Carl Hagelin has decided to retire from the NHL at age 35, citing an eye injury that has kept him out of game action for nearly a year and a half.
Hagelin has not played since taking an errant stick to his left eye during Washington Capitals practice on March 1, 2022. He underwent surgery, and the team immediately deemed it a serious injury with concern about Hagelin's quality of life outside hockey.
The smooth-skating Swedish winger also had hip resurfacing surgery this past February. That followed arthroscopic surgery in October, which was an attempt to solve a chronic left hip injury.