Taylor Chorney retires after 13 pro seasons, eight in the NHL

Apr. 8—Taylor Chorney's pro career has been a journey.

Since leaving UND after the 2008 NCAA Frozen Four, Chorney played 13 professional seasons, suiting up for 12 different teams in four leagues. He played eight seasons in the NHL for five different teams — the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals and Columbus Blue Jackets.

That pro hockey journey has come to an end.

Chorney posted Thursday morning on Instagram that he's retiring from pro hockey.

"It has been a heck of a journey over the last 13 years," Chorney wrote. "Hockey has always been at the front of my mind but with some time now to reflect, the friendships and experiences along the way are what I will cherish the most. Thanks to everyone I've had the pleasure of 'working' with along the way."

Chorney came to UND in 2005 alongside a loaded recruiting class that also featured Hobey Baker Award winner Ryan Duncan and five more NHLers in Jonathan Toews, T.J. Oshie, Brian Lee, Matt Watkins and Joe Finley. Brad Miller, Andrew Kozek, Zach Jones and Ryan Martens also had pro careers. Miller is still playing.

That class helped UND to Frozen Fours their first three seasons in 2006, 2007 and 2008, losing to Boston College in the semifinals all three times.

Chorney, who played prep hockey at Shattuck-St. Mary's, had an immediate impact. He tallied 18 points as a rookie defenseman while UND won the Broadmoor Trophy as Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff champions. He increased his point total to 31 as a sophomore, earning second-team All-American honors.

As a junior, Chorney served as an alternate captain and had 24 points and was named first-team all-WCHA.

Chorney signed with the Edmonton Oilers, who drafted him in the second round in 2005, after his junior season, embarking on a 13-year pro career.

He frequently bounced between the NHL and American Hockey League, but carved out a regular role with the Washington Capitals during the 2015-16 season, his first pro year without spending any time in the AHL.

Chorney was with the Capitals for three seasons. He was claimed by Columbus off waivers during the 2017-18 season. The Capitals went on to win the Stanley Cup that year. Although Chorney wasn't on the team for the playoff run, Capitals players still presented Chorney with a Stanley Cup champions ring for being a part of that team.

Chorney spent his final three pro seasons in Europe, playing two years with Lugano in Switzerland and last season with Salzburg in Austria, where he joined with his UND teammate of three years, Jean-Philippe Lamoureux. Chorney had 14 points in 34 games for Salzburg.

A second-generation UND player, Chorney's father, Marc, starred at UND for four years, winning the 1980 NCAA national championship before playing in the NHL for the Penguins and Los Angeles Kings.

Chorney's younger brother, Marcus, plays at Quinnipiac. UND is scheduled to play Quinnipiac next season.