Music: {allcanada} Report: Alex Kovalev retires

Friday, March 22, 2013

{allcanada} Report: Alex Kovalev retires

Alex Kovalev reportedly has called it a career

Florida general manager Dale Tallon confirmed to The Miami Herald on Thursday that the 40-year-old signed his retirement papers and is no longer a member of the Florida Panthers' organization. Kovalev, who signed a one-year deal before play started in January, hadn't played for the Panthers since a loss at Pittsburgh on Feb. 22.

Kovalev practiced with the Panthers on Feb. 24 but was a healthy scratch that night against Boston. He left the team soon afterward.

Kovalev played in 1,316 NHL games, scoring 430 goals with 599 assists. He also appeared in 123 postseason games, scoring 45 goals with 55 assists. He was the final active member of the 1994 New York Rangers Stanley Cup championship team -- he scored 21 points as the Rangers ended a 54-year Cup drought.

In 14 games with the Panthers, Kovalev has two goals and three assists. His best game was his first as he scored a goal and added two assists in Florida's 5-1 opening night victory against Carolina.