Peterborough native Mike Fisher is hanging up his skates after 17 seasons in the National Hockey League.
In a heartfelt letter to The Tennessean newspaper, the captain of the Nashville Predators recalled the team’s epic run to this year’s Stanley Cup final and the support fans in “Smashville” provided the team.
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“I kept praying for peace about the next step in my life,” wrote Fisher. “A peace that said this is God’s will for your future. A peace that said whether or not this was the right time to walk away.”
In 1,088 NHL games with the Ottawa Senators and Predators, the 37-year-old Fisher tallied 276 goals and 309 assists. His Senators lost to the Anaheim Ducks in the 2007 Stanley Cup final and the Preds fell to the Pittsburgh Penguins in this year’s final, 4 games to 2. Fisher had 18 goals and 42 points in 72 regular-season games, a 19-point bump from last season. He suffered a leg injury during the playoffs.
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“Knowing we were so close to winning it all in June only makes it more difficult to leave it behind, but I do so with hope,” wrote Fisher. “Endings are always tough, but I believe when something ends, there are new beginnings, new opportunities and new things to be excited for, too.”
Fisher thanked the Senators and Predators organizations, the fans and his wife, country music star Carrie Underwood, for their support throughout his career.
“A thank you here isn’t enough to say goodbye with, but all those memories, like the moments in the locker room before Game 6, cherishing those is what I hope will keep me, this team and the city intertwined forever,” Fisher wrote.
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