Veteran NHL forward Andrew Ladd has played a little over 1000 games throughout his career. He has had a rather interesting journey in the league over the last nearly two decades. Now, Ladd is hanging up his skates. The 37-year-old officially announced his retirement on Twitter on Sunday.
“The time has come for my next chapter,” Ladd wrote in his statement. “As I reflect on the journey, the 1,001 games, the two Stanley Cups, the opportunity to captain a Canadian city, what I'm most grateful for is the people. My parents for their sacrifice, the core values they instilled in me, and the love shown through compassion or a challenge. I'll forever be grateful for how the game shaped me as a person and the people it brought into my life!”
Ladd entered the NHL as a fourth overall pick in the 2004 NHL Draft by the Carolina Hurricanes. He debuted during the 2005-06 season, which was the first post-lockout campaign. He scored six goals and 11 points in 29 regular season games. In the playoffs, he added another five points as his Hurricanes went on to win the Stanley Cup.
Article Continues BelowLadd's time in Carolina, however, didn't last long. In July 2008, the Hurricanes traded him to the Chicago Blackhawks. And in 2010, Ladd won his second career Stanley Cup. After the big victory, Ladd moved teams once again. Chicago traded him to the Atlanta Thrashers, who would soon relocate and become the Winnipeg Jets. He'd spend most of his career with the franchise, playing 429 games for the Thrashers/Jets organization.
Prior to the move to Winnipeg, Ladd received a major honor. He became captain of the Thrashers during the 2010-11 season. He remained captain when the team became the Jets the very next season. Ladd remained captain of the Jets until they traded him back to the Blackhawks in 2016.
Ladd played the last few seasons of his career with the New York Islanders and Arizona Coyotes. The former Jets captain last played in the NHL in 2021-22 with Arizona. Overall, he finishes with 256 goals and 550 points in 1001 career regular season games, and nine goals and 18 points in 65 appearances in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.