Longtime NHL defenseman Jay Bouwmeester has officially retired, according to an interview he gave with the Athletic’s Pierre LeBrun on Monday.
The news is not unexpected after Bouwmeester, 36, collapsed on the St. Louis Blues’ bench nearly one year ago due to a cardiac episode during a game. Bouwmeester told LeBrun that he knew at that moment his career was over. A week after the incident Bouwmeester underwent surgery to have a defibrillator inserted to restore his heart’s normal rhythm.
“I’m feeling OK,” Bouwmeester told LeBrun, via the Athletic. “I wouldn’t say it’s been totally smooth sailing but generally, I’ve been pretty good. I’ve generally been able to do whatever I want to do and I’ve stayed pretty active.”
Bouwmeester appeared in 56 games for the Blues during the 2019-20 season, scoring one goal to go with eight assists.
During his 17-year career he played 1,240 regular season games (and 75 playoff games) as a member of the Florida Panthers, Calgary Flames, and Blues. He joined the Blues via trade during the 2012-13 season and helped them win their first Stanley Cup during the 2018-19 season.
He scored 88 goals and 424 total points, while also playing in two All-Star Games (2007 and 2009) during his career.
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Adam Gretz is a writer for Pro Hockey Talk on NBC Sports. Drop him a line at phtblog@nbcsports.com or follow him on Twitter @AGretz.