Zack Kassian was never an NHL player who anyone would call a star. However, few players could match the former Edmonton Oilers’ level of passion. And he brought it every game he played. In that aspect alone, his NHL career was remarkable.
Kassian Announces His Retirement from Hockey
Yesterday, Kassian, a 12-year NHL veteran, announced his retirement at the age of 32. During his career, he played 661 regular-season games for the Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Edmonton Oilers, and Arizona Coyotes. In those games, he collected 203 points (92 goals, 111 assists) and 913 penalty minutes.
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He also was a passionate playoff competitor. During the postseason, he put up nine points (six goals, three assists) in 45 games.
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I remember Kassian well. Having taught for over four decades at the University of Alberta in Edmonton, I was a huge Oilers fan. Kassian was one of those players who you’d (usually) rather have on your team than against you. I offer the modifier “usually” because, every once in a while, he’d just seem to go off the rails and do something to put his own team in a bind. But that was the nature of his passion for the game.
Two Incidents as an Edmonton Oiler Player
There were two instances I recall where Kassian lost his temper in NHL games. And, with his temper, he also lost control of his actions. He was known for his physical play, and sometimes, his emotions fueled his aggressive play.
For example, one of the most memorable incidents involved a game between the Oilers and the Calgary Flames in January 2020. Kassian had been engaged in physical battles with Flames forward Matthew Tkachuk throughout the game. After Tkachuk delivered a couple of hits, Kassian took exception, dropped the gloves, and jumped into a spirited engagement with Tkachuk. He was suspended for two games for that incident. But not Tkachuk?
Later that same season, Kassian was involved in a situation with Tampa Bay Lightning defenseman Erik Cernak. After some bumping, Cernak ended up sitting on Kassian. Then, Cernak proceeded to stay there, holding Kassian down so he couldn’t get back into the play. In his frustration, Kassian kicked at Cernak with his skate to get him to move.
Although Kassian was not penalized during that game, later, the NHL Department of Player Safety weighed in to suspend him. They rightly said that there was no justification for the kick, even if Kassian was trying to get untangled from a pile of three players (including himself). Chris Johnston, then of Sportsnet, reported that the suspension would cost Kassian $166,463.41.
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That was the way Kassian played. His passion and intensity were part of what made him a valuable team player. That he was willing to both defend his teammates and stand up for himself was an attribute many fans and teammates appreciated. The NHL’s safety department? Well, not so much.
A Review of Kassian’s NHL Career
I was surprised when I reviewed Kassian’s statistics to discover that he was a first-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres in 2009. I didn’t remember he’d been drafted that high. He played a season with Buffalo in 2011-12 before he moved to the Canucks, where he played for four seasons. In a circuitous set of moves, he was traded to the Oilers (from the Montreal Canadiens) for goalie Ben Scrivens. [Kassian never played a game with the Canadiens.]
Kassian had two career-high 15-goal seasons with the Oilers in 2018-19 and 2019-20. He ended his career playing with the Arizona Coyotes for a season. He tried this season to revive his career with the Anaheim Ducks on a professional tryout agreement but was released.
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In his retirement announcement, Kassian expressed gratitude for the relationships he had formed throughout his career, acknowledging how special his 12-year NHL tenure had been. His 661 career games were a tapestry of triumphs and challenges. In that, Kassian’s game transcended statistics. He left his mark on the sport of hockey.
Kassian Was Not to Everyone’s Taste
As Kassian retires, he leaves a legacy of passion and commitment. His playing style certainly has divided opinions, but no one can deny the passion with which he played the game. As my father would have said about him, if the phrase passionate competitor were in the dictionary, Kassian’s picture would have been next to it.
Known for his physicality and his willingness to go to the hard areas of the ice, Kassian acted out his unwavering loyalty to his teammates regularly. He was fearless in standing up for fellow players and protecting them when he thought it was needed.
Kassian might not have been everyone’s favorite player, but he was a fan favorite for some Oilers fans who appreciated his competitive spirit. Good luck to him wherever he lands in his retirement.