Forward Chris Thorburn is putting an end to his professional hockey career. Thorburn, who spent the 2019/20 season without a club, announced his retirement on Monday via NHL Players’ Association.
Over the course of his career, Thorburn played with five different organizations and made appearances in 801 NHL games. He last played with St. Louis Blues in 2018/19, lifting the Stanley Cup with the franchise.
“It was an unbelievable ride with a storybook ending,” he said. “To finish my hockey career with the St. Louis Blues and finally get an opportunity to lift the Stanley Cup over my head, I could not have scripted a better way to go out.”
After being drafted by Buffalo Sabres in 2002, Chris Thorburn spent the next several years with the organization’s affiliate teams and only made his NHL debut in 2005. Thorburn ended up playing just five games with the Sabres and later went on to suit up for Pittsburgh Penguins, Atlanta Thrashers, Winnipeg Jets, and Blues.
Over the course of his NHL career, Thorburn had 53 goals and 81 assists for a total of 134 points. However, he was better known for his physical presence in the game and the tough attitude that brought him close to 1000 penalty minutes.
