WHL Champion Ennis announces retirement after 15-year pro career
WHL alumnus and member of the 2007 WHL Champion Medicine Hat Tigers Tyler Ennis has announced his retirement from hockey after a 15-year professional career.
The Edmonton, Alta.-born forward suited up for 700 NHL games with the Buffalo Sabres (including two years as an Alternate Captain), Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators and Edmonton Oilers, wracking up 144 goals and 202 assists over 13 seasons before moving to Europe.
Congratulations to beloved Sabres alum Tyler Ennis on a fantastic hockey career! 👏 pic.twitter.com/O99qJNRQKV
— Buffalo Sabres (@BuffaloSabres) January 17, 2024
The 34-year-old announced the decision on Wednesday through his club, Adler Mannheim of the Deutsche Eishockey Liga.
“After working hard to get healthy with our great team, I ultimately decided to quit hockey,” Ennis said in a statement.
He had sustained a significant neck injury in a game in November of 2023.
Ennis shined at the junior level, scoring the game-opening goal in a dramatic 3-2 double-overtime victory against the Vancouver Giants to help Medicine Hat claim the Ed Chynoweth Cup for the second time in four years.
He was one goal away from tying the WHL record for most goals in a single game when he fired six lamp-lighters past the Prince Albert Raiders on February 27, 2009.
Ennis was named a WHL First Team All-Star in 2008 and 2009, while also earning the Brad Hornung Memorial Trophy for most sportsmanlike player in back-to-back seasons.
On the international stage, Ennis helped Canada win a fifth-straight gold medal at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship and scored the gold-medal-winning goal at the 2015 IIHF World Hockey Championship, ending a seven-year championship drought for the canucks.