Patrik Elias is officially hanging 'em up, and the Devils will retire his number
Patrik Elias is officially hanging up the skates, and his No. 26 will soon be hanging from the rafters in New Jersey.
Elias, who hasn't played this season, made the announcement official on Friday via a video tweeted out by the Devils.
https://twitter.com/NJDevils/status/847781155596247040
The 40-year-old winger spent his entire 19-year NHL career with the Devils after being drafted 51st overall by the team in 1994. He is the franchise's all-time leader in points (1,025), goals (408), and assists (617), and he holds the franchise record for the most points in a season (96).
Elias was also a member of the Devils' Stanley Cup championship teams in 2000 and 2003, tallying point totals of 20 and 13 during those playoff runs, respectively.
The Devils announced that Elias will suit up and skate with the team during pre-game warmups on April 8 prior to their final home game of the season, giving the veteran winger one final lap in the Devils sweater.
His No. 26 will be retired by the team next season, making him the fifth player in franchise history to have his number hang in the rafters. He joins Ken Daneyko, Scott Stevens, Scott Niedermayer and Martin Brodeur to share that honor.
Now that Elias' great career is officially in the books, the discussion will likely turn to whether or not he'll one day end up in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Given his impressive resumé, there's certainly a case to be made.
