Holik hanging up his skates

After 18 seasons in the NHL, including 11 with the Devils, Bobby Holik is retiring.

Holik said today that his decision has nothing to do with the back injury that bothered him near the end of the playoffs. In fact, he said made up his mind that this would be his final season before the playoffs even began.

"My back is fine," he said today from his home in Jackson Hole, Wyoming. "That's completely taken care of and healed. It has nothing to do with my back. I actually made the decision during the course of the season, a while ago, just strictly because of my family. That was the main reason, just being here every day with them. And another thing I was looking at was that I don't have to retire. So, it's the perfect time to do it.

"I feel fortunate, so it's the perfect time to do. But my main reason was my wife (Renee) and my daughter (Hannah). I just wanted to be home. It was just time."

He said called Devils general manager Lou Lamoriello a couple of weeks ago to inform him of his decision.

"I have a lot of respect for him, so I wanted to tell him myself before anybody else knew," he said.

Holik, 38, finishes his NHL career with 326 goals, 421 assists and 1,423 penalty minutes in 1,314 NHL games. His 202 goals as a Devil (in 786 games) rank as the third most in team history behind Patrik Elias' 295 and John MacLean's 347.

Holik won Stanley Cups with the Devils in 1995 and 2000, but left New Jersey after the 2001-02 season to sign a five-year, $45 million contract with the rival Rangers as an unrestricted free agent. After the Rangers bought him out of the remaining two years on his contract following the 2004-05 NHL, he played three seasons in Atlanta. He signed a one-year. $2.5 million contract to rejoin the Devils last summer.

He admitted that being away from his daughter and wife was more difficult this past season than in previous ones.

"Yeah, it was," he said. "My daughter is in school here (in Wyoming) because towards the end of a player's career, you kind of hop around a little bit. Plus, she's very involved with the horses and all of that, so it's not an easy thing to just move around, pick up and go anywhere you wanted. So, we made a decision that she needed to stay home the last couple of years. And, do you know what? If they were living in New Jersey with me, I don't think the decision would be any different.

"Just with the every day grind of the season and all of that, not physically, but mentally, I'm ready to go. I'm ready to leave."

Holik had four goals and five assists in 62 games with the Devils in 2008-09. He missed 18 games after fracturing his pinky on Oct. 18 in Washington. He then was healthy scratch for the last two games of the regular season and four of the team's seven playoff games.

Still, he says he has no regrets about returning to New Jersey or any other decisions he's made in his career.

"People have asked me that because I have made some decisions in my career that a lot of people have questioned," he said. "I never have regrets looking back on any of my decisions in my career. It's been great."

Holik left Czechoslovakia 19 years ago after being drafted 10th overall by the Hartford Whalers in 1989. He was traded to the Devils along with a second-round draft pick in the 1993 draft (which became Jay Pandolfo) and future considerations for goaltender Sean Burke and defenseman Eric Weinrich on Aug. 28, 1992.

Holik said winning the Stanley Cup twice were among the biggest accomplishments of his career, but there was more to it than that.

"It was great. No doubt about it," he said. "It was the only time I felt like, 'Wow. We accomplished something.' But my best memories are of playing the game, practicing. My memories are of competing. Everyone always thinks it's about the glamour or the glory. So, no matter how successful you are, it's such a few moments that if that's what you're do it for, then you're not happy. From my own experience, I was very happy to be a hockey player because I enjoyed practicing. I enjoyed playing the game.

"It's a game and sometimes in the locker room, off the ice, with all the travel, maybe I didn't come across as the happiest man. But when I was on the ice -- when I stepped on the ice for practice or games -- I was like a kid. Maybe I didn't play that way, but, boy, that's what I remember. Walking out of the locker room and taking that first stride, it was like, 'Wow. This is fun' every single day no matter how bad the team was that I  played for."

Comments

[JohnnyB]

I admire Holik's honesty, always have. I realized his contribution to the team and glad he was with us at the end. Peace BOBBY

[Pete]

I always liked Bobby's personality, it's just too bad his play on the ice never matched it. Happy retirement Bobby, and hello another $2.5 mil to put toward something more useful.

[skly25]

now the devils can either sign a good center or bring one from lowell. Im glad holik got to end with the devils. He was a (sometimes hilarious) honest and good player. Although dozens are gonna say 'glad to see him go' or 'he wasnt worth the effort', these 'fans' havent been around long. Holik, although he could have put better numbers up this season, was a great player for the devils and whichever team he played on (except the rangers of course =]).

Happy retirement bobby, and i mean that in the best way possible.

[walt]

i know this sounds crazy but i'd love to see holik try his hand as a color commentator... the guy is funny as hell ....he'd be a gas!

[Andrew]

Thanks for the humor and grit Bobby.

[jerseytom]

I agree that he should try some color commentating...Imagine him and Cangelosi(sp)? That couldn't be anything less than hilarious.

[MikeK]

Bobby's more than paid his dues, but for pete's sake Bobby, Wyoming? Of all places, Wyoming?

Cheers Bobby.

