Why Matt Niskanen left the NHL and almost $6 million on the table
News of Matt Niskanen's retirement came as a shock to many people. At just 33-years-old, the defenceman informed the Philadelphia Flyers he would not be returning to the team and would be walking away from the $5.75 million he would have earned next season. While Niskanen didn't necessarily need the money - he's earned close to $45 million over his career since he started playing in 2007 - that's still quite a sum of money to leave behind. So why did he do it? According to his agent, Niskanen didn't want to go through another season of uncertainty related to COVID-19.
“He mentioned COVID to me," Neil Sheehy told The Hockey News. "I don't think he wanted to get ready for another season by November 15th and then have to go into isolation and be away from his two kids and his wife. I think he always finish his contract and then stop, but I think because of COVID and his experience of the bubble, he decided now is the time. He basically said, ‘With COVID, I just don't want to do it. I don't want to prepare anymore.' ”
The NHL has already nixed the idea of playing an entire season inside a bubble like the ones set up in Edmonton and Toronto for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs. It has not, however, ruled out the idea of mini-bubbles, with several teams playing out of a few locations, at least for the start of the 2020-21 season. Apparently Niskanen was not a fan of that idea or the uncertainty COVID is causing.
“He just said, ‘You know what? We're going back home to northern Minnesota and I don't need to do this anymore,' ” Sheehy said. “I was surprised, but I said to Nisky, ‘You've earned the right to do whatever you want to do,' and I never tried to talk him out of it. He has earned the right to do whatever he wants.”
While Niskanen was in the latter part of his career, he could still play and was credited for having an excellent veteran presence in the Flyers' locker room. In fact, many analysts have pointed out his huge influence on fellow Philly blueliner Ivan Provorov while serving as a mentor for him. His agent insisted his decision had nothing to do with any injuries.
“I will tell you there is nothing, nothing health-wise that has come into this decision,” Sheehy said. “There's nothing, no concussion issue. If there were, I would know about it. I promise you, there is no injury. Philadelphia is as surprised as anyone.”
"He's going to live in northern Minnesota and he's going to hunt and fish and do all the things he loved doing as a kid that he hasn't had a chance to do since he started playing pro hockey.”
| G | A | PTS | ||
| Clayton Keller | 1 | 4 | 5 | |
| Ivan Barbashev | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Evgeni Malkin | 2 | 2 | 4 | |
| Erik Karlsson | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Matvei Michkov | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Nick Suzuki | 2 | 1 | 3 | |
| Anton Lundell | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Nick Schmaltz | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Ryan Strome | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Troy Terry | 1 | 2 | 3 | |
| Brett Howden | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Boone Jenner | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Connor Murphy | - | 3 | 3 | |
| Philip Broberg | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Keegan Kolesar | 2 | - | 2 | |
| James Van Riemsdyk | 2 | - | 2 | |
| Cole Caufield | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| J.T. Compher | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Logan Cooley | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Brandon Hagel | 1 | 1 | 2 | |
| Complete stats | ||||
| STANDINGS 2024-2025 | ||||||
TOP 10 | GP | W | L | OL | PTS | |
Jets | 60 | 42 | 15 | 3 | 87 | |
Capitals | 59 | 38 | 13 | 8 | 84 | |
Stars | 58 | 37 | 19 | 2 | 76 | |
Golden Knights | 59 | 35 | 18 | 6 | 76 | |
Panthers | 60 | 36 | 21 | 3 | 75 | |
Maple Leafs | 58 | 36 | 20 | 2 | 74 | |
Lightning | 58 | 34 | 20 | 4 | 72 | |
Hurricanes | 59 | 34 | 21 | 4 | 72 | |
Oilers | 59 | 34 | 21 | 4 | 72 | |
Wild | 59 | 34 | 21 | 4 | 72 | |
| Conference | Cumulative | ||||||