A great hockey player retires from the game

It is official: a former NHL player, who was drafted first overall, has retired from hockey.

Who is it, you ask? Is it Mike Modano?

Nope.

Perhaps Mats Sundin...maybe he really does have a serious hip problem.

Nope, it's not a Swede, but you're getting closer..

It's...and get ready for this...it's shocking...Patrik Stefan.

The casual hockey fan would ask, "Huh? Who's that?" Well, this is the guy who did this in January 2007 in a game against the Oilers.

"Oops, that was supposed to go in the empty net."

Unfortunately, that is what Stefan is famous for...well, that and the fact that he was expected to be a great hockey player, the kind you could build a franchise around. He was great - a great, big, fat disappointment in North America. He probably would have done better in a European league.

Stefan wasn't wanted in the NHL this season, so he packed his bags and headed across the pond to play in the Swiss league, where he promptly suffered a major hip injury to add to his list of (past) hockey injuries (mostly of the concussion variety). Guess he weighed the pros (playing mediocre hockey) versus the cons (all the boo-boos...and maybe the booing from the fans) and decided to hang up the skates for good.

So long Patrik Stefan, you were no Sidney Crosby...or even an Alexandre Daigle. I wish you the best in your new career, whatever that may be.