Steven Legein Retires ... at 19

by Jes

A 19-year old man retiring from professional/amateur hockey is not that unusual. Many prospects that have no real shot of doing much in the pro hockey world do it all the time, opting for University or a career in the 'real' world. Why ride buses for days on end to make $30,000 a year when you can make double that with far less travel?

When it is a promising 2nd round prospect with no history of major injury? That IS unusual.

Via FanHouse: Stefan Legein, a 2007 second round draft pick of the Columbus Blue Jackets who is just 19, has retired from professional hockey. I'm sure BJs fans are quite stunned rightaboutnow.

The reason: He just didn't want to play anymore. It's that simple.

Legein seemed to be on the path to a potential NHL career, and, if you go through the FanHouse post, you see that Legein certainly didn't appear unhappy. The BJ's certainly had big plans for the kid, and you know that the team desperately needs some of its prospects to pan out.

My first instinct, naturally, was to think "What a waste!". I can understand being in a funk, but why waste so many years of training and development when the potential for big $$ exists. Of course, that is merely me projecting my own interests and attitudes on someone I have never had any contact with.

I know that some BJ's fans are probably pissed at the kid for quitting so soon, especially given the team's need for actual talent. It's been a hard few years for fans of the club, and the last thing they need is one of their top prospects bailing on them.

As Adam Proteau of The Hockey News notes, we ought not to vilify the kid for his decision.

I hope the young man isn’t vilified for his decision. Who among us hasn’t had doubts in our late teens (or for that matter, well beyond that age) about our direction in life? Legein’s biggest problem is he has been in a line of work that receives so much publicity and adulation most casual observers assume he should be down on his hands and knees in gratitude for the opportunities he’s been afforded.

Exactly! I know I changed career paths and desires at 20, opting out of a potentially lucrative career as a software designer. I hated (and still do) computer programming and computer science, and I never imagined how utterly dull it would be when I signed up for a program.

I left after a year, and found myself choosing Accounting and Finance. Yes, the money isn't as good, but I'm much happier with myself.

Now, I can imagine that this young man had the same kind of "voila!" moment that caused him to say, "I really don't enjoy all of this hard physical training and I don't enjoy playing highly competitive hockey enough to continue on". Yes, playing hockey is fun, but when it is your job? Maybe not so much.

Oh, and score one for bloggers (Bethany's Hockey Rants, a title she kinda *cough*stole*cough* from us) for breaking the story!

Farewell, Trev

by Jes

I'll have more thoughts at a later date. For now, I've written a brief post over at FanHouse.

Time to mourn ... :(

Peter Bondra Makes Retirement Official

After Peter Bondra scored his 500th NHL goal, and finished last season with an awful 14 points and 34 games, I called on him to just get it done with and retire from the NHL.

It's not that I don't enjoy having Bondra in the league, but it is rather painful watching a legend struggle to keep up with the new generation. Clearly, Bondra's time was up and he ought to go out without a huge fork sticking in his backside.

Well, Bondra announced his NHL retirement today, after a lot of pondering, and will become the general manager of Slovakia's national club.

"I kept it a secret for a long time. They will know overseas only after this press conference," Bondra said, according to a report from the Slovak national hockey association. "I hope I can help Slovakia win another medal at the world championship."

Bondra's final numbers: 503 goals and 389 assists in 1,081 games. I don't think it'll be quite enough to get him into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, but he was certainly one of the league's most dangerous offensive forwards during most of his career. With a smokin' slapshot, incredible skating speed, and nose for the net, Bondra was a threat that the opposition absolutely had to watch out for.

When I look at Marian Gaborik, who is injured AGAIN, I wonder how, if ever, he will live up to Bondra's status as the Slovak's most dangerous goal-scorer. Gaborik has the same raw tools, but can't stay healthy, and seems to lack the natural sniper instinct that Bondra possessed.

Jared Aulin: "I've Had Enough of this Crap!"

Jared Aulin, once a promising prospect of the Los Angeles Kings, and former 2nd round pick of the Colorado Avalanche, has given up on hockey at the age of 25.

Boredom? Lack of job opportunities?

Nope...on-ice violence did it for him.

Aulin was the victim of a vicious two-handed slash to the neck after intervening on a scrum involving a teammate, an incident that landed him in the hospital with a concussion, swollen carotid artery and a pail full of painkillers.

"I'm done with it, which is sad," Aulin told the Sun prior to asking police to press charges.

Aulin returned to his hometown of Calgary to play summer hockey after his NHL dream was cut short by injury, hoping to play for fun once again. But what he got was an out-of-control opponent who wielded his stick like a baseball bat.

"It was one of those situations where you see it and blink and wonder 'did that just happen?' It was a little surreal."

Aulin played just 17 games in the NHL, but is of some interest to me since he's one of the very few players that shares my March 15th birthday. I also remember him kicking a whole lot of ass during his WHL days as a member of the Kamloops Blazers.

It's a sad way to end a career, for sure. Aulin had already had injuries problems prior to this little summer league game, and then he gets whacked like a tyee salmon.