The decision to retire is always difficult for any NHL player, especially after sharing a locker room in the Boston Bruins with league stars like Brad Marchand. In this case, a center who originally came up with the Carolina Hurricanes has concluded a long professional career.
The Bruins enjoyed having this player during the 2016-17 and 2017-18 seasons, where he shared the roster with Marchand. A few years later, after a career that included eight NHL franchises and several AHL teams, he decided to bring a long chapter on the ice to an end.
The former Canes player who has decided to retire is none other than center Riley Nash, who at 36 years old officially announced his retirement after a long NHL career, as he confirmed in an interview with Tyler Lowey of Kamloops, BC’s Castanet.
Nash’s retirement decision
“It is definitely something weird to say and it hasn’t really sunk in yet, even though I basically had all of last year away from the rink, but this year will still be weird. This is all I’ve done and focused on for the past 30 years, but now is the time to end this chapter or book and look at what’s next,” Nash told Lowey.
Nash, who began his professional career with the Canes in 2012, didn’t play during the 2024-25 season after suffering a knee injury. Among the reasons for his retirement, the veteran forward emphasized how much he valued finishing his career “playing in front of my kids,” which allowed him to reconnect with his passion for hockey.
Nash’s NHL numbers
In total, Nash played 628 regular-season games, recorded 176 points, and provided a steady presence across multiple franchises. His career began in Carolina, where he spent four seasons before joining the Bruins. He later played for the Columbus Blue Jackets, Toronto Maple Leafs, Tampa Bay Lightning, among others. His journey ultimately ended with the New York Rangers.