900-Game NHL Veteran Expected To Retire After Rejecting a Contract Offer from a Canadian Team
Photo credit: Athlon Sports
Kevin Shattenkirk, a former Stanley Cup Champion, has played over 900 games in the NHL.
His last season played in the NHL was with the Boston Bruins, where he stabilized the blue line, as a two-way defenseman. His production was that of a depth player with 24 points( 6 G, 18 A), and wasn't counting on ending his career anytime soon.
But it appears that may be in the cards after the defenseman has refused offers from a Canadian team in the Western Conference.
Larry Brooks speculated it was one of three teams Edmonton, Calgary, or Vancouver:
Slap Shots has learned from a trusted source that the one-time Blueshirts No. 22 rejected an offer from a western Canadian team - Edmonton, Calgary or Vancouver - within the past two weeks.
The team according to NHL Insider Elliotte Friedman, was the Edmonton Oilers, now under Stan Bowman's leadership. This was two months ago, so was there a breakdown in negotiations?
On Friday's edition of the 32 Thoughts podcast, Elliotte Friedman spoke about how that might come before the season starts, with free agent defenceman Kevin Shattenkirk expressing interest in joining the Oilers.
«You know who I heard would potentially be interested in playing there? Kevin Shattenkirk,» Friedman said. «That's an example of what we were talking about, how Edmonton is coming off the list of where people want to go.
«I've heard that Shattenkirk would love to be a part of that Oiler team, if there's a spot for him.»
With the Oilers' recent spending spree, picking up players like
Kasperi Kapanen, and
Vasily Podkolzin, the team is left with a meager $1 Million in cap space.
Which makes it more likely than not that Shattenkirk will end his career after 952 games unless a perfect scenario arises.
If that is how Shattenkirk concludes his time in the NHL, he at least came away from the NHL with a Stanley Cup in 2020.
Yet his two-way play style, which lent well to the Bruins last season remains undersung as he performed far above expectations in places such as Anaheim who have been in the dumps as a rebuilding squad.
Previously on HawksInsider
POLL |
NOVEMBRE 24 | 41 ANSWERS 900-Game NHL Veteran Expected To Retire After Rejecting a Contract Offer from a Canadian Team Do you think that Kevin Shattenkirk will retire before he would ever play in the Western Conference with the Edmonton Oilers? |
Yes | 28 | 68.3 % |
No | 13 | 31.7 % |
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