Dupuis Retires

Pascal Dupuis was forced to retire from the NHL yesterday due to a medical condition related to blood clots, something that began in January 2014 when the blood clots were first diagnosed.  In 2014-15, he only played 16 games before shutting it down in November due to a blood clot in the lungs.  After 18 games and a health scare on December 1 against San Jose, Dupuis decided to call it a career, citing family reasons.

Dupuis was a player that very few had a bad word for, as he was one of the most respected players in the league, especially by those for whom he played with in his career.  Undrafted, he parlayed a 50-goal season with Shawinigan of the QMJHL into a free-agent deal with Minnesota, where in his best season there, netted 20 goals and 28 assists in the 2002-03 season that saw Minnesota go to the Conference Finals that season.  He would later spend a brief time with the New York Rangers and Atlanta Thrashers before heading to Pittsburgh in 2008 in a trade that involved Marian Hossa.  In the 2011-12 season, he notched career highs in goals and points, and also played a key role in the 2009 Stanley Cup run with Pittsburgh.

Many times, it's the superstars that get the credit, but it's the players like Dupuis and Rich Peverley who turn in an honest effort night in and night out that truly make a team better.