Wednesday, April 7, 2010

Long Live Walt/Keith Tkachuk...set to retire


18-years as a hockey player would be enough for almost anyone and in fact it will be for one Keith Tkachuk. The 38 year old left winger with the St.Louis Blues announced that he will hang up his skates this weekend, the end of the Blues season.

More from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch RIGHT HERE

((Keith Tkachuk skates//Courttesy: Chris Lee/Post-Dispatch))

Tkachuk, one of the greatest American-born players in NHL history was drafted all the way back in 1990 by the team formerly known as Winnipeg and now Phoenix. Though nursing a "Lower Body" injury right now, is expected to be dressed and play in what will be his final home game on Friday night. He spent, with the exception of a partial season in Atlanta, his last 9 years as a St.Louis Blue. I might also add that he is TLB (The Lovely Bride)'s favorite hockey player.

1200-plus games, 538 goals, 525 assists, 4-Olympic appearances and 5 NHL All-Star games makes for a pretty good resume'. Tkachuk will leave as one of the leagues greats and will without a doubt end up in the Hall of Fame.

Here is Tkachuk doing something else he was very good at; fighting. This battle was during his brief stint as an Atlanta Thrasher, we chose it because the French commentary makes it more fun. Thanks HockeyFights.com and You Tube:




((ed. note- It was that fight with Francois Bouillon, when he slew-footed Marian Hossa, that endeared him immediately with the Atlanta fan base during their playoff run. If anyone ever got a cheer in a rival sweater, it was Walt from that moment on...))

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