smiles during a press conference honoring Tkachuk for his years of service to hockey. UPI/Bill Greenblatt
On the eve of the Stanley Cup Playoffs, the St. Louis Blues honored Keith Tkachuk who announced his retirement at the end of this season. Tkachuk, one of the best U.S. born players in the NHL reached several milestones many players will never reach.
Tkachuk finished his career with 1,201 games played, 538 goals and 527 assists (1,065 points). He is only the fourth player in NHL history to score 1,000 points and record more than 2,000 penalty minutes. He was the first U.S. born player to score more than 50 goals in a season.
Tkachuk was selected by the Winnipeg Jets in the first round (19th overall) of the 1990 NHL Draft, and his career began with his debut in 1992. He followed the team when it moved to Phoenix in 1996 and was traded to the Blues during the summer of 2000. He also had a brief stint with Atlanta in 2008 before returning to St. Louis. I think Tkachuk will long be remembered as a Blues player more than anything else.
He played 543 games for the Blues, scoring 427 points, which ranks him seventh all-time among Blues players. He ranks fifth in team history in goals (208). Career highlights include five NHL All-Star appearances, a silver medal with Team USA at the 2002 Winter Olympics and a gold medal at the World Cup of Hockey in 1996.
The only thing missing from his tropyhy cabinet will be a Stanley Cup. Click to hear Keith Tkachuk’s words during his ceremony on Tuesday.