Adam Burish, a member of the Chicago Blackhawks from 2006 to 2010, hasn’t officially retired yet, but that’s only a matter of paperwork. The 34-year-old spoke with Chicago Tribune’s Chris Kuc recently, and Kuc says Burish is “definitely retired from NHL and having a blast” in his post-hockey life.
When you finish up your playing days in the NHL, the final thing you do is file paperwork announcing your retirement from the league. This ties up various loose ends and puts the official stamp on your intention not to play professional hockey any longer.
Burish hasn’t played since he was bought of his contract with the Sharks in June 2015. He spent most of the 2014-15 season in the AHL, recording 19 points in 54 games, before being cut loose. At the time, he said he wanted to continue playing, but he apparently didn’t receive much attention.
Since then, he’s been involved in the Blackhawks community, which hinted at the idea that he probably wasn’t coming back. When Kuc asked Burish why he hasn’t filed the paperwork, he had a good joke handy:
Adam Burish on why he hasn’t filed NHL retirement papers: “I think you have to be a good player to do that.”#Blackhawks
— Chris Kuc (@ChrisKuc) February 24, 2017
Burish was originally drafted by the Blackhawks in the ninth round (No. 282 overall) of the 2002 NHL Draft. He played four seasons at the University of Wisconsin, then made his NHL debut during the 2006-07 season, although he spent most of the year with the Blackhawks’ AHL affiliate.
The physical forward settled in for the 2007-08 season, playing a career-high 81 games and finishing third in the league in penalty minutes, although his role dwindled from there. Still, he was part of the 2010 Stanley Cup run that ended a 49-year drought in Chicago, and that helped endear him to the fans in a way few other things can.
Burish appeared in 378 NHL games with the Blackhawks, Stars, and Sharks from 2006-15. He recorded 27 goals, 33 assists, and more penalty minutes (554) than shots on goal (414).