Former NHL goalie Jaroslav Halak retires after 17 seasons
The 40-year-old played his last NHL game on April 13, 2023, with the New York Rangers. Early in the 2023-24 season, Halak spent time with the Carolina Hurricanes on a professional tryout, but was released.
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'Last year I completed summer training … but when nothing came of it, I told myself it was pointless. After that I didn't even try anymore,' Halak told reporter Tomas Prokop of Slovakia's Dennik Sport, per translation. 'I'm officially ending my career. I would like to thank my family, friends, fans and especially my wife Petra, who has been by my side my entire career.'
After 581 NHL games, Jaroslav Halak is hanging up the skates.
Best of luck in retirement! 👏 pic.twitter.com/UErJMw4rLz
— NHL (@NHL) July 18, 2025
A ninth-round pick (No. 271) by the Montreal Canadiens in the 2003 NHL Draft, Halak played with the Canadiens, St. Louis Blues, Washington Capitals, New York Islanders, Boston Bruins, Vancouver Canucks and Rangers in his career.
Halak also dressed for one game with the Sabres after getting traded to Buffalo in 2014, but never saw action with the team because he was traded just days later to the Capitals.
He posted a 295-189-69 record with 53 shutouts, a 2.50 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage in 581 career regular-season games (555 starts). He also went 17-20-0 in 39 playoff games (37 starts).
Halak's postseason heroics helped define his career, specifically in 2009-10, when he led the Montreal Canadiens to an improbable berth in the Eastern Conference final.
The native of Bratislava, Slovakia, also played for his home country at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver and the 2014 Olympics in Sochi, Russia.
'It's been two years, and I've come to terms with not reaching 300 (wins),' Halak told Dennik Sport. 'Looking back on my career, it's been a good one. It would have been nicer with 300 wins, but I'll be happy with 295.'
Halak won the William M. Jennings Trophy in both 2011-12 (Blues) and 2019-20 (Bruins), awarded to the goalie(s) whose team allowed the fewest goals in the regular season.
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