After 817 games and nearly 12 full National Hockey League seasons, Anaheim Ducks forward Jakob Silfverberg is calling it a career.
The 33-year-old will retire at the conclusion of the 2023-24 campaign, the team announced on Thursday. His final NHL home game will come against the Calgary Flames at the Honda Center on Friday night.
“It's been an honor and privilege to play in the National Hockey League,” he said in a statement.
“I want to thank the Samueli family for being who they are, gracious, community-minded owners that support their team while making a significant impact in our community. Obviously, I wouldn't be where I am without my teammates, all the trainers and staff that have helped me along the way. Most importantly, thank you to my family who have supported me as I lived out a dream.”
A second-round pick, No. 39 overall by the Ottawa Senators in the 2009 NHL Draft, Silfverberg played just 48 games in a Sens uniform before he was traded to California — along with Stefan Noesen and in exchange for Bobby Ryan and a first-round pick, per ESPN's Kristen Shilton.
He spent the rest of his career in Anaheim, amassing 168 goals and 373 points while helping the Ducks reach the Western Conference Final in 2015 and 2017.
Silfverberg was excellent in both playoff runs, scoring 18 points in 16 playoff tries in 2015 and following it up with another nine goals and 14 points two postseasons later.
Jakob Silfverberg showed up in the postseason
It was a standout career for the Swede, who never won a Stanley Cup but was a proven playoff performer in multiple different runs.
“He has tallied 158 goals since joining the Ducks,” wrote Shilton on Thursday, “which is the most by any franchise player in that stretch, and sits among the organization's all-time leaders in goals (fifth), games (fifth), points (seventh), game-winning goals (seventh, 20), and assists (eighth).”
Over 69 career playoff contests, the former Binghamton Senator chipped in a very respectable 18 goals and 45 points. He was also the team's Bill Masterton Trophy nominee after the 2022-23 season, a campaign which he battled blood clotting issues and hip surgery complications.
“On behalf of the entire Ducks organization, congratulations to Jakob on an outstanding NHL career,” Ducks GM Pat Verbeek said. “He was the ultimate character player for the Ducks, Senators and his native Sweden, leading by example and always putting the team first. His contributions on the ice and in the Orange County community will have a lasting impact.”
It's been a tough couple of seasons for the Ducks, who are deep into the rebuild and haven't advanced to the playoffs since 2018. They were swept by the San Jose Sharks in the first round that year.
With the team looking to be outside the playoff picture for the next few seasons, it could have contributed to Silfverberg choosing to hang up the skates.
But overall, a very impressive career for the veteran, who will now begin life after hockey.
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