Veteran Forward Keith Tkachuk Retires

After a 17-year NHL career, veteran left wing Keith Tkachuk has decided to retire. He played this past season with the St. Louis Blues, appearing in 67 games and scoring 13 goals and 19 assists for 32 points and 56 penalty minutes. In 1,201 career NHL games with the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and Atlanta Thrashers, he has 538 goals and 527 assists for 1,065 points and 2,219 penalty minutes. Tkachuk won the silver medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City as a member of Team USA, appeared in five all-star games, but never won a Stanley Cup. He had back-to-back 50 goal seasons in 1996 and 1997. Tkachuk was always a tremendous player throughout his career. He was a terrific goal scorer, played with lots of toughness and grit, and was a proven leader on the ice. Tkachuk will be missed in the NHL and should be very proud of everything he accomplished throughout his career, and hopefully one day he will earn a spot in the Hall of Fame.

Blues Sign Veteran Forward Tkachuk to One-Year Contract

The St. Louis Blues announced on Friday that they have re-signed left wing Keith Tkachuk to a one-year contract extension. Terms of the deal were not disclosed. He would have become an unrestricted free agent on July 1. In 79 games last season with the Blues, Tkachuk scored 25 goals and 24 assists for 49 points and 61 penalty minutes. In 1134 career games, he has 525 goals and 508 assists for 1033 points with the Winnipeg Jets/Phoenix Coyotes, St. Louis Blues, and Atlanta Thrashers. This is a great signing for the Blues, as Tkachuk gives the young team a proven scorer with lots of toughness, great skills on the power play, and veteran experience. Even if the Blues hadn't signed Tkachuk before July 1, it would have been a safe bet that the team would have re-signed him. He's an integral part of the organization for years, and at 37 years-old, he likely doesn't want to pick up his family and move somewhere else.