Jets legend confirms retirement from NHL after 13 seasons in Winnipeg

Blake Wheeler didn't suit up in the NHL this past season, but his retirement wasn't official.

Now, he has confirmed it.

The Winnipeg Jets' star winger spoke on 680 CJOB about his present and future.

“I just haven’t felt like a rush to like make a formal announcement or anything,” Wheeler said. “But yeah, after my injury and kinda the way things ended last year, I just didn’t have anything left in the tank for it. So yeah, I was at peace with it almost immediately after last year and yeah, I’m just enjoying being a dad and kinda slowing things down a little bit, and being around my family.”

Wheeler began his career in Boston, then finished it with the Rangers, but in between, he spent 13 seasons in Winnipeg (technically 23 games in Atlanta before the move).

With the Jets franchise, Wheeler played 897 games. He had 262 goals, 550 assists, 1,147 hits and 598 blocked shots.

He was one of the top grit-plus-skill guys in the league for much of his career.

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Wheeler twice exceeded 90 points with Winnipeg. 

During his Jets tenure, he also has seven seasons in a row of at least 20 goals.

He piled up the assists, leading the league with 68 in 2017-18, then having 71 the following year.

Wheeler knows he's onto the next chapter of his life, but he'll always be regarded as one of Winnipeg's best.

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