Daniel Winnik is no longer In It To Winnik. The former Washington Capitals forward is retiring at age 39.
Winnik announced his decision on social media on Thursday.
“After a lot of thought and careful consideration I have decided to retire from the game of hockey,” he wrote on Instagram. “For the past 19 years, I have lived a dream, from signing my first contract with the Phoenix Coyotes to my last with Geneva Servette. Some experiences I thought would only remain dreams became reality: being coached by Wayne Gretzky, playing for my hometown team, the Toronto Maple Leafs, and representing Canada at the Olympic Games. I am grateful to all my teammates and coaches throughout my life for pushing me to be better.
“I want to express my sincere gratitude to Geneva Servette, the fans, and the city for everything over the past six years. Helping to bring the city two championships will forever be my most cherished career memories. Geneva was the only place I truly called home, and it holds a special place in my heart. Merci pour tout.”
Winnik played for eight different teams during his 11 years in the NHL, posting 251 points (82g, 169a) in 798 NHL games. He had stints with the Phoenix Coyotes, Colorado Avalanche, San Jose Sharks, Anaheim Ducks, Toronto Maple Leafs, Pittsburgh Penguins, Washington Capitals, and Minnesota Wild.
The ninth-round pick in the 2004 NHL Draft played parts of two seasons in DC, notching 30 points (16g, 14a) in 92 games.
The Capitals acquired Winnik from the Toronto Maple Leafs at the 2016 trade deadline for Brooks Laich and Connor Carrick.
“He’s a really good penalty killer, a pretty similar role to Brooks Laich,” Capitals GM Brian MacLellan said of Winnik at the time. “A bigger player, a heavier player, a pretty good skater. I would say he’s the equivalent of Brooks Laich, maybe a touch of an upgrade.”
Barry Trotz would primarily utilize the bulldog-loving Winnik on the team’s fourth line.
His first goal with the Capitals came off a slap pass assist from Evgeny Kuznetsov.
The next season Winnik scored a career-high 12 goals during the 2016-17 campaign for the Capitals before signing with the Minnesota Wild as an unrestricted free agent. The 2017-18 campaign with the Wild marked Winnik’s last in the NHL.
Winnik spent the last six seasons of his career in the Swiss National League with Geneva Servette where he won two championships and served as an alternate captain. His best season came in 2021-22 where he scored 54 points (25g, 29a) in 48 games.
He also played for Team Canada at the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games, scoring a goal and notching an assist in five games.
From everyone at RMNB, congratulations on a great career, Daniel.
