Jaroslav Halak, one of the NHL’s most reliable netminders over the past two decades, is calling it a career at 40 years old.
The veteran goalie made his final NHL appearance in 2023 with the New York Rangers, capping off an impressive 17-season run in the league.
“I’m officially ending my career,” Halak told Slovakia’s Dennik Sport. He tried one last comeback with the Carolina Hurricanes on a tryout deal this season, but it wasn’t meant to be.
His journey to the NHL is pretty remarkable. The Montreal Canadiens took a chance on him in the ninth round of the 2004 draft – a round that doesn’t even exist anymore in today’s draft format.
What followed was an incredible career that saw him stop pucks for seven different teams: the Canadiens, Blues, Capitals, Islanders, Bruins, Canucks, and Rangers.
The numbers tell the story of just how good he was:
– 581 NHL games played
– 295 wins
– 53 shutouts
– .915 save percentage
– 2.50 goals-against average
“Looking back on my career, it’s been a good one,” Halak reflected. “It would have been nicer with 300 wins, but I’ll be happy with 295.”
He’s got a special place in Slovak hockey history too. Halak represented his country at both the 2010 and 2014 Olympics, and helped Team Europe make it all the way to the championship game at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
In a touching moment during his retirement announcement, Halak made sure to thank those closest to him. “I would like to thank my family, friends, fans and especially my wife Petra, who has been by my side my entire career.”
His two William M. Jennings Trophies – awarded to goalies with the lowest goals-against average – show just how consistently excellent he was between the pipes.
From ninth-round longshot to nearly 300 NHL wins – that’s the kind of career most hockey players can only dream about.
