Forced retirement thanks to an NHL lockout

Tim Kolupanowich
September 4, 2012

We’ve now entered the final two weeks of existence for the current NHL Collective Bargaining Agreement, and with the most recent talks stalled as the September 15 deadline approaches, it looks as though we may be in for another lockout. How long this one will last is anyone’s guess, but with the business side of the game in negotiation and not the on-ice product, there will be very little, if any, silver lining in this go ‘round.

Once again, there will be a major price, but at least fans were treated to a 2005-06 season that was the most exciting in over a decade. There will be few positives stemming from another (though all that extra cash not spent on tickets would be welcoming for some) and this one will certainly cost the league some fan loyalty as there are plenty of people who don’t want to waste time on a sport guaranteed to shut down every decade. But it will also cost the NHL some of its best players, the very ones those fans are willing to pay to see.

It’s unfortunate, but the sad reality is almost every player’s career ends with a loss, whether it be in a playoff series or by missing the postseason altogether. Sure, a select few such as Ray Bourque in 2001 and Mark Recchi in 2011 were able to skate off in jubilation and retire on top, but that is a rarity, not the norm. Even all time greats such as Nicklas Lidstrom last season retired after a five game, first round loss to Nashville, and was three shy of tying Chris Chelios’ mark for most career playoff games. Joe Sakic’s last game was in November 28, 2008 and he only played 28 seconds against Phoenix that night as a back injury derailed his career. 

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Now some veteran players once again face the biggest loss of their careers, leaving the game without any chance to win or having a proper swan song. There are some very good players whose last games came in the 2003-04 season. Yes, some of them likely would have retired anyway, but many must have felt they had one more season to give it a shot before having the rug pulled unceremoniously out from under them. There’s a reason the 2007 Hall of Fame class is arguably the best in history; Ron Francis, Al MacInnis, Mark Messier and Scott Stevens were all casualties of a lost season, along with others like Shayne Corson, Vincent Damphousse, Mike Keane and Adam Oates.

Brett Hull tried to play again after a year off but only managed five games with Phoenix, managing just one assist and a minus-three. Jeremy Roenick was nowhere near the player he was before the 2005 lockout and while that certainly helped rejuvenate Teemu Selanne’s career, it will undoubtedly have an adverse affect on him this time around. The Finnish Flash has been a sensation since the lockout, putting up 211 goals and 455 points in 462 games, leading the Ducks in scoring three times including last season. He’s still an elite point producer and trails only Jaromir Jagr for most goals and points by a European-trained player, but what could he have in the tank at 43 if he’s forced to miss a full season?

Jagr is another likely candidate to be a lockout casualty, which would be strange because he’d retire as a Dallas Star, a team for which he may never play a game. At least Daniel Alfredsson knows he had his fan support if he goes out now. Chants of “Alfie! Alfie!” filled Scotiabank Place with 11:00 remaining in each period during the end of the season and playoffs which would have been a tremendous send-off despite the first round loss to the New York Rangers. When he did decide to play in 2012-13, the final season remaining on his current contract, there was relief in Canada’s capital. They were going to be treated to another season under their captain and greatest player ever, but that season may never come.

Regardless of whether or not there is a season, one year is knocked off all contracts, meaning anyone who currently has one year remaining on their contract will be a free agent next year. Adrian Aucoin, Sergei Gonchar, Roman Hamrlik, Nikolai Khabibulin, Saku Koivu, Jamie Langenbrunner, Evgeni Nabokov, Vinny Prospal, Steve Sullivan and Kimmo Timonen will all have one year remaining on their contract and will be at least 38 next summer. While they are all very good, none of them have managed to continue posting strong numbers the way Selanne and Jagr have, leaving you with a large group of guys who were expecting to play this year who won’t get that final game or that last cheer they so deserve. They may have forged great careers, but when they are a year older and haven’t played NHL-caliber hockey for a year, teams will be hesitant to give them a shot.

That doesn’t even consider all the players in their prime. If the entire 2012-13 season is lost, that means Sidney Crosby will have missed 183 games in three seasons. Given his career points-per-game average, his career totals will be missing 94 goals, 163 assists and 257 points due to concussions and a lockout, two things the NHL could do a better job of preventing if they really wanted to. That he’s just entering his prime would likely make those numbers even higher. A player who could have had 900 points before 26 now only has 609 and lingering health issues. Steven Stamkos, Claude Giroux, Evgeni Malkin and many others are losing what would be a prime year to put up high point totals as well.

A lot of good came in 2005 despite losing a season. This time it will be devastating. Too many hard-working people have spent their money to watch these players, all of whom are about to end up on the losing side of an argument between a bunch of squabbling millionaires.

There are many milestones in a player’s career, and their last game is certainly an important one. These players deserve a swan song and their fans deserve to cheer them on for it. Surely that can’t be taken away from us again.

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The Author:

Tim Kolupanowich