May 5, 2009, Markus Naslund retirement short story for Metro (NY) Newspaper
NHL.
In a move that had long been expected, Rangers left wing Markus Naslund announced his retirement yesterday.
A 15-year vet, the classy Swede also played for Pittsburgh and Vancouver. It was in Vancouver where Naslund experienced his greatest success. As a Canuck, Naslund made five All-Star appearances (1999, 2001, 2002, 2003 and 2004). In that time, he was named to the NHL All-Star First Team in 2002, 2003 and 2004, along with winning the Lester B. Pearson Award as the league’s most outstanding player as voted on by the players in 2003.
Naslund skated in 1,117 regular season games. He scored 395 goals and compiled 474 assists for 869 points. He also racked up 736 penalty minutes.
Signed to a two-year deal for $8 million last July, Naslund scored 24 goals with 22 assists for 46 points in the 2008-09 campaign. Having skated in all 82 regular season games, Naslund was also minus-10 and had 57 penalty minutes. In the Rangers’ seven-game first-round series loss to Washington, Naslund had a goal and two assists for three points. He was also plus-2 with 10 penalty minutes.
"I would like to sincerely thank Glen Sather and the New York Rangers for giving me the opportunity this past season in New York," Naslund said in a statement released by the organization. "I would also like to thank the Vancouver Canucks and all of their fans for their support over the 11-plus seasons I was a part of their organization, as well as to the Pittsburgh Penguins where I began my NHL career."
Naslund’s retirement will save the Rangers $4 million in cap room for next season. That money could be used to keep Brandon Dubinsky and Ryan Callahan from testing the free agent market.
posted by Denis P. Gorman at 12:07 PM
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