After many months of processing what is best for my health and the future of my family, I have decided to retire as a professional hockey player. Through many extended attempts of rehabilitation, therapy, visiting and speaking to different doctors, and trying everything to make it back to the game I love, the decision had become clear. For my whole life I was able to overcome odds and prove people wrong. For a long time, I held up hope that I could do it one more time, which in turn has made this decision so difficult. But the reality is, I can no longer train, skate, or push myself to the level required to be a professional hockey player due to injuries suffered during my last game and seasons prior. As hard as it is to accept that reality, I can’t help but feel incredibly grateful and proud of my career. If you would have told me that this would be my life and career path as a kid and even into my early and mid-twenties, I wouldn’t have believed you.
As I reflect, it’s hard imagining how I went from playing Junior B hockey to being an assistant captain of the Montreal Canadiens. I still don’t quite understand, but through hard work, belief, dedication, and a very high competition level, I was able to achieve a career many people doubted from the time I was a young player. I’ve also been very fortunate to have had some amazing people help me out through my journey and I’d like to thank everyone who’s either helped me grow as player or as a person on and off the ice.
To all my past teammates, coaches, trainers, equipment managers, and staff throughout many teams and organizations over my career, thank you for all your time, commitment, work and for the memories we’ve shared together. I’ve been so fortunate to have met so many great people who have made playing professional hockey such an amazing experience. All the games, flights, bus rides, practices, rookie and training camps, meals on the road, I am truly grateful for the relationships and friendships built.
To the Gatineau Olympiques organization, Benoit Groulx and Charlie Henry, thank you for finding a small kid in Ottawa playing Junior B, and giving him the chance to play major junior. When no one else in Ontario believed I could succeed due to my size, our conversation in my parents’ living room forever changed my fate.
To Adam Bracken, everyone at the Fitness Lab, Tony Greco and everyone at Greco fitness, thank you for all the time and work every summer preparing me for professional hockey and helping build a fitness foundation which allowed me to play at the NHL level despite my small stature.
To my agents JP Barry, Peter MacTavish, Pat Brisson and everyone at CAA, thank you for all the advice, commitment and service throughout the years.
To Stewart, Chris, Matt and everyone else at Gavin Hockey Wealth, thank you for taking care of my family and I off the ice. Playing careers are short and it is so important to have good financial advice on your side. Thank you for always making sure my life outside the game of hockey was taken care of and for allowing me to focus and concentrate on my career.
To the Buffalo Sabres organization, thank you for taking a chance and drafting me. For allowing me the opportunity to develop in Portland, Maine and then finally live out my childhood dream.
To the Calgary Flames organization and Bob Hartley, thank you for trading for me and truly giving me the opportunity to establish myself as an NHL hockey player. Thank you to my coach Troy G Ward in Abbotsford for helping me grow as a person and convincing me to keep pursuing my NHL career instead of leaving for Europe. Thank you to the great people in the city of Calgary and the “C of Red” for some amazing memories and a special 2014-15 season.
To the Montreal Canadiens organization, Marc Bergevin, the Molson family, coaches, trainers, all the staff, I can’t thank you enough for everything over the last 8 years. Getting claimed on waivers changed my life and career. I’ll forever be grateful for that. Eight years in one place is a long time in the hockey world, and the rink was a second home. I can’t help but feel so incredibly proud and lucky to have been given the opportunity to wear the Canadiens jersey. Our run in 2021 was a truly magical experience, and even though we just fell short, it’s something that I know no one will ever forget.
Thank you to all the great Canadiens fans for your unwavering support and passion for the team. Your energy and pride are felt not only at the Bell Centre but in many road cities as well. You make playing for the Montreal Canadiens a truly special experience.
To my in-laws Jean, Kathy, Neal, Maude, and nieces Amy, Alyson and Laurie. To my best friend Jeremy, all my other close friends as well as my extended family, thank you for all your love and support over the years. Going to games at the “Bob”, traveling to road cities in the American Hockey League, games in Ottawa and other NHL cities. I always appreciated and was grateful for your passion and support for my career. Despite being the away team, games in Ottawa always felt like a home game.
My mom Gail, my dad Randy, brothers Mike, Lee, and nephew Liam, thank you for the time, love, support, and sacrifice for all those years allowing me to chase my dream. All the tournaments, travel, hotels, weeknight practices, weekend games and the cost of playing. Experiencing that now with my own children, I realize even more now how much you all sacrificed for me, and I just can’t thank you enough. No matter the odds, you always believed in me and reinforced my own beliefs.
My daughter Elianna and son Brysen, thank you for always encouraging me and being my biggest fans. I love you both so much, and love that I was able to share my experience with you firsthand. There’s no better feeling in the world than after a good game or bad game, seeing you and then receiving a big hug. As a father I couldn’t be any prouder and can’t wait to be there for you and help you achieve your dreams.
My wife and partner Sarah, I can’t thank you enough for your love and support throughout all our years together. Moving across North America away from your family to be with me in our early twenties was not easy. Renting apartments, renting U-Hauls, constantly moving from place to place, living in a hotel for months on end through call ups, and pregnancies. I couldn’t have asked for a better partner to share my life with. Good games, bad games, trades, waivers and now retirement, you’ve always been there for me when I needed you. As we move on to the next chapter of our lives, I can’t help but feel confident and excited for the journey ahead. I love you with all my heart.
To all hockey fans, young and old, thank you for making the NHL the greatest hockey league in the world. Without the fans, none of us would be able to have this dream and live it out. To all the young hockey players, never let anyone tell you that you can’t, or that you’re not good enough. I’m proof that you can. Believe in yourself and dedicate yourself to your craft. Focus and listen to your coaches and put in the work, day in and day out, to keep progressing through each small step. Success does not come easy, so don’t let seeds of doubt ever creep in. Good luck to all hockey players out there and see you around the rinks.
-Paul Byron
