D Alex Goligoski retires after 17 NHL seasons

Defenseman Alex Goligoski announced his retirement Thursday after 17 seasons.

His professional career began in 2004 when the Penguins selected him in the second round of the NHL draft. He split the first 14 years of his career between Pittsburgh, where he won a Stanley Cup, as well as the Dallas Stars and Arizona Coyotes before spending the past three seasons in his native Minnesota with the Wild.

In the 2023-24 season, he appeared in 36 games and had 10 assists.

"I think I've known for a while," Goligoski told The Athletic about retirement. "Do you hang around and see if some team wants to throw some money at you? I have no desire to move my family. No desire to go by myself and do all that. That's the most amazing thing about finishing in Minnesota. It makes it easier to say, ‘Hey, I'm good.'

"I think it's the longevity of it, honestly. I can totally see where it'd be very difficult if you're not planning on being done, where it's like you don't get a contract but you're still younger. It feels to me like I've had my fun, I've done it long enough. I'm good to step away and move on."

In 1,078 regular-season games, he tallied 475 points (87 goals, 388 assists) and added 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 47 playoff games.

He was the second 17-year defenseman to retire Thursday, joining Marc Staal.

--Field Level Media