Alex Chiasson is hanging up his skates after an 11-year career in the NHL. The NHLPA announced the 34-year-old winger’s retirement on Monday afternoon.
Chiasson, a member of the 2018 Stanley Cup champion Washington Capitals, recorded 223 career points (120g, 113a) in 651 games. He played just one season with the Capitals, posting 18 points (9g, 9a) in 61 games.
Chiasson played for seven different NHL franchises (DAL, OTT, CGY, WSH, EDM, VAN, DET) during his career, which ended after suiting up in 20 games for the Detroit Red Wings during the 2022-23 campaign. He signed a professional tryout with the Boston Bruins the next fall but was released before the season began.
The 2009 second-round draft selection of the Dallas Stars eventually made his way to Washington, signing a PTO agreement for the 2017 preseason. After notching two points (1g, 1a) in four preseason games, the Barry Trotz-led Capitals inked Chiasson to a one-year, league-minimum contract.
Chiasson played in 16 playoff games in the first three rounds of Washington’s Cup run later that year, scoring the first goal of Game 6 against the Pittsburgh Penguins in the second round. Evgeny Kuznetsov would later score the game’s famous overtime winner, eliminating Pittsburgh.
The Quebec native’s other point during that postseason came in another win, Game 2 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Tampa Bay Lightning. After picking up a loose puck at the top of the Capitals’ zone, Chiasson raced up the ice for a 2-on-1 chance, which Devante Smith-Pelly finished.
The goal tied the game 2-2, and then Washington scored four more goals to win the game 6-2.
Chiasson famously ended up with Alex Ovechkin’s Washington Nationals’ jersey when the Capitals returned home to DC with the Stanley Cup and were honored at Nationals Park.
He spent his day with the Stanley Cup at his high school, sharing the experience with former classmate and then Vegas Golden Knights forward Jonathan Marchessault. He did not re-sign with the Capitals that summer and eventually signed with the Edmonton Oilers, where he’d play for the next three years.
Chiasson had the best season of his career in Edmonton, playing primarily with Connor McDavid during the 2018-19 campaign. He recorded 38 points (22g, 16a) in 73 games.
From everyone at RMNB, congratulations on a great career, Alex!
