-Vintage Canuck- Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Seven-time All Star and Stanley Cup champion announces his retirement: Arguably the greatest Latvian hockey player ever is hanging up his skates. Defenseman Sandis Ozolinsh, a seven-time NHL All-Star and Stanley Cup champion, announced his retirement from professional hockey on Tuesday, per Latvian news outlet Sporta Centrs. Ozolinsh, 41, was taken 30th overall at the 1991 NHL Entry Draft by San Jose and enjoyed success with the Sharks — he still holds the franchise record for points by a defenseman in a single season (64) — but garnered his highest accolades with Colorado in the late 90s. He won a Stanley Cup with the Avs in ’96, scoring 19 points in 22 playoff games, and finished third in Norris voting a year later, behind Vladimir Konstantinov and eventual winner Brian Leetch. From there, Ozolinsh would bounce around the league with stops in Carolina, Florida, Anaheim (with whom he’d get to another Cup Final) and New York, before taking a year’s hiatus from hockey and returning to the KHL for Latvian club side Dinamo Riga in 2009. In the KHL, Ozolish re-established himself as an elite-level defenseman, appearing in four All-Star Games while making one final appearance for the Latvian national team at the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, leading his country to a near upset of Canada in the tournament quarterfinals. Ozolinsh retires as the highest-scoring Latvian NHLer of all time, and will now reportedly turn his attention to the political realm. http://prohockeytalk.nbcsports.com/2014/05/27/sandis-ozolinsh-calls-it-a-career/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kanucklehead10 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 A Great ending to a great career. From his stats, you can even mistake him as a forward. (one season with 23 goals, 45 assists? wow.) He was a warrior leading the Latvian team during the Olympics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nuxfanabroad Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 High time. Can't trust a bloke that says he's Latvian, but doesn't stick an S at the end..sketchy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Madness Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Had a solid career ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ghostsof1915 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Man I feel old. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
-AJ- Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Arguably the best Latvian? Who in the world could possibly challenge him? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Apple Juice Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Jeez what's with all these old school players retiring now? Ozolinsh was a stud. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigbadcanucks Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Arguably the best Latvian? Who in the world could possibly challenge him? None at this time...but here's to hoping big hopes -- hopefully Ronalds Kenins can have an NHL career with the Canucks that will one day rival the legacy Ozolinsh has left for Latvian hockey...hope runs eternal in the off-season. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stizz19 Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Used to take Ozolinsh in my hockey pools back in his prime, he was so good. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pears Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Legend Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LuonGO Canucks Go Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Man the NHL all name team is taking so many hits. Great career , and now second innings in politics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G.K. Chesterton Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Congratulations to him on a great career! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brad Marchand Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 High time. Can't trust a bloke that says he's Latvian, but doesn't stick an S at the end..sketchy. Well, his properly spelled Latvian name is Sandis Ozoliņš, Ozolinsh is just a simplification meant for North American usage. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Herberts Vasiljevs Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 One of the most underrated star players to ever play in the game! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Down by the River Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Hard to believe this guy put up 23 goals in the NHL. Great career. Nice for him that he has found a life after hockey. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trebreh Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 wait what?! I thought he retired yeeeeears ago Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amish Rake Fighter Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 Arguably the best Latvian? Who in the world could possibly challenge him? Arturs Irbe Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snake Doctor Posted May 28, 2014 Share Posted May 28, 2014 I was impressed how well he played in the Olympics. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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