After 1,001 games and two Stanley Cup championships, Long-time NHL winger Andrew Ladd has announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 37.
His announcement came in a heartfelt letter to his X (Formerly Twitter) followers on Sunday morning (See Below).
“The time has come for my next chapter,” said Ladd in the statement. “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 proving people wrong.”
“I’ll be forever grateful for how the game shaped me as [a] person and the people it brought into my life,” concluded Ladd.
Over the course of his career, Ladd played in 1,001 games, with 256 goals, 294 assists and 550 points over the span. In 65 career playoff games, he had 9 goals, 9 assists and 18 points.
During his time with Winnipeg between 2011-2014, Ladd was exceptional. During the lockout shortened 2012-13 season, Ladd was nearly at a point-per-game pace with 46 points (18 goals, 28 assists) in 48 games. His career-high came in the 2014-15 season, when he recorded 62 points (24 goals, 38 assists) in 81 games.
After being selected as the fourth-overall pick by the Hurricanes in 2004, Ladd would go on to play three seasons with the team, and win a Stanley Cup in 2006 before being sent to Chicago for Tuomo Ruutu in 2008. He would then be dealt to the Thrashers in 2010 for Ivan Vishnevskiy and a second-round pick. Then he would go on to spend six years with the Thrashers & Jets before being dealt back to the Blackhawks. He would then go on to win his second Stanley Cup Championship before being sent to the Islanders, and eventually the Coyotes.
Have a happy retirement, Ladd. And congratulations on a phenomenal career.
