The hockey fugitive: Sheldon Souray pens hilarious, heartfelt retirement letter

By foxsports
Published

After 13 seasons in the National Hockey League, defenseman Sheldon Souray is calling it quits. Souray played for the Devils, Canadiens, Oilers, Stars and Ducks during his career, but none of that ever would have happened if not for a teenaged hallway brawl which got him suspended for a year from an Alberta house league. It is a story Souray recounted in his retirement letter posted on The Players' Tribune.  

Souray was forced to keep his hockey dreams alive after his year-long suspension at 15 years old by moving to British Columbia to play in the Rocky Mountain Hockey League, but that bold choice helped get him noticed by scouts, and three years later, he was drafted in the third round by the New Jersey Devils. 

Souray's retelling of the story is outstanding, as is an anecdote he shared about buying a Jeep Wrangler in cash from a doubting salesman after Souray signed his first pro contract, but some of the most touching moments in the letter were in the section where he thanked those who helped him make a career out of his passion for hockey. 

"Lou Lamoriello: Thank you for pulling me into your office when I was an out-of-shape 20-year-old kid at his second New Jersey Devils training camp and saying, 'If you ever embarrass this organization again by coming in overweight, you will never pull on a Devils sweater,'" Souray wrote.

In addressing mobile technology, Souray wrote, "Thanks for being pretty basic for most of my career."

Souray even extended his thanks to Hall of Famer Chris Chelios.

"Thanks for always taking the piss out of me every time we played against you," Souray wrote. "It’s one thing when a player gives you a good chirp — it’s another level when one of your heroes growing up looks down at you during a faceoff, and with a perfect dry wit, says, 'Hey, your laces are undone.'"

Souray has not played an NHL game since May 12, 2013, when he tore a ligament in his wrist. The injury eventually required surgery, and the clock was already ticking on Souray's career, as he was nearly 37 years old at the time.

Souray played 758 regular season games in the NHL and recorded 109 goals and 300 points. 

(h/t The Players' Tribune)

Photo credit: Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports