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Around the NHL: Justin Schultz retires after 12 NHL seasons
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Photo credit: Sergei Belski-USA TODAY Sports
Ryley Delaney
Dec 18, 2024, 18:00 ESTUpdated: Dec 18, 2024, 18:25 EST
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Justin Schultz’s hockey career has officially come to an end.
Last Friday, Hockey Club Lugano in Switzerland’s National League released a statement stating that Justin Schultz had told the organization he was retiring for personal reasons and returning to Canada. On Wednesday, the NHLPA’s Twitter account posted a graphic indicating he was officially retired.
The Anaheim Ducks originally drafted Schultz, but he chose not to sign after completing his collegiate career at the University of Wisconsin. Instead, he signed with the Edmonton Oilers, where he spent parts of four seasons before being traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins before the 2016 trade deadline.
In Pittsburgh, Schultz had his greatest success in the National Hockey League, helping the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cups in 2016 and 2017. Schultz signed with the Washington Capitals before the 2020-21 season, spending two seasons there before another two seasons with the Seattle Kraken.
After 12 seasons in the NHL, the right-shot defenceman scored 71 goals and 324 points in 745 games. Moreover, he played with Connor McDavid, Sidney Crosby, and Alex Ovechkin in his career, not many people can say that.

St. Louis trades for Cam Fowler

On Saturday, the Anaheim Ducks traded left-shot defenceman Cam Fowler to the St. Louis Blues for prospect Jérémie Biakabutuka and a second-round pick in the 2027 draft. The Blues also received a 2027 fourth-round pick while the Ducks will retain $2.5 million of Fowler’s salary.
Aside from the three games he’s played with the Blues since the trade, Fowler spent his entire career with the Ducks. In 991 games, he scored 96 goals and 357 points, just nine games shy of becoming the second Duck player to reach 1,000 games. Ironically, Corey Perry also nearly hit the millennium game mark, falling 12 games shy.
Including his three games with the Blues, Fowler has no goals and four points in 20 games this season. Last season, he scored five goals and 39 points in 82 games and had a career-high 10 goals and 48 points in the 2022-23 season.
As for the prospect the Ducks received: Biakabutuka, the 22-year-old right-shot defenceman was undrafted. He spent five seasons in the Québec Maritimes Junior Hockey League with the Val d’Or Foreurs, Rimouski Oceanic, and Charlottetown Islanders. 
In the past three seasons since turning professional, he’s played for the Grand Rapids Griffins and Springfield Thunderbirds in the American Hockey League, as well as the Orlando Solar Bears and the Florida Everblades in the East Coast Hockey League.

Kevin He signs entry-level contract

On Tuesday, the Winnipeg Jets signed Kevin He to an entry-level contract.
While ELC’s aren’t usually covered in Around the NHL, this one is fitting as He is the first Chinese-born player to sign a National Hockey League contract. He lived in China until he was five years old according to the Winnipeg Sun article, and the left winger was selected in the fourth round of the 2024 draft by the Jets.
He captains the Niagara IceDogs in the Ontario Hockey League and has 23 goals and 43 points in 29 games this season. The 18-year-old will blow by the career highs he set last season, as the left winger scored 31 goals and 53 points in 64 games.
Thanks for reading! You can follow me on Bluesky @ryleydelaney.bsky.social.

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