Shameful.
This afternoon, San Jose Sharks playoff hero Joonas Donskoi announced his retirement.
Donskoi is just 31 years old and most recently with the Seattle Kraken.
“After suffering many concussions in my career I have decided to retire from professional hockey. It is very difficult to let go of something that you have put your whole life into, but at this point I know that it is the right decision for my own well-being and future,” Donskoi wrote on Instagram. “I’m excited to put our family first now.”
On Sept. 29, Donskoi suffered his self-reported seventh concussion during the Seattle Kraken’s pre-season matchup against the Vancouver Canucks. This concussion caused headaches, vertigo, and vision problems that sidelined Donskoi for the entire 2022-23 season.
San Jose Sharks fans will probably best remember Donskoi for his game-winning OT goal in Game Three of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. It was the first Stanley Cup Final victory in franchise history.
Originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fourth round of the 2010 Draft, the Sharks signed Donskoi out of Finland as a free agent.
The rookie made an immediate impact in teal, scoring 11 goals and 25 assists in San Jose’s 2015-16 Western Conference-winning campaign.
Donskoi played four seasons for the San Jose Sharks, then signed a four-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche in the summer of 2019. The Kraken selected him in the Expansion Draft in 2021.
The Finnish winger totaled 80 goals and 208 points in his seven-year NHL career.
Donskoi and his wife Devin have a two-year-old son, Declan. And he seems to be expecting something else!
Happy trails, Joonas!
Welcome to your new home for San Jose Sharks breaking news, analysis and opinion. Like us in Facebookfollow us on Twitter and don’t forget to subscribe to SJHN+ for all our members-only content from Sheng Peng and the National Hockey Now network and an ad-free browsing experience.