Peter Forsberg to Retire?

[mac21]

We have a story that just came up on denverpost.com, written by a Swedish journalist we hired, detailing Peter Forsberg’s first game of any kind since Game 3 of the Western Conference semifinals for the Avalanche against Detroit.

It didn’t go so well. As reporter Anders Ronmark wrote in his story, quoting Forsberg: “This wasn’t fun at all. I have to go home and evaluate this. I don’t want to go into details, but it didn’t feel as good as I hoped it would.”

Forsberg’s troubled right foot, operated on again late last year by Swedish orthopedist Bertil Romanus, appears as troubled as ever.

This looks like it really could be it this time for one of hockey’s all-time greats, certainly one of the top five players ever to play for the Avalanche and Quebec Nordiques.

It’s too bad. It’s been too bad with him for a while now. The body just won’t allow his breathtaking hockey skills to seen anymore. We’ll have a lot more on this in the coming days I’m sure, but for now it appears retirement is all but a certainty for No. 21.

[Mats_44]

God I hope so. Enough is enough.

[Voodoo Chylde]

I feel bad for him but really, he's had a great career and nothing left to prove. Hang 'em up, coach, commentate or play golf all day.

[fmuff]

God I hope so. Enough is enough.

Says a guy with Sundin as an avatar!! :D

[Paul755]

I've been saying he needs to retire since he tore both groin muscles in last years playoffs. Hopefully he finally listens to his body and hangs up the skates for good.

First Ballot HOF'ER all the way.

[Kabong30]

Poor guy. Can't say he didn't try, though.

[Mats_44]

Says a guy with Sundin as an avatar!! :D

haha I fail to see how they are in the same situation. Sundin is not past his prime nor riddled with career ending injuries! :p

[NFLfan Up North]

Forsberg was great. I admire his determination but it looks like his career is over.

And Sundin should hang 'em up as well. He's looked horrible.

[Mats_44]

At least Sundin can still play.

Thank you!

Mind you he's been pretty rusty so far this year. I really hate that he took those first few months off while he mulled over his emotions to decide if he still had the heart to keep playing. But alas all those years of pain and suffering playing for the miserable Leafs probably soured him quite a bit especially after the way they treated him last year.

[Mats_44]

Forsberg was great. I admire his determination but it looks like his career is over.

And Sundin should hang 'em up as well. He's looked horrible.

Wow so the guy has had a slow start after missing half the season and that to you means he should retire and has nothing left?? That's some brilliant insight there. :rolleyes:

I guess you didn't watch him at all last year when he was still tearing it up on a miserable team? His shelf life must have expired imediately after the season ended?

[NFLfan Up North]

Wow so the guy has had a slow start after missing half the season and that to you means he should retire and has nothing left?? That's some brilliant insight there. :rolleyes:

I guess you didn't watch him at all last year when he was still tearing it up on a miserable team? His shelf life must have expired imediately after the season ended?

He was playing very good last year but not training for about 6-7 months at his age has hurt him. He's looked very slow on the ice. Can he get back to last year's form? Maybe but that's no help to the Canucks who have gone from first place in their division to out of the playoffs with Sundin.

And I'm not a Canuck fan, just think it's a stupid move by them.

[The_Kid]

Isn't kicking around stones in Sweden considered retirement? If the guy was any kind of hockey god they've billed him as he would've learned to adapt his game. With a bum foot he was still better than half the league. I guess you've gotta hand it to him for trying? But it's just the same old story. I had surgery, I came back to practice, it didn't feel right, mehhhh what am I gonna do?

[NFLfan Up North]

Isn't kicking around stones in Sweden considered retirement? If the guy was any kind of hockey god they've billed him as he would've learned to adapt his game. With a bum foot he was still better than half the league. I guess you've gotta hand it to him for trying? But it's just the same old story. I had surgery, I came back to practice, it didn't feel right, mehhhh what am I gonna do?

You can't adapt your game when you're having trouble skating. Whatever type of game you play (physical or finesse) you need to be able to skate. He can't do that without pain and surgeries haven't helped him.

[rdjohnso]

he needs to retire...... now I just have to find out when si I can go get my 1 of a kind print of him signed beefore hes gone forever.

