If you're a die-hard hockey fan and up for a challenge, take our "retired or active" quiz. Try to figure out which players have hung them up for good, and which ones are plying their trade in another league. How many can you get correct?
Brian Boucher’s NHL career was replete with memorable, headline-making moments.
A first round draft pick of the Philadelphia Flyers, Boucher made the NHL’s all-rookie team in 2000, led the league in goals-against average that season, set (and still holds) the league’s modern-day record for consecutive shutouts (five) and played a pivotal role in the Flyers’ march to the Stanley Cup final in 2010.
Yet, when his big league playing days fizzled, there was no major announcement. In fact, we weren’t sure if he was retired or active. After a quick Internet scan, we discovered he played five games last season for Zug in Switzerland and when that didn’t work out, he decided to pack it in.
The Google search also revealed he’s doing some broadcasting of NCAA and AHL games for Comcast and is listed on LinkedIn as a member of Tim Kerr’s real estate team.
Boucher did well financially, according to Capgeek. His career earnings top $13 million, so we’re not shedding any tears on his behalf. But his story underlines the reality that once players wear NHL jerseys for the final time – unless they’re truly elite or remain in the game at the big league level in some capacity – they typically fall off our radar screens.
With that in mind, we bring you another installment of “Retired or Active?”. Tell us which of the following one-time NHL regulars participated in a professional hockey league for at least part of 2013-14. How many did you get without peeking? Answers here.