[don]

mike keenan just got fired as coach of calgary...the GM's name is sutter...wonder where brent sutter would like his coaching future to be?...if he really wants to go there, as i imagine he does, since he has a year to go on his contract with the devils, their #1 draft choice looks awfully good to me...

[Nick]

Thanks for all the great years Bobby. One of the most important Devil players of all-time. Too bad this year wasn't as good as the previous ones.

[Steve]

forget the number 1, the rights to cammalleri and the deal goes through only if Cammalleri signs a deal with us, if he doesn't sign with us, then we receive their #1.

[don]

steve, that sounds like a great idea to me, i can only hope that sutter wants to coach in calgary and that their organization would go along with your proposal...i have nothing against brent sutter but it doesn't seem to me that his heart is here in NJ and also i think he horribly misused rolston and he should be on the second line along with a quality center and elias,with gionta leaving NJ as a free agent

[Zorin]

Don.

We don't know if Gio is leaving...guy loves this area and the team, the org...that game him a chance. If Lou wants to give him 2M a year, I guess he will go. I hope he doesn't.

[Robbie]

I doubt he would want to move his family too. Unless it's to Buffalo.

[Steven]

Thank you Bobby!!! On a side Tom, what effect will Mike Keenan's firing from the Flames have on Sutter's decision to return or not, I know the post reported that it won't have any effect.

[Jim B]

I think Gionta will stay in NJ for the same salary he has now at 4mil a yr, he did contribute in the playoffs and is a perennial 25-30 goal scorer which would put him in that 4 mil range with any team, and considering he likes being a devil and is accustomed to the area, I believe Gionta will stay. Madden may be a little more of a complicated situation, if he is willing to accept the same salary and maybe a lesser role on the team I would keep him, but if he wants more I think then it may be time to bring up Rod Pelley for good.

[Zorin]

Yo, if the money is right, a guy will pick up his family and move anywhere. If NJ offers him between $3-4 and another team offers him between 5-6 million for 4 years, I could see him MAYBE going. He doesn't strike me as a guy that wants the most loot, but shoot, money is money, right? So many guys bounce from good to bad situations just to make more cash.

I think at 30 years of age, a 20+ goal scorer for 5 straight years and the biggest heart on the team, how you can not bring this guy back. Guy just goes out and plays and outside of the injury a couple of years ago, he's out there all the time. I really hope he signs back with NJ.

[Jim B]

Offense:
parise zajac langenbrunner

elias antropov gionta

pandolfo madden rolston

clarkson Rupp Zubrus

Defense:

Ohlund Martin
Salvador Oduya
Boynton greene

Goaltending:
brodeur Weekes

I figured I would post that up, see what the reaction from the Gulitti faithful is on this lineup I came up with. I think Antropov might be a good addition, could get 20 goals 30 assists from him, might be a better fit between elias and gionta then zubrus. I also think Ohlund and Boynton would help make the defense tougher and can better handle teams like the hurricanes, penguins, or bruins then White and Mottau.

[Zavior]

After the season Holik had I am not suprised that he retired. I am happy that he was smart enough to know when to say when. He gave his best years to us and the Crash line will always live on with Devils fans.

I do hope Shanny comes back for one more season with NJ, I like what he brought to the team.

[Will in Maine]

Have fun in Cheneyland, Bobby! I hate to say it but you didn't have a stellar season, and you age showed. I think you should be proud of your career overall.

[blue-eyed devil]

Thanks for the memories, Bobby!
And for all the one-liners. :D

[mike in pa]

Jim...no way on Antropov. The guy is far and away one of the most overrated players in the NHL. He has mountains of talent, but dogs it night after night. Hes as far as it gets from the kind of guy this organization prefers. as for Ohlund...he's on the decline, and had an awful season. If he can be had for cheap (and i mean no one signs him until close to camp cheap)...then sure why not, but cheap d-men are a thing of the past so I wouldn't hold my breath on that. As for Boynton, maybe...but hes not really anything special, and in all honesty theyd be no better or worse off just sticking with Whitey.

[BING]

Thanks Bobby....Time for Pando and Rupp to go too, sorry to say, but bring up the prospects and bring in a defenceman. Keep Gio. BRING the Jets back to Winnipeg!

[RickyM2]

I think Bobby made the tight decision at the right time. He decided to be a Devils in his last year cause he believed he had one more chance to win. His performance declined and before he became a thron, he left hockey. His 08/09 season is now erased from my mind. I will remember his 92 to 2002 career with the devils. Good luck Holik. Thank you for serving your best years in a Horns n Tails crest. ALL THE BEST BROTHER!!!

[Jim B]

@ mike in Pa

You are right with antropov, but with the defense, Ohlund and Boynton are just good stay at home tough D-men, and that is exactly what this team needs. Oduya, martin, greene are all good puck moving defensivemen, right now the Devils need some guys who can play physical and smart

[TG]

I said yesterday that it will have no effect on Sutter. He's pretty much said he doesn't want to work for his brother.

If I had to guess, he'll coach the Devils next season or not in the NHL at all.