By Jordan Long
On Thursday, center Scott Gomez decided to hang up his skates and walk away from the NHL. According to NHL.com, Gomez said, “This has been my life. It’s so weird to think I’m never going to play hockey again. People say, You’ll find something. But saying that, there will never be that feeling again, of even playing a preseason NHL game. You’re playing at the highest level there is. But I’m done. I’m done.”
Gomez was drafted by the New Jersey Devils in the first-round of the 1998 NHL Draft. He wouldn’t play his first game in the NHL until the 1999-2000 season. He scored 19 goals and added 51 assists for a total of 70 points. The Devils would make the playoffs as the 4th seed and would win the Stanley Cup. Gomez added 4 goals and 6 assists in the Cup run. For his play in the regular season, Gomez took home the Calder Memorial Trophy as Rookie of the Year.
The next season, Gomez lit the lamp 14 times and added 49 assists for a total of 63 points. The Devils went back to the Stanley Cup Final but fell short of lifting the cup a second consecutive year. The Colorado Avalanche knocked them off in 7 games. The Devils though would win the Cup in 2003. Gomez spent 7 years in a Devils’ uniform. His best year was in the 2005-2006 season when he scored a career high of 33 goals and added 51 assists for a total of 84 points, the most Gomez had in his career.
In the 2007 offseason, Gomez signed a 7-year $51.5 million deal with the New York Rangers. They were hoping his speed would help the Rangers go far in the NHL playoffs. His stay with New York was short-lived. The Rangers decided to trade him in the 2009 offseason as well as forward Tom Pyatt and defenseman Mike Busto to the Canadians. Montréal sent forward Chris Higgins and defenseman Doug Janik, Ryan McDonagh, and Pavel Valentenko to the Rangers.
Gomez spent three years in Montreal but wasn’t the player he had been with the Rangers or the Devils. He failed to reach double digit goals in two of those seasons. Gomez’s play was starting to go downhill.
From 2012 to 2015 Gomez suited up for the San Jose Sharks, Florida Panthers, and New Jersey Devils. The most goals he scored during that stretch was 7 in the 2014-2015 season. Last year he was with the Blues for 21 games before finishing up with the Ottawa Senators for 13 games. He only scored 1 goal and added 8 points for a career low 9 points. I could tell last year he was not the same player and it showed with his play. It was time for him to retire from the game of hockey.
Gomez scored a total of 181 goals and added 575 assists for total of 756 points. His play elevated in the playoffs. In 149 career playoff games he had a total of 29 goals and 72 assists for 101 points.
There was nothing left for Gomez to prove in the NHL. He has two Stanley cups. Most players dream of winning the Cup once, but he did it twice. He only played in one NHL All-Star game.
Gomez may never get into the Hockey Hall of Fame but I will remember him as being a talented hockey player. Opposing teams had to know where he was on the ice because one mistake and it was a breakaway for him. Gomez would capitalize on those opportunities. He found his teammates on the open ice so they could score. His presence will be missed.
What do you think of Scott Gomez’s career?
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