Veteran Defenseman with 700 NHL Games Makes Unexpected Mid-Season Retirement Decision

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TJ Tucker
October 27, 2024 (1:02 PM)

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Marco Scandella, who has played close to 800 regular season games in the NHL, has decided to call it a career despite the expectation that he would play this season

An unexpected decision has come from a veteran defenceman who has played 784 regular season NHL games in his career. Marco Scandella, who was expected to play hockey in 2024-25, has decided to retire at the age of 34.

According to Renaud Levoie of TVA Sports, who broke the news, Marco Scandella had an offer to play in Europe after becoming a unrestricted free agent at the end of 2024-25. However, Scandella decided instead that it was time to end his pro hockey career now.

Translation: "I was talking about it yesterday in the game broadcast. Marco Scandella is retiring after 784 games in the NHL. The Montrealer had received an offer to play in Europe a few days ago, but decided to hang up his skates."

The former member of the St. Louis Blues had a total of 15 NHL seasons under his belt. Besides the Blues, Marco Scandella also suited up for the Minnesota Wild, the team that drafted him 55th overall in 2008, the Buffalo Sabres, and a short stint with the Montreal Canadiens.

Renaud Levoie said Marco Scandella was at the Bell Centre in Montreal last night to meet up with his former St. Louis Blues' teammates who were in town to take on the Habs. Scandella spent the past five NHL seasons in Missouri. Scandella played a total of just 20 games with the Montreal Canadiens in 2019-20 before being traded to the Buffalo Sabres for a draft pick that would become William Trudeau. Scandella won a silver medal with Team Canada at the 2010 World Juniors.