Six-time Vezina winner Hasek expected to announce retirement
DETROIT -- Dominik Hasek of the Czech Republic is expected to announce his retirement, a person in the NHL told the Associated Press on Sunday.
The Detroit Red Wings scheduled a news conference for Monday morning without revealing details.
A person within the league, who requested anonymity because the announcement was Hasek's to make, said Hasek was expected to end his award-winning career.
Hasek won six Vezina Trophies as the NHL's top goaltender and two Hart Trophies as the league's Most Valuable Player. The 43-year-old star lost his job in goal during Detroit's run to the Stanley Cup, getting replaced by Chris Osgood in the first round.
Hasek's agent, Ritch Winter, declined to comment Sunday night.
The Dominator won 389 games with the Red Wings, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres and Chicago Blackhawks, who drafted Hasek in the 10th round in 1983 and had to wait until the 1990-91 season to get him on the ice. Chicago kept him just two seasons, then watched him become one of the game's greats in Buffalo.
He won 65 playoff games -- including 16 in 2002 when he won his first Stanley Cup by helping Detroit win it all -- and gave up an average of just two goals in the postseason.
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| Dominik Hasek won two Hart Trophies with Buffalo in '97 and '98. (Getty Images) |
During this past regular season, he won 27 games and had a 2.14 goals-against average while alternating with Osgood in net.
Detroit coach Mike Babcock chose to start Hasek in the playoffs -- saying "Dom's not going to struggle" -- then pulled him in favor of Osgood during Game 4 in the opening-round series against the Nashville Predators.
Osgood won his first nine games as a starter in the postseason and finished with a 14-4 record and a league-low 1.55 goals-against average, keeping Hasek on the bench.
Red Wings general manager Ken Holland said he would welcome Hasek back if he wanted to return.
"If Dom still has energy and passion, I'd be interested in having him back with Osgood again," Holland said on the ice in Pittsburgh last week after Detroit won its 11th title.
