Toronto, Sept 22 (CTK) – Czech ice hockey defender Tomas Kaberle, a world champion from 2005 and Stanley Cup winner from 2011, has silently ended his career as an active player, Czech daily Sport has reported.
Kaberle, 38, has settled down in Canada, his wife’s homeland. He plans to take a year off and spend time with his family now.
“My family and all close friends know it. I had no clue that it should be officially announced,” Kaberle told the paper jokingly, referring to his decision to end his career.
“I want to devote my time to my family, my son starts school attendance and also starts with trainings. Afterwards I will see what to do next,” Kaberle said.
Kaberle, offspring of a famous Czech family of hockey players who grew up and trained hockey in Kladno, central Bohemia, entered the Czech Elite League competition in 1994 at the age of 17.
Three years later, he left for overseas, being drafted by the NHL’s Toronto club and later gradually joining Boston, with which he won the Stanley Cup, Carolina and Montreal.
He played 984 NHL games in which he scored 87 goals and 476 assists, plus another 102 games (6+33) in play offs.
Two years ago, he unsuccessfully tried to join the NHL, after which he returned to the Czech Republic. He played for Kladno for one season and then for another Czech Elite League team, Kometa Brno.
He told Sport that he has joined his family in Toronto now and he would like to further focus on hockey. “I might open an ice hockey school one day,” he said
