Former Bruins Forward Calls It Quits, Hangs Up His Skates In Retirement

After 597 games in the National Hockey League and 293 games in the Swedish Hockey League, former Bruins forward Carl Söderberg announced his retirement on Tuesday.

The 37-year-old center played the last two years for the Malmö Redhawks in his native Sweden, tallying 36 goals and adding 31 helpers in 104 games, playing his last game on March 9.

“I felt even then that I wouldn’t be doing this forever. Then it has grown since the season ended,” Söderberg told Expressen’s Johan Svensson. “I knew even then that it was my last match I played, but I wanted to let everything settle down and feel if there was something inside me that wanted to continue.

“But now I haven’t really felt any desire to play at all, even though I love hockey. I am very comfortable with having made the decision.”

Originally drafted 49th overall in 2004 by St. Louis, Söderberg attended the Blues training camp but didn’t make the opening night roster and was assigned to the AHL affiliate — Springfield Thunderbirds. Söderberg returned to Sweden instead of reporting to Springfield.

After suffering a serious eye injury that left Söderberg legally blind in his left eye while playing for the Redhawks in the 2006-07 season, the Boston Bruins acquired Söderberg from the Blues in exchange for goaltender Hannu Toivonen in 2007.

“It was a bit special that the first thing I did in the NHL was play in a Stanley Cup Final.”

Retired NHL forward Carl Söderberg

The Bruins inked Söderberg to a three-year deal in 2013 and he finally made his NHL debut on April 20 of that same year, prior to Boston’s Stanley Cup run that postseason.

“It was a bit special that the first thing I did in the NHL was play in a Stanley Cup Final,” Söderberg said. “It was a fantastic experience, but unfortunately, we lost the final.”

Over the course of three seasons, Söderberg played 161 games for Boston notching 29 goals and 65 assists from 2013-2015. Söderberg played an additional seven years split between the Colorado Avalanche, Arizona Coyotes and Chicago Blackhawks before returning to Sweden.

“I have been involved in a lot. Almost 600 NHL games and that whole NHL journey was amazing,” he said. “All the memories you created and all the people, both players and leaders. I wouldn’t trade that for anything.”

Söderberg spent five years with Colorado and said Avalanche center Nathan McKinnon was the best NHL player he ever skated with.

“I’m weak for him,” Söderberg said. “We didn’t play (on the same line) because we’re both centers but we played some power play together and he is the one I think is the best in the world. Otherwise, of course, I think Connor McDavid is fantastic even if Sidney Crosby is more my generation.”