When we spoke to Mike Modano about his will-he-won't-he-retirement-that-wasn't in April, he had this to say about a certain teammate: "Lehtinen was a real treat to play with, obviously, and what he brought. He played hard and sacrificed his body, and I don't know how much more he has left."
Even then it was clear: Lehts, now 37 and a man who spent his entire NHL career with the Dallas Stars, was going to retire sooner than later. The question was: When? The answer: Today. Three Selke Trophies and one Stanley Cup later, the Finn is finished, walking away without so much as a farewell press conference. Instead, all we get is a press release -- and the brief highlight reel you see above, put together by the Stars and scored by Oasis in conjunction with today's announcement. So, what say you, Jere?
"It's a tough decision due to the fact that you play hockey your entire life and then must decide to stop playing. However, I choose to focus on all the great times I had playing over the past 15 seasons, understanding that I am very fortunate to have played all those years with one organization. The memories I have playing in Dallas will never be forgotten and I will always be proud of the fact that I finished my career where I started it."
