Blake Wheeler, the longtime captain and all-time points leader of the Winnipeg Jets, has officially announced his retirement from the NHL after 16 seasons.
“More or less, right after last year, I knew I was all done,” Wheeler, 38, said during an appearance on CJOB’s “Jets at Noon” on Wednesday. “I just didn’t have anything left in the tank.”
Wheeler's career spanned 1,172 regular-season games. He finished with 321 goals and 943 points.
He last played in February 2024 when he tore ankle ligaments and broke his fibula while skating for the New York Rangers. He missed the rest of the regular season, though he returned for one playoff game.
After spending the first two seasons of his career with the Boston Bruins, Wheeler was traded to the Atlanta Thrashers in 2011 and stayed with the franchise through its relocation to Winnipeg, eventually becoming team captain in 2016.
Wheeler ends his career as the Jets’ all-time leader in assists (550) and points (897), and ranks second in goals behind Ilya Kovalchuk.
His time with the Jets ended after the team bought out his contract in 2023, which then led to Wheeler signing a one-year deal with the Rangers. He recorded nine goals and 21 points in 54 games before the injury.
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