Näslund calls it quits after 15 years in the NHL
Sweden’s Markus Näslund, who reached the National Hockey League All-Star Game five-times and notched more than 800 career points, announced his retirement on Monday.
The 35-year-old from Ornsköldsvik played 15 seasons in the NHL with New York and Vancouver and Pittsburgh. He had one season left on a two-year contract he signed last year with the Rangers.
"I would like to sincerely thank Glen Sather and the New York Rangers for giving me the opportunity this past season in New York," Näslund said.
"I would also like to thank the Vancouver Canucks and all of their fans for their support over the 11-plus seasons I was a part of their organization, as well as to the Pittsburgh Penguins where I began my NHL career."
Näslund scored 395 goals during his NHL career, including a career-high 48 goals with the Canucks in 2002-03.
He also posted 11 career hat tricks. Näslund reached 800 career points on December 27 against Calgary, and skated in his 1,000th career NHL game on January 17 at Detroit.
He made his NHL debut on October 1993 at Philadelphia after becoming Pittsburgh's first round choice in the 1991 entry draft. In one of the most lopsided trades in Penguins' history, he was traded to Vancouver from Pittsburgh in 1996 for Alex Stojanov.
Stojanov played parts of two seasons with Pittsburgh, scoring just two NHL goals.
Näslund reached the 40-goal mark three times (2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03), and surpassed the 30-goal plateau six times.
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The 35-year-old from Ornsköldsvik played 15 seasons in the NHL with New York and Vancouver and Pittsburgh. He had one season left on a two-year contract he signed last year with the Rangers.
"I would like to sincerely thank Glen Sather and the New York Rangers for giving me the opportunity this past season in New York," Näslund said.
"I would also like to thank the Vancouver Canucks and all of their fans for their support over the 11-plus seasons I was a part of their organization, as well as to the Pittsburgh Penguins where I began my NHL career."
Näslund scored 395 goals during his NHL career, including a career-high 48 goals with the Canucks in 2002-03.
He also posted 11 career hat tricks. Näslund reached 800 career points on December 27 against Calgary, and skated in his 1,000th career NHL game on January 17 at Detroit.
He made his NHL debut on October 1993 at Philadelphia after becoming Pittsburgh's first round choice in the 1991 entry draft. In one of the most lopsided trades in Penguins' history, he was traded to Vancouver from Pittsburgh in 1996 for Alex Stojanov.
Stojanov played parts of two seasons with Pittsburgh, scoring just two NHL goals.
Näslund reached the 40-goal mark three times (2000-01, 2001-02 and 2002-03), and surpassed the 30-goal plateau six times.
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