Jeff Carter announced his retirement from the NHL after a 19-year career with teams including the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, and Pittsburgh Penguins, citing a desire to focus on being a dad, and concluded his career with a goal in his final game despite the Penguins not making the playoffs.
Jeff Carter, the veteran forward, hung up his skates after the Pittsburgh Penguins’ last game of the 2023-24 season. It happened on a Wednesday. Over his 19-year NHL career, Carter played for teams like the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, Los Angeles Kings, and, of course, the Penguins.
“I’m gonna be a dad,” he said, right after the game against the New York Islanders. You could hear the emotion in his voice. “You miss a lot being a hockey player. I’m gonna be home now, be a dad. We’ll see what’s next.”
In that final game, Carter left his mark. He scored, tying the game at 4-4 in the third period. Though the Islanders’ Simon Holmstrom scored soon after, giving them a 5-4 win, Carter’s goal was a high note in his farewell.
After the game, the crowd cheered as Carter, named the Third Star, lifted his stick in a final salute. It was a moment, really.
Penguins coach Mike Sullivan had nothing but praise. “Being around someone like Jeff, a great person and teammate, it’s special,” he said. The team had been eliminated from playoff contention earlier, but Sullivan cherished the journey with Carter.
Carter’s career stats are impressive: 851 points in 1,321 games. That’s 442 goals and 409 assists. Not bad, huh?
Drafted 11th overall by the Flyers in 2003, Carter won two Stanley Cups with the Kings. He also grabbed a gold medal at the 2014 Sochi Olympics. The Penguins got him in 2021, trading a couple of draft picks for the star.
In his last season, playing mostly as the third-line center, Carter scored 15 points. That’s 11 goals and four assists in 72 games. A fitting end, you could say, to a remarkable career.
