According to radio show host Jeff Marek from Hockey Night in Canada , Toronto Maple Leafs oft-injured defenseman Mike Van Ryn has decided to retire from pro hockey.
Van Ryn, having undergone multiple surgeries on his knee, was expected to be out of the lineup for the foreseeable future and it was unlikely he would ever return.
He decided to join the Niagara Ice Dogs of the Ontario Hockey League as an assistant coach.
Van Ryn, 31, played a total of 353 games in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues, Florida Panthers and Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored 30 goals and had 99 assists—good for 129 career points.
Drafted 26th overall by the New Jersey Devils in 1998, Van Ryn's career was short due to the injuries.
He was acquired by the Leafs on September 2nd, 2008 when the Leafs shipped defenceman Bryan McCabe and a fourth round pick in 2010 to the Florida Panthers for his services.
Van Ryn was never the flashiest defender, but he was steady and his game will be missed by the Maple Leafs or any other team that wanted his services.
Read more NHL news on BleacherReport.com
...
Read Full Article at Bleacher Report - NHL
Article written by Brad LeClair
Mike Van Ryn Retires, Joins Niagara Ice Dogs As Assistant Coach
July 26th, 2010 by Brad LeClair Leave a reply »
Advertisement