'Didn't have anything left in the tank': Former Winnipeg Jets captain Blake Wheeler retires from NHL
Blake Wheeler, the longtime face of the Winnipeg Jets franchise, officially announced his retirement from professional hockey after 16 NHL seasons. Speaking on Wednesday's edition of
Jets at Noon
, the 38-year-old forward shared that he had already made peace with the decision following a serious injury during the 2023–24 season.
Wheeler leaves the game with over 1,100 games played and nearly 1,000 career points.
Blake Wheeler retires after injury-plagued final season
Wheeler revealed that he knew he was
'all done'
not long after the 2023–24 campaign ended. A devastating injury in February 2024, where he tore ankle ligaments and broke his fibula, sidelined him for the remainder of the regular season. Though he managed to return for one playoff game with the New York Rangers, Wheeler admitted he no longer had the physical or mental fuel to continue.
'I just didn't have anything left in the tank for it,'
Wheeler said.
'I was at peace with it almost immediately.'
The injury was a turning point, especially for someone who had remained relatively healthy throughout most of his career.
Career highlights — a captain, an all-star, a Jets legend
Drafted by the Arizona Coyotes in 2004, Wheeler debuted in the NHL with the Boston Bruins before joining the Atlanta Thrashers, who later relocated to become the Winnipeg Jets. His prime came in Winnipeg, where he served as captain from 2016 to 2022 and led the team in multiple statistical categories.
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Wheeler appeared in 1,172 NHL games, tallying 321 goals and 943 points. He posted back-to-back 91-point seasons in 2017–18 and 2018–19 and was selected to the NHL All-Star Game during those years. Wheeler remains the Jets' all-time leader in both assists (550) and points (897).
Transitioning from hockey to family life
Though the final years of his playing days came with uncertainty, including being stripped of the captaincy by former Jets coach Rick Bowness, Wheeler now looks forward to a slower, more grounded chapter.
'I'm just enjoying being a dad… and being around my family,'
he said.
Blake Wheeler leaves the NHL as a respected leader, top-tier playmaker, and cornerstone of the modern-day Jets. Though injuries marked the end of his career, his legacy remains intact, both on the scoresheet and in Winnipeg's hockey history.
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