Detroit Red Wings center Pavel Datsyuk will retire after playoffs. That extra year could potentially put a 7.5 million dollar hit on the Red Wings’ salary cap for next season.
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Dan Milstein, his agent, confirmed Datsyuk’s decision.
Since he signed his last deal after he turned 35, Detroit is on the hook for his entire contract under the collective bargaining agreement regardless of whether he retires. “And I wanted the fans to hear it from me, not someone else”, Datsyuk said.
“I’m thinking I go home after this season”, he told the Free Press. He still has one year left on his contract. “He’s asked me to basically let the team know that he’s willing to do anything”. But if I have to do over again, I would sign a different deal. Datsyuk discussed his plans for the first time in an interview with the Detroit Free Press published Sunday, April 10, 2016. “This chapter is not closed right now”.
The loss of Datsyuk will be tough for the Detroit Red Wings.
Datsyuk was drafted by the Red Wings 171st overall in the 1998 NHL Entry draft. He is also a four-time Lady Byng Memorial Trophy victor, and a three-time Frank J. Selke Trophy victor. He’s earned Olympic bronze with Russian Federation and gold, silver and bronze at the World Championships.
The wizardry of the “Magic Man” will end at the end of this season’s playoff run.
Datsyuk, 37, has been in Detroit since the 2001-02 season, and has burnished his reputation as one of the league’s best players, racking up 918 points in 953 regular-season games.
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Sean Leahy is the associate editor for Puck Daddy on Yahoo Sports.
