A rather despondent Montreal Canadiens forward Paul Byron addressed the media on Friday during the team’s final media availability of the season.
“I still want to play, But with every day that passes, it’s difficult,” he said. “I’ll have to wait a little while and make another decision.
“I did everything I could. I keep trying in the gym. Keep talking with doctors. No, there’s no new information. My body isn’t in a better situation. But I am looking toward the future. I’m still not sure what I’ll do. We’ll see.”
Years of wear and tear took their toll on the Canadiens forward, who put his body on the line almost every night.
“Every time I skate, it hurts. So, it’s something that I will look at further in the next few weeks. It’s very difficult to play,” he said. “Sometimes I think about my future, I’m 34, and sometimes there are times I can’t even walk for 30 minutes. walking at theme parks with my kids hurt. It’s worrying, but there are treatments I can look into.
“The future is not clear, but at the moment, the more I play, the more it will hurt later in life.”
Though Byron is unlikely to ever make a return to the ice, he did communicate with Canadiens management that he would be interested in becoming part of the development process, perhaps as a player development coach.
“‘I’ve communicated my desire to stay with the team in a different role, but there’s no answer yet. It’s something I’d be interested in. I love the game. I love being here. I love watching the games. When Kent and Geoff asked me, that’s why I joined them. I asked to be part of the team moving forward. That could be a factor in my decision going forward. New management, new teams, they don’t know you, your character, so I took the time to let them get to know me.”
Despite the frustration of knowing his NHL career is done, Byron has no regrets.
“No regrets. Never. I was so lucky to play, so lucky to have a career like this. If I had another chance, I’d do it all over again.”
And though his time with teammates may be over, Byron recognizes the time he spent with his family is worth its weight in gold.
“It was worse for them than for me,” he said. “If I had known last year was my last game, things would have played out differently. I never had that last moment to put the gear on. It’s been many years that I’ve been fighting through injuries, so I feel like I am a lot more at ease today than my kids, they don’t truly understand what’s going on. Right now it’s tough. They ask why I’m not playing, and it’s been hard on them. But I’ve gotten to enjoy the experience with them. To be around them more often. To bring them to the press box. That’s the type of stuff I’ve appreciated.”
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