Former Florida Panthers forward Peter Mueller has retired from professional hockey at the age of 37.
Mueller played just one season with the Panthers, scoring eight goals and 17 points in 43 games during the 2012-13 season.
Mueller was selected with the eighth overall pick in the 2006 NHL Draft by the Phoenix Coyotes. He was a standout rookie, notching 22 goals and 54 points, finishing fifth in Calder voting during the 2007-08 season.
Following his rookie season, injuries began to plague Mueller’s career. The 6-foot-2 forward was blessed with blazing speed that coincided with his slick hands and heavy shot, but his injuries began to hamper him. He went on to play just 297 games throughout six NHL seasons with the Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche and the Panthers, recording 63 goals and 160 points.
His season with the Panthers was his final season in the NHL, departing for the Kloten Flyers in Switzerland. He played in Switzerland for a pair of seasons before joining Malmö in the SHL in Sweden. He returned to North America to play with the Boston Bruins’ AHL team, the Providence Bruins, but continued to look a step too slow.
He once again packed his bags for Europe, joining EC Salzburg in Austria. Mueller found a home in Czechia, joining HC Kometa Brno for four seasons of point-per-game production. He played with HC Vitkovice for two seasons prior to joining Grizzlys Wolfsburg in Germany. After playing one season in Germany, he returned to Brno for what was his final season of his hockey career.
In May, Mueller signed a contract extension with Kometa but has apparently had second thoughts about that decision this summer due to ongoing back issues.
“This is an unexpected decision for us,” said Kometa GM Libor Zábranský. “I have been in contact with Peter for the last 14 days, and I respect his decision. Of course, we will miss him and it will be difficult to replace him at this time, but that’s just the way it is. We all wish his entire family only the best for the next stage of their lives.”
Mueller won a championship in Czechia and took home the regular season MVP as well. The skilled forward may not go down as an NHL great he had hoped to be, but he carved out an impressive career.
forward
Peter Mueller, 37,
has
announced his retirement from hockey through the website of his last
club, Kometa Brno of the Czech Extraliga.
Source link
