Canadian winger Patrick Sharp announced his sudden retirement from the NHL just prior to his Chicago Blackhawks’ final game of the 2017-18 season, capping his illustrious sixteen season career with three teams, three Stanley Cups, and an Olympic Gold Medal.

Sharp was a draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers in 2001, spending only parts of three seasons with the Flyers before being traded to Chicago in 2005. Sharp flourished with an expanded role in Chicago, becoming a skilled, dependable winger alongside emerging stars Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane, and provided the Blackhawks the depth needed to win their first Stanley Cup in almost fifty years in 2010. Sharp would later lead all players in goals during the 2013 playoffs, scoring ten en route to his second Stanley Cup, and he would win his third and final Cup with largely the same roster in 2015. Sharp was traded to Dallas after his third Cup win, spending only two seasons before returning to Chicago for a final season, capping his career with 287 goals and 620 points in 939 career games.

Due to his immense playoff success, Sharp only suited up for Canada three times in his career, twice at the World Championships and once at the Olympics. Sharp first joined Team Canada at the 2008 Worlds, the first ever on Canadian soil, and helped Canada to a silver medal. Sharp captained the 2012 team in Helsinki which finished fifth, but returned to the 2014 Sochi Olympic team, which dominated opponents en route to Gold, leaving Sharp with medals in two of his three ever tournaments. Sharp finished his international career with five goals and twelve points in 22 career games with the national team.

And despite only three international tournaments, Sharp won the IHLC at all three of them, capturing the title in 2008, 2012 and 2014. We wish Patrick and his family the very best for his retirement and the things to come!

Photo Credit: Pinterest – IIHF – HHOF – IOC