Matt Carle announces retirement from NHL

Veteran defenseman Matt Carle announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday.

Carle, who signed with the Nashville Predators last summer, released a statement through the team saying that he had decided to end his NHL career after 730 games. The 32-year-old Carle notched 283 points and 45 goals with the San Jose Sharks, Tampa Bay Lightning, Philadelphia Flyers and Predators, while averaging 20:43 of ice-time per-game.

Before he played in the NHL, Carle won the Hobey Baker Award with the University of Denver in 2006. The Sharks picked Carle 47th overall in the 2003 NHL Draft.

The Predators had earlier placed Carle on unconditional waivers with the intention of terminating his contract.

“It has been an honor to be a player in the National Hockey League and play for four great organizations over the past 12 seasons,” Carle said in a statement released by the Predators. “At this time, I have decided to retire as a National Hockey League player. I want to thank the San Jose Sharks, Philadelphia Flyers, Tampa Bay Lightning and the Nashville Predators for the opportunity to play for each organization. I would also like to thank all the fans that I have met throughout my career for the support that you have given me. Most importantly, I want to thank my family for all the sacrifices they have made on behalf of my career. My Parents, brothers, and wife Clancey allowed me to focus on the pursuit of playing the best sport in the world, in the best League in the world and I will always be grateful.”

As a rookie in 2006-07 with the Sharks, Carle notched a career-high 42 points in 77 games and finished seventh in Calder Trophy voting.

Carle was traded to the Lightning from the Sharks in the summer of 2008 and Tampa then traded Carle to the Philadelphia Flyers in November of 2008. After 308 games with the Flyers, Carle cashed in on a six-year $33 million contract with the Lightning in 2012. In his second stint with Tampa, Carle never notched more than 31 points in a full season.

He was bought out last summer after scoring nine points in 64 games in 2015-16. The Predators signed him to a one-year $700,000 contract, but Carle often found himself out of the lineup. He had just one point in six games and averaged 13:09 of ice-time per-game.

“The Nashville Predators would like to congratulate defenseman Matt Carle on a successful and decorated hockey career,” Predators general manager David Poile said in a statement. “In addition to 730 career NHL games and an All-Rookie Team selection in 2007, Matt is one of just four defensemen in the last 32 years to win the Hobey Baker Award as college hockey’s top player, was a two-time NCAA Champion, a World Junior and World Under-18 Champion for the United States, and a World Championship medalist. We would like to thank Matt for his commitment and dedication to the game, and wish he and his family the best as they move into the next chapter of their lives.”