In a heartfelt letter via the NHL Players’ Association (NHLPA) on Tuesday, Kris Versteeg called it a career after a journeyman NHL experience that included 11 seasons, seven franchises, and a pair of Stanley Cups.
In an interview with Global News, Versteeg said the decision to hang up his skates wasn’t a difficult one, and he had been considering retirement for quite a while.
“The pros weren’t adding up to all the cons,” he said.
“I have a family now and young kids — a lot of things that need to be taken care of — so right now the focus is definitely on my children and my family.”
Versteeg played 643 regular season games in the NHL, notching 358 points over his 11 seasons. The Lethbridge native also suited up for 93 NHL playoff games — adding 48 post-season points — including in 2010 and 2015 when he captured the Stanley Cup as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
Looking back, Versteeg admits it was quite the ride for a kid from north Lethbridge, a city and a community that he still holds near and dear.
“It’s a town that… shaped me in every way,” he said.
Those around the city were thrilled to have Versteeg bring the Cup back to Lethbridge after the pair of victories.
Former Global Lethbridge sports anchor Paul Kingsmith said the hockey player made sure everyone in the city got a chance to see hockey’s holy grail.
“[In 2010] he spent a day at an auto dealer, where he allowed everybody to see the Cup and get photos and chatted with everyone,” said Kingsmith.
“But he had second day… and he brought it to his childhood home on the north side of Lethbridge, and he called up all his childhood buddies — about eight of them, his brother and some of their neighbourhood friends — had a street hockey game, and the winning team got to lift the Stanley Cup.”
Versteeg’s journey had many ties to Alberta.
He played three Western Hockey League (WHL) seasons with his hometown Lethbridge Hurricanes, before playing his first NHL game just up the road in Calgary, as a member of the Blackhawks.
More than 600 games later, he played his final NHL contest as a member of the Flames; his seventh franchise, on a list that also includes the Chicago Blackhawks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Philadelphia Flyers, Florida Panthers and Los Angeles Kings.
Capping off his professional hockey career, Versteeg headed to Europe in the winter of 2019, to play alongside his brother Mitch and win a Spengler Cup with Team Canada.
The 33-year-old said now his attention will turn to coaching his kids — and potentially coaching higher levels in the future — as well as working as a television analyst covering the NHL.
“Even being a part of junior right now, it’s something I might do down the line,” he said.
“But at this moment, those jobs are 365 days a year… there’s no off days. It doesn’t matter if you’re working for Peter Anholt of the Lethbridge Hurricanes or Stan Bowman of the Blackhawks, their jobs are all day, every day, and I’m not ready for that.
“I want to put all my time and all the knowledge I’ve gained into my children.”
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