Detroit Red Wings long serving player Kris Draper who has been with the team for the last 17 years has recently announced his retirement from NHL. His association with the Red Wings team has brought many glorious events to the team and the highlight of his career being the back to back Stanley Cup that the team won in 1997 and 1998. Draper was considered to be the working class hero for the Detroit side and as soon as this 40 year old learnt that he might not be picked to play for the Detroit side this up coming season, he decided to hang his skates for good.
Draper has hinted that he will remain with the Detroit Red Wings and will serve the team in an undefined front-office capacity. Draper was not interested in playing with another team and chancing his luck at the minor leagues. His heart and soul was always with the Detroit team and it is where it will remain for the next season as well. In a press conference at Joe Louis Arena Drape has said that he enjoyed every moment he spent with the Detroit team and loved every bit that the game had offered to him in his illustrious career of 20 years. He said that he was saddened by the fact that he was going to miss all the fun and frolic that NHL has offered him over the years.
Draper is regarded as one of the best players in the NHL’s checking forward and was considered to be a giant penalty killer. He helped his Detroit team lift 4 Stanley Cups (1997, 1998, 2002 and 2008). He was acquired to the Detroit team from the Winnipeg jets in 1993 for the waiver price of $1. Draper featured in 1,137 games for the Detroit Red Wings. During his 20 year service to NHL, he has amassed 24 goals and 46 points from the 222 playoff games. He has scored a total of 161 goals and 203 assists for 364 points in his illustrious career. The record speaks volume of the skills and discipline that Draper has for the game.
Ken Holland, Detroit’s general manager acknowledged the fact that Draper was a role model for all the young players in NHL and he was a livewire leader in the locker room. Draper wanted to continue for Red Wings one more season. But the club could not accommodate this veteran in their roster. Hence, he decided to call it quits.
