Ryan Kesler admits he started to hate hockey near the end of his career

Despite still being under contract with the Anaheim Ducks, Ryan Kesler has come to terms with the fact that his NHL career is over.

The 37-year-old hasn't played in the league since 2018-19 due to numerous hip injuries. During his final few seasons, it was clear that his body had given up on him. In fact, in his final NHL season he had just five goals and eight points in 60 games, a far cry from the fantastic two-way player he had been for many years.

«I tried coming back on my first hip and I was working hard rehabbing and skating, and then my other hip went and blocked all my momentum,» Kesler explained on Monday. «And to be honest, I'm still a far way away to even coming close. I don't think I'll ever get to an NHL level again. I'm just hoping to get to a level that I'm happy at."

«It got to a point, my last couple years playing, I hated the game, I hated playing,» he said. «Going to the rink, being in pain and then not being able to do what you normally do. Your mind wants you to do it and you just can't do it. That was when I knew, let's get something done, let's reset, let's try to get back to loving the game again. And I started loving the game again. I was trying to get back and skating and then my [left hip] went and I was like, 'You know what? I'm not going through this again.' I still skate three days a week just trying to get back to a level that I'm happy at. But I'm 37 years old. As much as my mind's like, 'Oh yeah, I can play again,' I'm not going to be that guy that's that naïve to think that I can compete in the League, let alone be myself in the League again.»

Kesler played a total of 15 seasons in the NHL, split between the Vancouver Canucks and the Ducks. In 1001 career games, he recorded 258 goals and 573 points. He recorded back to back seasons with over 70 points with the Canucks, one of which was the 2010-11 season in which he scored a career high 41 goals and was also fantastic defensively, winning the Selke Trophy. It is an unfortunate ending to what was a great career.

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