Canadiens' 2010 playoff hero Jaroslav Halak retires after 17-season NHL career
Goaltender Jaroslav Halak, who led the Montreal Canadiens to an improbable berth in the 2010 Eastern Conference final, announced his retirement on Friday after 17 NHL seasons.
The 40-year-old Slovakian is hanging up his skates after playing 581 games in the NHL with seven teams. His career stat line includes a 295-189-69 regular season record, a 2.50 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage.
Canadiens fans will fondly remember Halak for leading the team on a Cinderella run in 2010, when they upset the heavily favoured Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins in seven games each before losing to the Philadelphia Flyers in five games in the conference final.
During that run, Halak had a 9-9 record with a 2.55 GAA and a .923 save percentage. Most notably, he had a 53-save performance in a Game 6 win over the Capitals.
That summer, general manager Pierre Gauthier dealt Halak to the St. Louis Blues for Lars Eller and Ian Schultz to make way for top goaltending prospect Carey Price.
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