New Jersey Devils

Ryane Clowe’s hockey career came to an end yesterday, when it was announced he was not medically cleared to play for the Devils this season.

By Patrick Comia

Yesterday, Ryane Clowe said goodbye to the game he has been playing for the past nine seasons at the NHL level.

It was announced that the 6’2 left winger would be cutting his career short, due to being not being medically cleared to play.

Clowe has endured two concussion-filled years, dating back to 2013 when he was acquired by the New York Rangers in a trade with the San Jose Sharks.

The news of him ending his career was first tweeted by Tom Gulitti (@TGfireandice) of The Record:

Despite missing the rest of the of the 2013 post season with the Rangers, he was signed by the New Jersey Devils as an unrestricted free agent in the offseason. The terms of the contract were five years, worth $24.25 million.

Clowe would have been entering his third year with the team, if he was cleared to play this season. However, that will not be the case, as he will be placed on the long-term injured reserve list, per general manager Ray Shero.

That will be just procedure with the league. He’ll just stay on IR for the next three years

As soon as the 2013 Devils started, he suffered this first concussion with the team, causing him to miss 32 games. He was able to play three months, or 43 regular season games, injury-free till Clowe suffered his second head injury in April.

New Jersey Devils

Last season, he played up until November, where he suffered his third concussion, causing him to miss 69 games for the Devils. It was this head injury which prompted questions of his future.

Though Clowe feels he can still compete, he is heeding doctor’s advice and stepping away before it gets worse:

Of course I want to play again and it just didn’t work out, and I’m not able to play again. It’s just not possible and it won’t be possible moving forward

Clowe is not officially retiring as a Devil, in order to receive his salary for the last three remaining years of his contract. Shero added, “In terms of the contract with New Jersey, in terms of how he played the game, he was deserving of that.”

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I'm a blogger trying to make it in this world. Have been, and always will be, a fan of the NYR and NYG. Writing for the New Jersey Devils cause, well, someone has to do it!