South Surrey-raised NHL goaltender Andrew Hammond has called it a career.

The 34-year-old B次元官网网址淗amburglarB次元官网网址� announced his retirement from hockey in Monday (Dec. 19), blaming an ankle injury he suffered while playing for Montreal Canadiens last season.

B次元官网网址淚 wonB次元官网网址檛 be able to make a full recovery,B次元官网网址� Hammond posted.

B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 excited for more time stopping pucks at home with Cal, Carson and Harlow.B次元官网网址�

Hammond first signed a NHL contract with Ottawa Senators on St. PatrickB次元官网网址檚 Day 2013.

B次元官网网址淥ne dream came true,B次元官网网址� he wrote. B次元官网网址淚 was an undrafted free agent signing out of college. I thought things couldnB次元官网网址檛 get better than that. I was wrongB次元官网网址� my career was a series of unbelievable and unexpected memories. I met some of the best people I know and I can honestly say I had the best B次元官网网址榡obB次元官网网址� in the world.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址� Andrew Hammond (@andrewhammond30)

While in Ottawa, during the teamB次元官网网址檚 improbable run to the playoffs that spring. Senators fans threw hamburgers on the ice in salute to the Hamburglar, who compiled a 20-win, one-loss record in relief of the injured Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner.

The White Rock-born Hammond grew up playing for teams with Semiahmoo Minor Hockey Association and graduated from Earl Marriott Secondary.

B次元官网网址淚 always was the kid who at age six was begging my parents to take shots on me in the driveway,B次元官网网址� . B次元官网网址淚 was hooked on hockey after that B次元官网网址�94 Canucks (playoff) run and always dreamed about being in the NHL.B次元官网网址�

As a teen he played 32 games for Surrey Eagles and began to doubt whether he wanted to continue playing hockey.

B次元官网网址淭hings werenB次元官网网址檛 going for him and he wasnB次元官网网址檛 playing much, so he was going to hang them up,B次元官网网址� Sean Murray, his longtime goaltending coach, said in 2015.

During the 2007-08 season, Hammond was dealt to Vernon Vipers of the BCHL.

B次元官网网址淗e wasnB次元官网网址檛 sure he was going to go,B次元官网网址� Murray recalled. B次元官网网址淚 said to him, B次元官网网址楯ust go play, you never know whatB次元官网网址檚 going to happen, right?B次元官网网址� So he went up there and all of a sudden he won the RBC Cup (national championship) with them. He finally got the chance to play, and with a decent team, and he just took off from there.B次元官网网址�

to see HammondB次元官网网址檚 career stats on eliteprospects.com.

Hammond played at Bowling Green State University from 2009 to 2013. During his NHL career, Hammond signed with six teams, including Ottawa, Montreal, Colorado, Buffalo, Minnesota and New Jersey. Over the years he bounced around the AHL minor league, too, and ended his pro days this year with a pair of games in the Russian KHL league, with Traktor Chelyabinsk.

B次元官网网址淚 would like to thank my wife first and foremost,B次元官网网址� Hammond tweeted Monday. B次元官网网址淲eB次元官网网址檝e had probably 20 addresses weB次元官网网址檝e called home throughout my career. SheB次元官网网址檚 been there for all of it; good games, bad games and everything in between. I would also like to thank my parents for making the sacrifices along the way that allowed me to live out my dream.B次元官网网址�

Appropriately, he signed off with a hamburger emoji.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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