NHLers Who May Retire At End of 2020 Season

We could be seeing the curtain drawing on many great NHL careers. Let's look at who will be on my retirement radar in the coming off-season

Forwards Joe Thornton, Patrick Marleau, Jason Spezza, Mikko Koivu, Ilya Kovalchuk, Justin Williams, Corey Perry, Justin Abdelkader, David Backes

Defensemen: Zdeno Chara, Jay Bouwmeester, Trevor Daley, Brent Seabrook, Roman Polak, Dan Hamhuis, Ron Hainsey, Jonathan Ericsson

Goaltenders - Ryan Miller, Henrik Lundqvist, Mike Smith, Jimmy Howard, Craig Anderson, 

I expect Thornton and Chara to play on. Chara will never leave the Bruins, but it might be interesting to see what happens if San Jose ever walks away from Thornton. Thornton did entertain the idea of being moved at the trade deadline, and has always been open to returning to Switzerland to play once his NHL career is over.

Aside from Chara, most of those defensemen are broken down and may have the doctors force them off the ice. Chara is only on the list because his contract is us up, and at age 43 next season, you have to include him on these lists. Perhaps he chooses to go out on top and healthy?

Most of those goalies will be forced out by younger up-and-comers. Even the Hall of Fame bound Lundqvist is in trouble. A lot of people believe the Rangers - the only team he has ever played for - will buy him out due to their two emerging goalies, Igor Shesterkin and Alexander Georgiev. Another team will offer Lundqvist a contract, but is the 38 year old King of Manhattan interested in continuing on?

The forwards listed would have made a pretty impressive lineup once upon a time. Most nights these players are shadows of the stars they once were, and it is time to given the ice to younger players.