New York Islanders defenseman Johnny Boychuk announced his retirement Wednesday due to an eye injury suffered during the 2019-20 NHL season.
"I don't even think it was a decision. When you play with it and realize there's something wrong, and then you go and get tests, it really wasn't a decision; it was a life choice, I guess," Boychuk said in a news conference. "If I was to go and play again and not able to see somebody coming and get hit, I could be a lot worse than what I was."
The 36-year-old defenseman played in 725 NHL games.