Former Buffalo Sabres and Detroit Red Wings’ goaltender Dominik Hasek announces retirement
Dominik Hasek, a former professional ice hockey player from Czech Republic, who played many years in the National Hockey League (NHL) and regarded as one of the best goaltenders of all time, has announced his retirement from professional hockey.
This is the third time that Hasek has taken retirement from professional hockey after playing it for 30 years and surely this is the last time he has done so.
The 47-year-old legendary goaltender, who is regarded as a future NHL Hall of Famer by many experts, won Vezina Trophy (a trophy which is presented to best goaltender in a season of NHL) six times, which is most in the modern era.
Before quitting, last time Hasek played for HC Spartak Moscow, a Russian team in Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) in 2010-2011 season. He did not play entire 2011-2012 season but he wanted to return to NHL once again and play his last career games there.
The goaltender expressed his disappointment on not being given a chance as told that there were training camps going on in American Hockey League (AHL) and he wanted to be tested there for a month so that he could prove he still was fit enough to play. But
unfortunately he was not given a chance by any NHL team as they told his agent that nobody needs him. Hasek said,
"There were training camps starting in the AHL and I wanted to participate. I needed to play preseason games, to be part of the hockey environment [in North America]. I was in touch with one NHL club and I had pretty good feelings about it, but then they
called my agent and told him there was no interest from their side anymore."
Hasek also completely understands that why he was ignored. It was his age and one year break which became a hurdle but he revealed that he had told general managers that he should have been tested in minor league at least for a month, as he added,
"I am 47 and I haven't played hockey for the entire season. But that's why I told the GMs: Give me a chance to play in the AHL for one month”.
In NHL, the Pardubice, Czech Republic native played for four different teams, where are Chicago Blackhawks, Buffalo Sabres, Detroit Red Wings and Ottawa Senators.
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