Former NHL FIrst-rounder Ends Career Early Due to Injury

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TJ Tucker
January 17, 2024 (7:52)

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A former NHL first-round pick who played for a number of teams is retiring due to a neck injury suffered a couple of months ago.

It's likely not the ending he wanted, but a former first-round NHL pick has decided to retire at the age of 34 because of a neck injury he suffered in November.

Tyler Ennis, who had been playing in Germany with Adler Mannheim, informed team management yesterday that he was retiring, and a mutual termination of his one-year contract was agreed on. His current coach was Dallas Eakins, who said the whole thing came as a surprise.

"Yesterday morning Tyler informed me that he was retiring from hockey. At first I was surprised, but after talking to him for about two hours, I fully understand and support his decision. We were impressed with Tyler's dedication and commitment to recovering from his injury. Tyler's experience, work ethic and personality will be missed in our locker room and our organization. We are proud of Tyler for following his heart and making this brave, personal decision. Tyler has built an amazing career through hard work and persistence. These great qualities will serve Tyler well in his next chapter. We have Tyler's back and will always be there for him." - Dallas Eakins, Adler Mannheim Website

Ennis was the 26th overall pick of the Buffalo Sabres in the 2008 NHL entry draft. He played with the Sabres for several seasons before bouncing around from team to team, including the Minnesota Wild, Toronto Maple Leafs, Ottawa Senators, and Edmonton Oilers. In 2022-23, Ennis signed with SC Bern of the Swiss National League, and then signed a deal with Adler Mannheim for this season. He had played seven games with the club so far, notching 5 assists.

"After working hard to get healthy with our great team, I ultimately decided to quit hockey. I would like to thank Mr. Hopp, my teammates, the coaches, our medical staff and, of course our great fans for their support. I will continue to cheer on the Adler Mannheim vigorously in the future." - Tyler Ennis

Ennis suffered a neck injury back in November while playing with Adler Mannheim in the Champions Hockey League, one of the top European tournaments for the sport. Ennis played a total of 700 regular season games in the NHL, scoring 144 goals and 346 points.