Kirk Maltby of the Detroit Red Wings retires
Kirk Maltby of the Detroit Red Wings has announced his retirement after 16 years in the National Hockey League. Maltby spent the last 14 years of his career as a member of the Red Wings,
playing on four Stanley Cup winning teams during his time with the club.
Maltby, choking back tears during his retirement press conference, recalled joining the Wings, "I came here in 1996 and wasn't sure where I belonged. Now I have roots here. This is my
home." The organization agrees with that statement, as Maltby will be joining the Wings as a scout.
Maltby is best remembered as a member of the Red Wings “Grind Line.” The line consisted of Maltby, Kris Draper and Darren McCarty. The trio’s role according to Red Wings general manger
Ken Holland was, “…to go to the trenches and do the dirty work.” They did just that, agitating the opposition with their gritty style of defence first play.
The 37-year-old Maltby knew that retirement was a possibility this year when, over the summer, he signed a one-year contract with the Wings. The contract was a two-way deal, providing
the Wings with the option of sending Maltby to the American Hockey League if he did not make the NHL club.
On 5 October the Red Wings announced that Maltby had not made the Red Wings roster and that he was being placed on waivers so he could be sent to the AHL’s Grand Rapid Griffins. No other
team placed a waiver claim on the veteran player. He then announced he would be taking some time to decide what his next step would be.
Maltby decided to retire, stating, “I’m very comfortable with it. I want to see my kids grow up. I'm going to miss being around the guys, that's going to be the hardest, not having a routine
and seeing the guys every day."
His career stats do not come close to doing justice to the role he played with the Wings. In 1072 games played, Maltby scored 128 goals and added 132 assists.
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