On Tuesday, Ziggy Palffy announced his retirement from professional hockey.
“One morning is more beautiful than the previous one, and you have other opinions,” he explained, as per the IIHF website. “At this point, I believe that I quit. Definitive.
“Already I do not want to travel anywhere. Did it enough.”
The 41-year-old winger, who appeared in nearly 700 NHL contests with the Isles, Kings and Penguins, had spent last season with HC 36 Skalica of the Slovak Extraliga. Palffy was still a dynamic presence despite being one of the oldest players in the league, leading all scorers with 73 points in 39 games.
It’s not surprising Palffy was still lighting it up at 41, given his scoring prowess during his prime NHL years.
A three-time 40 goal scorer, which included a career-high 48 in 1996-97, Palffy averaged more than a point per game over his career. He also represented Slovakia numerous times on the international stage, appearing in three Olympic games while winning gold at the 2002 World Hockey Championships.
