Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron is hanging up the skates.
During a Tuesday press conference regarding the recent trade that sent defenceman Jeff Petry to the Detroit Red Wings, Canadiens general manager Kent Hughes touched on the status of Byron, who spent the entirety of last season on LTIR.
When asked whether the 34-year-old was retiring, Hughes responded with a simple “yes.”
“It’s probably better to leave this [announcement] to Paul. His contract is over,” Hughes later explained in French. “From what I know, he doesn’t have plans to move away from Montreal.”
Hesitant to go into detail, Hughes said he “would imagine that [Byron] would like to announce his own retirement.”
It was also revealed that Habs management will be meeting with Byron in September to discuss a potential off-ice role with the team.
Byron, who was a member of three NHL teams over a 12-year career, arrived in Montreal in 2015 after being claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames.
He last played for Montreal in the 2021-22 season, where he netted four goals and seven points over 27 games.
Among his most notable moments over his seven years with the Habs was a shorthanded breakaway goal in Game 1 of Montreal’s first-round series against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2021. With seven minutes left in a 1-1 game, the speedy Byron flew past the Leafs defence and scored a beauty on his knees, ultimately securing his team the win.
šØ SHORTY ALERT šØ
Paul Byron with speed! #ItsOn pic.twitter.com/G2ITiVMje7
— Sportsnet (@Sportsnet) May 21, 2021
The Ottawa native concludes his pro career with 208 points and 521 NHL games under his belt.
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