A former NHL depth player is hanging up his skates for the last time.
On Wednesday, Alder Mannheim (DEL) announced that the organization and Tyler Ennis have agreed to an early termination of his contract, as the 34-year-old informed the team he is retiring from professional hockey.
“After working hard to get healthy with our great team, I ultimately decided to quit hockey,” Ennis said in a release. “I would like to thank Mr. Hopp, my teammates, the coaches, our medical staff and of course our great fans for their support. I will continue to cheer on the Adler Mannheim vigorously in the future.”
Ennis last played in the NHL during the 2021-22 season with the Ottawa Senators. He has spent the last two seasons in Europe, scoring 36 points in 42 games with SC Bern (National League – Switzerland), before playing just seven games in Mannheim this season.
The Edmonton native made a name for himself with the Medicine Hat Tigers of the Western Hockey League, helping the team win the Ed Chynoweth Cup in 2007, losing in the Memorial Cup Final to the Vancouver Giants.
Ennis represented the WHL in the during the 2007 and 2008 CHL Canada/Russia Series, and was drafted 26th overall by the Buffalo Sabres in the 2008 NHL Draft.
He ended up spending most of the next eight seasons in Buffalo, before making stops with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Minnesota Wild, Edmonton Oilers, with two stops coming with the Sens. In 700 career games, Ennis scored 144 goals and 202 assists, registering 12 points in 24 playoff games.
Ennis also represented his country on multiple occasions. He was on the Team Canada squad that won gold at the 2009 World Junior Championships, also helping Canada with the 2015 World Championship. Ennis’ last tour of duty with Canada came in the 2022 Spengler Cup.
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