Andrew Ladd retired from the NHL on Sunday after 16 seasons.
The 37-year-old forward left the two-time Stanley Cup champion with the 2006 Carolina Hurricanes, in his rookie season, and 2010 Chicago Blackhawks. He was named captain of the Atlanta Thrashers on Nov. 18, 2010, and retained the role when the franchise moved to Winnipeg for the 2011-12 season.
“The time has come for my next chapter,” Ladd wrote on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. “When I was young, I never thought I would have a chance to make a living playing hockey. There was my love for the game. I loved being part of a team, I loved competing. I loved the next chance to win. I love the challenge. I love the escape of immersing myself in the moment. I love the feeling of belonging. I love the confidence it gives me. I love proving people wrong,”
Ladd last played in the NHL in 2021-22, when he had 12 points (seven goals, five assists) in 51 games for the Arizona Coyotes. He tore his ACL skating for the New York Islanders in a 2-0 win over the Coyotes on March 24, 2019, and went on long-term injured reserve before last season after failing a physical.
The Hurricanes picked No. 4 pick in the 2004 NHL Draft, Ladd has 550 points (256 goals, 294 assists) in 1,001 NHL games for the Hurricanes, Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, Blackhawks, Islanders and Coyotes, and 18 points (nine goals, nine assists) in 65 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He became the 370th skater to play 1,000 NHL games and 15th in Coyotes/Jets history April 22, 2022, when he had a shot on goal at 17:38 of ice time in a 2-0 loss to the Washington Capitals at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
“As I reflect on the journey, the 1,001 games, the two Stanley Cups, the opportunity to captain a Canadian city, what I appreciate most are the people,” Ladd wrote. “My parents for their sacrifice, the core values they instilled in me, and the love shown through compassion or a challenge. I am forever grateful for how the game shaped me as a person and the people it brought into my life!”
Ladd signed a seven-year contract with the Islanders on July 1, 2016. He scored 23 goals in his first season in New York (2016-17) and had 29 points (12 goals, 17 assists) in 73 games in 2017-18 , but will be limited to 55 games for the rest of his NHL career after the 2018-19 season. The Coyotes traded Ladd to the Islanders for a second-round pick in the 2021 NHL Draft and conditional picks in the 2022 and 2023 NHL Draft for future consideration on July 17, 2021.