Pavel Datsyuk, a forward with the Detroit Red Wings for a long time and a 2024 Hockey Hall of Fame inductee, is ending his professional hockey career.
Though Datsyuk had been out of professional hockey for the past three seasons, he continued to dream that he might be able to play again at some point. However, on Wednesday, he made the decision to fully retire.
On Wednesday, a day after it was revealed he will be admitted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in November as a member of the Class of 2024, Datsyuk confirmed the news to the Russian media site MatchTV.
The 45-year-old Datsyuk completed his career as one of the greatest players in Detroit Red Wings history after being selected in the sixth round by the team in 1998. The native of Sverdlovsk played for the Detroit Red Wings during his whole 14-year career, scoring 918 points in 953 regular season games, 113 points in 157 Stanley Cup Playoff games, and winning the Stanley Cup twice.
With two Stanley Cup championships, an Olympic gold medal in 2018, a gold medal in the 2012 IIHF World Championship, a 2017 Gagarin Cup victory, four NHL All-Star selections, three Selke Trophies, and four Lady Byng Memorial Trophies, The Magic Man's accomplishments speak for themselves. Following his inclusion on the '100 Greatest NHL Players' list in 2017, Datsyuk will have his name inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto later this year.
