Sad news out of Pittsburgh.
Penguins forward Pascal Dupuis will no longer play hockey due to a medical condition related to blood clots, the Penguins announced.
“It was very difficult for me to make this decision to have to step away from the game,” Dupuis said in a team statement. “My wife and four children have always been my first priority, and playing with my condition has become a constant worry for all of us. I want to thank my teammates and the Penguins organization for their unwavering support during this difficult time.”
The 36-year-old was diagnosed with a blood clot in 2014, and took blood thinners for six months to rehab his knee. He continued to miss a majority of the 2014-15 season with issues related to blood clots. He appeared in 18 games this season while continuing to take blood thinners, but had to be removed from several recent games due to issues possibly related to the clots.
“Despite playing on a medical protocol that has worked for other players in the NHL, we feel that the risk of Pascal playing with his condition and the side effects of the tests to monitor him are just not in the best interest of his long-term health,” said Dr. Dharmesh Vyas, the Penguins’ team physician.”
Dupuis finishes his career with 871 games played with 190 goals, 219 assists and 409 career points split between the Penguins, Minnesota Wild, New York Rangers and the Atlanta Thrashers. He found a great role with the Penguins after he was acquired in 2007-2008, continuing his consistent career scoring numbers, including potting 20+ goals in 2011-12 and 2012-13.
He’s been placed on the Penguins injured reserve list, with the intention of eventually being placed on the long-term injured reserve. The Penguins will be on the hook for Dupuis’ salary, as he’s in year three of a four-year deal that pays him an AAV of $3.75 million.
