NHL journeyman Tyler Ennis retires from hockey career due to injury

Though it’s been nearly two years since he last played in an NHL game, Tyler Ennis is officially hanging up his skates.

The former NHL journeyman who suited up for exactly 700 games with the Buffalo Sabres, Edmonton Oilers, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators, and Toronto Maple Leafs, announced his retirement today after a two-year stint playing in Europe.

Most recently playing seven games this season for the Mannheim Eagles in Germany, Ennis retired due to a neck injury he sustained on November 21.

“After working hard to get healthy with our great team, I ultimately decided to quit hockey,” Ennis said in a statement released by the Eagles.

The 34-year-old Edmonton native was selected by Buffalo at 26th overall in the 2008 NHL Entry Draft, and is currently ranked 15th in that draft class in scoring with 346 career points. He had last played in the NHL in the 2021-22 season, suiting up for 57 games for the Ottawa Senators that year.

In 2022-23, Ennis played 37 games for Bern SC in Switzerland, scoring 13 goals and adding 20 assists.

While in Mannheim, Ennis was playing for former Edmonton Oilers and Anaheim Ducks coach Dallas Eakins, who said the news of his player’s retirement caught him off guard, even though he supports the move.

“We are proud of Tyler for following his heart and making this brave, personal decision. Tyler has built an amazing career through hard work and persistence. These great qualities will serve Tyler well in his next chapter. We have Tyler’s back and will always be there for him,” Eakins said.

You might also like:
• 47-year-old ex-pro suits up, gets in fight for Leafs' minor league team