All good things must come to an end, and Ryan O’Byrne has decided to end his career at 32-years-old. The former-NHL defenseman announced Thursday on Twitter that he would be retiring and had aspirations of completing his degree at Cornell University.
After 10 years, I'm retiring from Pro Hockey. Can't begin to thank everyone enough for the support and friendship over the years! (1/2)
— Ryan O'Byrne (@ryanobyrne84) July 21, 2016
The second tweet that O’Byrne sent out had an attachment that highlighted his career accomplishments, including games played, league’s played in, countries played in, championships won, and surgeries that he underwent over the years.
(2/2) Now what – I'm heading back to Cornell University to finish my degree.đź“šđź“ť Thanks for an amazing ride! pic.twitter.com/xRfYwjOlTd
— Ryan O'Byrne (@ryanobyrne84) July 21, 2016
O’Byrne was a journeyman throughout his career, but he was provided an opportunity to play in multiple cities and countries all around the world; an opportunity that not everybody can claim. During his time in the NHL, O’Byrne compiled five goals and 39 points across 308 games split between the Montreal Canadiens, Colorado Avalanche, and Toronto Maple Leafs. When no team would give him an opportunity prior to the 2013-14 season, O’Byrne took his talents to the KHL. He finished out his career playing one year in the KHL, one year in the Swiss-A league, and one year in the Swedish hockey league.
O’Byrne may not have been the best defenseman in the world, but he managed to make a life for himself by playing the sport he loved for nearly a decade. It’s hard to not respect that.