Winnipeg Jets prospect announced retirement because of medical condition
Associated Press
WINNIPEG, Manitoba (AP) — Chaz Lucius, a first-round draft choice of the Winnipeg Jets in 2021, announced his retirement from hockey on Tuesday after recently being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos syndrome.
Lucius in a statement said EDS is 'a hereditary disorder that affects the connective tissue that stabilizes and supports the joints and organs throughout the body.'
'As I struggled with incurring and recovering from various joints injuries over the last several year, I thought I was just unlucky,' he said.
'With this diagnosis of EDS, I now realize that my body impacted by EDS could not handle the physical nature of playing hockey. Given this condition, my injury history, and the physical nature of hockey, I have been medically advised not to continue to play.'
The 21-year-old from Lawrence, Kansas, had spent the last two-plus seasons with the Jets' AHL affiliate, the Manitoba Moose. Lucius had nine points (three goals, six assists) in 25 games for the Moose in 2024-25. He last played on Feb. 9.
'After much discussion and consultation with Chaz, his representatives, and medical professionals, the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club fully supports his difficult decision to retire,' the Jets said in a statement.
Lucius played one year of collegiate hockey at Minnesota and also played for the Western Hockey League's Portland Winterhawks in 2022-23.
The 6-foot-2, 185-pound center also competed for the U.S. at the 2023 world junior championship, where the Americans won bronze.
___
AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl
recommended
in this topic
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Fox Sports
43 minutes ago
- Fox Sports
Rafael Devers explains why he is willing to play first base for the Giants but not the Red Sox
Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Rafael Devers had a consistent mantra when he addressed the Boston media for the first time since his surprising trade from the Red Sox to the San Francisco Giants five days ago. 'The past is in the past,' Devers said repeatedly Friday when asked about his time with the Red Sox and why the relationship deteriorated so much this season that the team traded him less than two years into a 10-year, $313.5 million contract he signed in 2023. Devers did give one piece of insight when asked what he would tell Red Sox fans about why he is willing to play first base in San Francisco if he is asked after refusing to do so with the Red Sox when asked last month. 'I would say that I have put some good numbers up over in Boston,' he said through an interpreter. 'I think that I do feel that I have earned some respect. If they would have asked me at the beginning of spring training, yes, I would have played (first).' Devers' relationship with the Red Sox began to deteriorate when the team signed Gold Glove third baseman Alex Bregman during spring training and asked Devers to move to DH; he balked before agreeing to the switch. When first baseman Triston Casas sustained a season-ending knee injury, the Red Sox approached Devers about playing the field and he declined, saying the front office 'should do their jobs' and look for another player. A day after Devers' comments to the media about playing first, Red Sox owner John Henry, team president Sam Kennedy and chief baseball officer Craig Breslow flew to Kansas City to meet with Devers and manager Alex Cora. Devers' stance didn't change and he was eventually traded to San Francisco. He said he wouldn't have done anything differently in his time in Boston. 'I put up good numbers over there,' he said. 'I always gave my 100 percent.' The Giants were happy to acquire Devers after striking out in their bid to sign a big bat for the middle of the lineup in free agency. Devers went 3 for 11 with two walks and an RBI in his first three games with San Francisco as a designated hitter. He has started working out at first base and said he would be happy to play there as soon as he feels comfortable. 'Like I said in the past, that is not a position that you're going to learn how to play overnight,' he said. 'I just have to continue that practice there.' Devers said he is as happy as he has been in years in his first few days with the Giants and enjoyed the opportunity to see some of his friends on the Red Sox on Thursday night when the team arrived in town. 'It's been a few hectic days,' he said. 'A long week it feels like. But I saw my friends yesterday, so, I was happy to be able to see them. I'm very happy.' Devers said he didn't have 'anything good or bad to say" about Cora but said he would talk to him on the field this weekend when he had the chance. Devers was 20 when he made his major league debut with the Red Sox in 2017. He helped the Red Sox win the 2018 World Series and led the team in RBIs for five consecutive seasons from 2020-24. He has finished in the top 20 in voting for AL MVP five times. The Giants have lacked slugging since Barry Bonds hit 45 homers in 2004; they are the only team in the majors who have not had a batter hit 30 homers since then. Devers has hit at least 30 homers three times. Devers is not the first Red Sox All-Star to be traded away: The team sent Mookie Betts to the Los Angeles Dodgers before the 2020 season in a salary dump -- just a year after he won the AL MVP award and led Boston to a franchise-record 108 wins and its fourth World Series title since 2004. ___ AP MLB: recommended
Hamilton Spectator
an hour ago
- Hamilton Spectator
Cal Raleigh breaks Johnny Bench's record for homers by a catcher before All-Star break
CHICAGO (AP) — Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench's 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners' 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Raleigh put Seattle ahead and moved past Bench in the seventh inning with No. 29 , a drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar. Raleigh sent his first homer just over the basket in the first off Matthew Boyd. Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Seattle star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game. The 28-year-old slugger had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. He drove in three runs to push his season total to 63. ___ AP MLB:
San Francisco Chronicle
an hour ago
- San Francisco Chronicle
Cal Raleigh breaks Johnny Bench's record for homers by a catcher before All-Star break
CHICAGO (AP) — Cal Raleigh broke Hall of Famer Johnny Bench's 1970 record for home runs by a catcher before the All-Star break, hitting his major league-leading 28th and 29th in the Seattle Mariners' 9-4 victory over the Chicago Cubs on Friday. Raleigh put Seattle ahead and moved past Bench in the seventh inning with No. 29, a drive to the back of the left-field bleachers off Caleb Thielbar. Raleigh needed only 73 games to break the record that Bench set in 87 games. The Seattle star shattered the mark with 22 games to spare before the All-Star game. The 28-year-old slugger had three hits in his sixth multi-homer game of the season. He drove in three runs to push his season total to 63. ___
