Google News Mike Murphy retires: "It's just time"
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Mike Murphy will say goodbye to the NHL at the end of this year (December 31, to be exact) after giving his entire life to this sport. Murphy thinks it's time to leave something he loved the most. "It's been an unbelievable run," Murphy said for nhl.com "I signed my first contract when I was 19 and entered the League in 1971.
I'm 72 now and have been paid by an NHL team or the League to live a dream for that many years. "It's just time. The bucket list is too long. If I don't stop now and start doing things for family, you know what happens. You watch the passing of Guy Lafleur, Peter McNab, Mike Bossy and you realize it's time to walk away to do other things." War Room can often be a 'target of criticism' "The goal is to always get it right," he said.
"Our best nights are when no one mentions the War Room because that means everything is going smoothly." Kris King, NHL Senior Vice President of Hockey Operations believes that his calmness and focus will be missed by many.
"He's like the veteran in the War Room who keeps everyone calm and on point, even though he's the one often who has to deal with the irate coaches or GMs on the phone," King said. "He's a special person."
Marian Hossa and retirement
Marian Hossa talked about his number that will be retired.
"I'm sure everything's going to come down to that moment, but I'll surprise myself," Hossa said. Penguins forward Sidney Crosby had only words of praise for Hoss, who has given so much to the sport. "He was a great player,"- he said.
"I just remember, first couple games that I played with him, he was just flying by me on the backcheck. He gets a lot of credit for how good he was offensively, but he was really good defensively too. I think, you look at his career, he was so consistent, it was great to have the opportunity to play with him." Florida Panthers coach Paul Maurice believes that children should look up to such a player.
Hossa made a big mark on the NHL scene, and many will remember him as a great player. "I put him in the same class as [former NHL defenseman] Zdeno Chara, other brilliant players, that you get to meet them and everybody says this, but it's just true: they're way better humans," Maurice said.
"Just so good with the equipment guys, so good with the medical guys. When we look at professional athletes and we idolize them, and I mean that in a good way, and you get kids and you want them to look up to somebody, Marian Hossa would be the guy you'd want kids to emulate."