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Toronto (October 3, 2023) – Forward Derek Stepan today officially announced his retirement from the National Hockey League after 13 NHL seasons and 890 regular season games.
Born in Hastings, Minnesota, Stepan was selected 51st overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft by the New York Rangers. After he played seven seasons with the Rangers, he played three seasons with the Arizona Coyotes, one season with the Ottawa Senators, and the last two seasons with the Carolina Hurricanes.
Before reaching the NHL, Stepan played two years at the University of Wisconsin, where he tied for the NCAA lead with 42 assists and was second in the nation with 54 points in his second season. He made the jump straight to the NHL in 2010-11 and played in all 82 regular season games as a rookie with the Rangers, scoring 45 points.Stepan scores a hat trick in his NHL debut – Becomes the fourth player to achieve this feat – He again appeared in all 82 regular season games the following season, helping the Rangers advance to the postseason and the 2012 Eastern Conference Finals. In the 2012-13 season, which was shortened due to the ownership lockout, Stepan led the team in assists (26) and points (44) in 48 games, and set a career-high in average ice time (20 minutes, 55 seconds) with 9. He finished in first place. in the Frank J. Selke Trophy voting.
The 2013-14 season was a successful one for Stepan in many ways. He scored 15 points in 24 playoff games and led the Rangers to the Stanley Cup Final after setting a career high in points (57 points) during the regular season. In the 2014-15 season, Stepan scored 16 goals and 55 points in the regular season. In the playoffs, he scored the game-winning goal in overtime in Game 7 of the second-round series against the Washington Capitals, advancing the Rangers to the Eastern Conference Finals. In 2015-16, Stepan set a career-high in goals (22) and in 2016-17. – last season in new york – He took 209 shots for the Rangers and was third on the team in points (55). During his time in New York, Stepan helped the Rangers reach the playoffs for seven straight seasons, appearing in 515 games with 128 goals and 232 assists for 360 points, appearing in the NHL All-Star Game as a rookie in 2011, and playing in three seasons ( From 2014-15 to 2016-17) served as substitute captain.
The 5-foot-11, 196-pound center was traded to the Arizona Coyotes in June 2017. Stepan served as an alternate captain in all three seasons in the desert. He was second on the team in scoring (56 points) and tied for first in assists (42) in 2017-18, and helped the Coyotes return to the postseason in 2019-20. Stepan was traded to the Ottawa Senators in December 2020. After his season in Ottawa was cut short due to injury, he signed with the Carolina Hurricanes as a free agent in July 2021. Stepan scored his 500th NHL point in 2019 as a member of the Hurricanes. He reached his 800th career game on March 12, 2022 and helped the club reach the playoffs in both seasons.
A widely respected player recognized for his leadership and contributions on both sides of the puck, Stepan reached the playoffs in 10 of his 13 NHL seasons. He scored 50 or more points in six different seasons and appeared in every regular season game for the team on five different occasions. During his career, Stepan averaged 17:05 on ice per game and scored 32 game-winning goals, 13 short-handed goals, and 33 power-play goals. He scored 20 goals and 55 points in 120 playoff games, helping the team reach two conference finals and one Stanley Cup Final.
Internationally, Stepan led the USA to the gold medal at the 2010 IIHF World Junior Championship, where he captained the team and scored 14 points. He also represented his country at the World Championships (2011), Olympics (2014) and Hockey World Cup (2016).
Derek Stepan’s statement:
“After 13 years in the NHL, I have decided to retire. I would like to thank my family and friends for always supporting me and making my dreams come true. I would like to thank the organization and my teammates for letting me be a part of their family. Lastly, I would like to thank the fans. It was an honor to play in front of you. I love this game. I am forever grateful and look forward to the next chapter.”
