Thread by @PeterHolland13, PRESS RELEASE! I have decided to step away from the game of [...]

PRESS RELEASE!

I have decided to step away from the game of hockey. It feels weird to say retire, but I guess that’s what it is.

I’m not sure if a Twitter thread is an appropriate forum to announce this but when you were a bubble guy, there’s no press conference, banner

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raising, or puck drop at centre ice.

So here it is:

It’s strange to think that something which has been a part of me since before I can remember will no longer be a part of my future. This was not an easy decision, but in order to be honest with myself, it was time to

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confront the reality that hockey had become unenjoyable for me. I was no longer committed to getting better and therefore I was getting worse. It was an unsustainable trajectory not only for my career but also for my mental health, and therefore it was better to stop

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altogether.

Also, life comes at you fast! With a young family of my own, having to pack up and move every 6 or 8 months, being away from extended family (sometimes 10 hours apart) - it just wasn’t worth it anymore.

But perhaps most importantly,

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I’m doing it on my own terms with my health - something not to be taken for granted. Especially after playing a highly competitive and physical game professionally for over a decade. Not to mention the 15 years before that.

Admittedly, my passion for the game really

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fell off a cliff the moment I was traded out of Toronto. I could never rekindle that spark I had when wearing a Leaf jersey. It was like my hockey path was always destined to allow me to wear my boyhood colours; the blue and white. And wow, am I ever blessed to have gotten

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that opportunity. Once that was over, it was as though I had accomplished the pinnacle of all my hopes and dreams. Did I dream of hoisting a Stanley Cup? Heck yeah! But as a boy - to even make it to the NHL was a long shot. So what are the odds

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I got to play for “my” team too? There’s some things in this world which you just can’t explain.

And now it’s time to move on to the next chapter; where I can put my education, zest for knowledge, and passion towards a new endeavour - closer to family.

I’ve already

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expressed my sincerest thanks and gratitude to my family so I don’t need to do that again here, but I did want to thank each and every one of you for supporting and following my hockey career. Our potential social impact as players was something I never took lightly, and I

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always tried to represent my family, my team, and the community in a positive light.

In fact, one of the things I am most proud of from my playing days was my willingness to get involved in the community. None more special than visiting and contributing to SickKids

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Hospital Toronto. I’m sure I got more out of those visits than the kids.

Some things I know for certain: I always tried my best; I cared deeply about my team; I wanted to win for everyone in the dressing room, as well as everyone in the stands (especially everyone in the

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top bowl!); and most of all I cared about being a good teammate.

With that said, I want to extend a HUGE thanks to all my teammates, equipment staff, and all the team personnel who made the day-to-day operations tick - I see you guys too! I have made some life long

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friendships from this game, both players and staff, and for that I am eternally grateful.

A thank you to all my coaches and GMs. Although not all of our relationships were equal, even the ones where we butted heads, I know there were meetings I wasn’t involved in where

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you went to bat for me and helped give me an opportunity to live and continue living my dream. So thank you.

Last but certainly not least, Thanks to you: the fans, the critics, and the media. The combination of you all makes this crazy sport of hockey worth playing.

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I’ll never forget the feeling of coming out of the tunnel onto a fresh sheet of ice, with the potential to bring each and every one of you out of your seat with a good play, hit, fight, or goal. It was an honour to provide you some entertainment and let you escape from

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your day-to-day lives if even for just a few moments.

Finally, if I can offer any advice to parents of young hockey players out there; let them decide how much they want to play. I played multiple sports growing up - It was never just hockey. I played flag football,

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basketball, volleyball, competed in track and field, golf and competitive soccer. I truly believe I loved hockey as long as I did because I didn’t burn out of it. If your kids are lucky enough for hockey to become a job that’s great - But I promise they’ll miss the days

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when it wasn’t!

That’s it. Thanks for reading and taking part in my Twitter retirement press conference.

I wish all of you the best and I look forward to enjoying this game from the stands again! See you around the rinks.

-PH

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