[Mats_44]

He was playing very good last year but not training for about 6-7 months at his age has hurt him. He's looked very slow on the ice. Can he get back to last year's form? Maybe but that's no help to the Canucks who have gone from first place in their division to out of the playoffs with Sundin.

And I'm not a Canuck fan, just think it's a stupid move by them.

Ya that's cool no doubt he's not playing up to snuff right now but your comment that he needs to retire is rather silly, that's all.

And are you suggesting the reason the Canucks have dropped so much is because of Sundin?? When has one player ever made a team??

[Mats_44]

he needs to retire...... now I just have to find out when si I can go get my 1 of a kind print of him signed beefore hes gone forever.

LOL you people are too much. Stick with football pal!

[rdjohnso]

LOL you people are too much. Stick with football pal!

I live in CO and up until this year have been a season ticket holder.... I hear about Peter daily on Sports Radio and think I have enough to base my thoughts here.....
Not sure where you get off with your comment.

[richterfan]

Mats are we every going to see sundin's vancouver jersey in your sig :)

and as for Forsberg, at least he tried to comeback and now he know, and we should all know that he loves the game of hockey

[Mats_44]

I live in CO and up until this year have been a season ticket holder.... I hear about Peter daily on Sports Radio and think I have enough to base my thoughts here.....
Not sure where you get off with your comment.

Oops! My bad bro I thought you were talking about Sundin!! :o

My appologies..........I'm constantly having to defend Sundin even on subjects like this where he has nothing to do with it!!

Take care, sorry for the confusion.

[Vandy58]

Says a guy with Sundin as an avatar!! :D

LMAO, snap!

[WingNut 25]

Good riddance.

[ShakesO]

I'm perfectly fine with Forsberg trying over and over again. If ever his foot was healthy, he'd be pretty damn good again in a hurry.

[cflames89]

So long Floppa.

[Hockeyfan74]

First Ballot HOF'ER all the way.

I'm not so sure he gets in on the first ballot. Very comparable stats from good, but soft players. Forsberg would get the nod due to playoff success if anything.

Peter Forsberg: 707 GP 249 G 636 A 885 P +242

Eric Lindros: 760 GP 372 G 493 A 865 P +215

[PhillyWing19]

I'm not so sure he gets in on the first ballot. Very comparable stats from good, but soft players. Forsberg would get the nod due to playoff success if anything.

Peter Forsberg: 707 GP 249 G 636 A 885 P +242

Eric Lindros: 760 GP 372 G 493 A 865 P +215


Wow, that is eery seeing how similar those guys' career numbers are, especially considering they were traded for one another. Lindros with 53 more games, but Forsberg with 20 more points. Considering the talent that Forsberg was surrounded by in Que/Col, it is not surprising.

Looking back, it was still probably the right trade to make, although the Flyers certainly gave up too much one can easily say (Ricci/Hextall/*****sne/KHuffman/Forsberg/Chris Simon plus 1st rounder + cash). I don't think Philadelphians would have embraced Forsberg, a young Swede, they did Lindros for so many years before "Concussiongate" kicked in circa 1999/2000.

Lindros' size and combination of grit, physicality, nasty edge and willingness to drop the gloves especially early in his career helped endear him to Philadelphians quickly. I don't think Foppa and his more skill-based game (albeit that he had an edge on occasion too) would have played as well here. Considering the Flyers' offense was built around the likes of Recchi, Brind'amour and that's about it when Lindros arrived, he was probably the more marquee name at the time and certainly helped get the funding for the new arena. Flyers were pretty lousy when Big E arrived, missing the playoffs in 1990, 1991 and 1992 prior, and then again in 1993 and 1994 after he arrived. The 1994 trade after the brief players' strike that sent Recchi to the Habs for LeClair and Desjardins helped so much, and that was propelled their run starting in their return to the playoffs in 1995 in the strike-shortened year.

It is ironic, for Lindros' big reason not to go to Quebec was what he perceived as a lack of exposure playing in that province, the ironic part being that they only lasted 3 more seasons in Quebec before the move to Denver (93, 94 and 95).

Can you imagine a Quebec/Avs lineup that featured Sakic, Sundin and Lindros down the middle, while still having wingers like Owen Nolan, Kamensky, Kovalenko, Scott Young, etc along with that Roy guy in net in later years? Scary good.