Former Rangers, Lightning RW Ryan Callahan Retires from NHL After 13 Seasons

Winslow Townson/Associated Press

Longtime NHL winger Ryan Callahan announced his retirement Wednesday at the age of 35 after 13 NHL seasons.

Callahan made it official with the following statement on Twitter:

The Rochester, New York, native did not play last season because of a back injury. He spent parts of eight seasons with the New York Rangers and parts of six seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning.

After getting selected by the Rangers in the fourth round of the 2004 NHL draft, Callahan quickly became a fan favorite in New York because of his speed, tenacity, grit and goal-scoring ability.

Callahan was also so well-respected by his teammates and coaches that he served as the Blueshirts’ captain for three seasons before getting traded to the Lightning.

During his NHL career, Callahan racked up 186 goals and 200 assists for 386 points in 757 regular-season games. He scored at least 20 goals in a season four times, including a career-high 29 for the Rangers in 2011-12.

Callahan also enjoyed a decorated playoff career, registering 20 goals and 19 assists for 39 points in 121 postseason contests.

He played a significant role in leading the Lightning to the Stanley Cup Final in 2015, but the Bolts fell short against the Chicago Blackhawks.

In addition to his success in the NHL, Callahan impressed on the international stage, as he represented the United States at the 2005 World Junior Championships and both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics.

In 2010, Callahan and Team USA won the silver medal in Vancouver when they lost to Canada in heartbreaking fashion in overtime of the gold-medal game.

Callahan’s swan song as a hockey player came during the 2018-19 NHL season when he appeared in 52 regular-season games for the Lightning, posting seven goals and 10 assists with a plus-7 rating.