Wade Belak Announces His Retirement

After 14 seasons in the NHL, Nashville Predators right wing Wade Belak has announced his retirement. In 15 games last season with the Predators, he had no points and 18 penalty minutes. He would have been an unrestricted free agent on July 1. He was assigned to the Milwaukee Admirals of the AHL on March 9, but failed to report to the team and didn't play in another game after that point. According to the Nashville Tennessean, Belak will stay in Nashville and focus on the broadcasting and business side of hockey. In 549 career NHL games with the Colorado Avalanche, Calgary Flames, Toronto Maple Leafs, Florida Panthers, and Nashville Predators, he has eight goals and 25 assists for 33 points and 1263 penalty minutes. Seeing as how Belak refused to report to the minors and had an extremely limited role in Nashville over the past few seasons, it really comes as no surprise to me that he has decided to retire. He was always a very tough and gritty player who stuck up for his teammates and never backed down from a physical encounter on the ice. I wish Belak all the best in his broadcasting career.