Panthers’ Patric Hornqvist announces retirement from NHL
Patric Hornqvist is retiring from the NHL.
The 36-year old made it official Wednesday in an interview with Sportbladet after rumblings made it seem he was leaning that way.
“Hockey has been a huge part of life ever since I was a kid,” Hornqvist said in Swedish through a Google translation to English, “so of course it’s a difficult decision to make, but I have my injury history and don’t want to risk anything in the future.”
Although he was only a Panther for three seasons, Hornqvist had a decorated career and a feel-good story coming from a seventh-round pick 18 years ago.
The Nashville Predators selected him with the final pick of the 2005 NHL draft (No. 230) and to this day, he remains the only last pick in league history to play at least 900 career games. Hornqvist won back-to-back Stanley Cups with the Pittsburgh Penguins, even scoring the series-clincher in 2017 against the Predators.
Injuries — specifically concussions — piled up throughout his career and ultimately pulled him out of his final NHL game last December against Seattle. Hornqvist was placed on long-term injured reserve and could only watch as the Panthers went from playoff hopeful to Eastern Conference champions.
“I feel good now and hopefully have many good years ahead of me and with my injury history I don’t want to risk future ones,” Hornqvist said.
But that isn’t to say Honrqvist didn’t still have a role. He was still on the ice in practice during the playoffs with a yellow injury practice jersey on. Hornqvist fed pucks to players and put extra shots on the Panthers goaltenders in practice, almost like a pseudo-coach.
As a Panther, he scored 26 goals and recorded 37 assists in 131 games.
The Swede will most likely be remembered though for his tenure with the Penguins. Even with those Penguin teams highlighted by Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Hornqvist was a key, too.
He made his Predators debut in 2008 and didn’t take long to break out. One season later, Hornqvist led Nashville in goals (30) and was tied for the team-lead with 51 points.
Hornqvist was traded to the Penguins in 2014 after six seasons with the Predators. He spent six more seasons with Pittsburgh before being traded to the Panthers in 2020 in exchange for Michael Matheson and Colton Sceviour. It was Panthers general manager Bill Zito’s first trade.
Hornqvist finishes his career with 264 goals and 279 assists in 901 career games.
“When I look back, it’s fantastic to think that I have, for example, two Stanley Cup rings on my account, and a World Cup gold, and that I was actually involved and contributed to those victories,” Hornqvist said. “I could never have dreamed of that.”
