreams. I want to thank the four organizations I had the privilege of playing for, and to my teammates for allowing me to be part of their family. Finally, I want to thank the fans, it was an honor to play in front of you. I’m forever grateful for this game and I look forward to the next chapter.”