Blake Wheeler retired from the NHL after 16 seasons, he announced Wednesday.
The 38-year-old winger didn’t play this past season after going unsigned as an unrestricted free agent in 2024.
“More or less, right after last year, I knew I was all done,” Wheeler said during an interview with “Jets @ Noon.” “I just haven’t felt a rush to make a formal announcement or anything. But yeah, after my injury and kinda the way things ended last year, I just didn’t have anything left in the tank for it. So yeah, I was at peace with it almost immediately after last year, and yeah, I’m just enjoying being a dad and kinda slowing things down a little bit, and being around my family.”
Wheeler spent 13 seasons with the Thrashers/Jets organization. He served as Winnipeg’s captain for six campaigns.
He also played parts of three seasons with the Boston Bruins to begin his career. Wheeler spent his final year with the New York Rangers in 2023-24.
Wheeler missed the final three months of the 2023-24 campaign due to a leg injury. He returned for one playoff game, which became the final appearance of his career.
“I tore the ligaments on both sides of my ankle, and then I broke my fibula,” he said. “Once I got hurt, I was already kinda feeling like that was gonna be sort of my last year when I was playing, even healthy in New York. And then when the injury happened, it just felt like that was some sort of sign. I hadn’t really been hurt my entire career, more or less.”
The 6-foot-5 winger amassed 943 points in 1,172 career games. His size and playmaking ability made him a consistent offensive threat throughout his career.
Career Highlights
Wheeler’s best season came in 2017-18 when he tallied a career-high 91 points. He led the NHL with 68 assists that season and finished eighth in Hart Trophy voting.
He added 21 points in 17 playoff appearances that spring. The Jets reached the Western Conference Final that year.
“I think, 2018, we can all agree we were the best team in the league, and we let that one slip away,” Wheeler said. “I wanted to, with every ounce of me, win a Stanley Cup in Winnipeg.”
Wheeler ranks 14th among American-born skaters in points. The Plymouth, Minnesota native holds 812 points as the most in Thrashers/Jets franchise history.
Mark Scheifele sits at 804 points and will likely pass Wheeler’s franchise record this season.
