Saku Koivu Retires

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Today it was announced that one of the bravest and more inspiring figures of the NHL has called it a day. Finnish player, Saku Koivu has retired after 18 seasons at the highest level which included stints with the Montreal Canadiens (where he served as the first European captain) and more recently with the Anaheim Ducks.

Selected 21st overall at the 1993 Entry Draft, Koivu has amassed a record of 1,124 regular-season games and appeared in over 80 Stanley Cup Playoff games. He has clocked up over 255 goals and had 832 points in the regular season alone, and has a playoff record of 18 goals and 59 points. Also he is a four time Winter Olympic Medalist with Finland, racking up three bronze medals at Lillehammer in 1994, Nagano in 1998  and Vancouver 2010 along with a silver medal in Turin 2006!

But it was his courageous fight against Burkitt's Lymphoma back in 2002 that made him such an admired figure because only four months after being diagnosed, Koivu was back on the ice for Montreal and for his valient efforts, he was awarded the Bill Masterson Memorial Trophy!

Congratulations Saku on a successful and remarkable career, from both of us at the Fifth Liners!

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