One day shy of his 35th birthday, former Terrier, NHL and Team USA standout Chris Drury made his retirement from hockey official. Earlier this summer, Drury and the New York Rangers agreed to a buyout of the final year of his contract and he considered continuing his career despite a lingering knee injury .However, today Drury made his decision public through a media release from the NHL Players Association.
The only player to win both the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey's top player (1998) and the Calder Trophy as the NHL's top rookie (1999), Drury also won a Stanley Cup with Colorado early in his 12-year NHL career and the NCAA championship as a BU freshman in 1995. His NHL totals include 255 regular season goals and another 47 in the playoffs where he often delivered his best efforts.
In four years at BU, "Captain Clutch" became the school's all-time goal scoring leader with 113 to go with 101 assists. He played in three Frozen Fours and two national championship games and was a two-time All-American. He was elected to the BU Athletics Hall of Fame in 2003.
Drury suited up for the U.S. in three Olympic games, winning silver twice, and was part of the U.S. squad in 2004's World Cup of Hockey. He first came to national attention as the winning pitcher for Trumbull, Conn., in the 1989 Little League championship game, ending a five-year U.S. drought.
Describing why Drury was able to deliver so often in key moments throughout his career, BU Head Coach Jack Parker said:
“I think the reason why Chris has been so successful is he always manages to stay cool, calm and collected in the most competitive of situations. That’s why guys can rise to the occasion in big moments, because they don’t get rattled. “It’s a fine line to walk between being really intense and being really calm. He can do that better than anybody. What defines Chris is: ‘Did I play hard tonight? Did I do my best?’ He’s a hockey player. A real good hockey player.”
-Retirement coverage: ESPN; New York Times-2007 Sports Illustrated feature: The Winner
-1997 NCAA Regional Final: game-winning goal (video)
-Avalanche highlights (video)
-USA Today slide show
Dallas Stars draft pick (2009/2nd round) Alex Chiasson talked with ESPN Dallas about his second summer attending Stars' development camp and his plans for his junior year at BU.
-Chiasson photo gallery by Melissa Wade.
Looking back
Jason Lawrence, who led the 2008-09 national champion Terriers in goal-scoring with 25, has signed on with the Manglerud Stars of the Norwegian Elite League. Last year, he played for Eindhoven Kemphanen in the Netherlands Elite League, producing a 30-28-58 line in 45 games.
Looking ahead
2012 recruit Marc Hetnik, Jr., talked with the Vernon Morning Star about his decision to play a season of junior with the BCHL Vernon Vipers.
