Veteran Winger Forced into Retirement at 31 After Serious Injuries

Calling It a Career

NHL forward Joonas Donskoi has announced his retirement from the game of hockey, according to a post from the player's Instagram account.

Seven Seasons in the Show

After seven seasons spent in the NHL, the 31-year-old Finnish winger hangs up his skates following stints with the San Jose Sharks, Colorado Avalanche, and most recently, the Seattle Kraken. Donskoi didn't suit up during the 2022-23 season, as he'd spent the entirety of it dealing with severe symptoms from a concussion he suffered during last year's pre-season — the seventh of his career.


Donskoi suited up for 474 NHL regular season games, scoring 208 points (80 goals and 128 assists). He'd be even more impactful in the playoffs, playing at almost a half a point per game pace across 69 career postseason games. During his rookie campaign with the Sharks in 2015-16, he'd go all the way to the Stanley Cup Final. A 2010 fourth-round draft pick, Donskoi was one of the players selected by the Kraken in the 2021 expansion draft.