After 12 NHL seasons and 11 spent as an Anaheim Duck, Jakob Silfverberg is ready for what's next.
The 33-year-old winger, whose 158 goals are the most by a Duck since he arrived in a 2013 trade with Ottawa, Thursday announced his intention to retire from the NHL at season's end. His final game at Honda Center will be Friday night as the Ducks host the Calgary Flames.
Silfverberg has skated in 769 games with Anaheim and ranks in the club's top-10 all-time in most offensive categories, including goals (fifth), points (seventh), assists (eighth), shorthanded goals (third) and shootout goals (fourth).
Silfverberg met with local media Thursday to reflect on his NHL career, his 11 years in Orange County and his appreciation for Ducks fans, while also looking ahead to some cherished next steps with family.
On the decision to retire
I feel pretty good. Obviously it's not a decision that was made yesterday by any means. It's something that's been decided a while back, so I've been kind of slowly been preparing for it but I'm sure it'll still be a weird feeling tomorrow for my last game at Honda Center. I've been trying to prepare for it as best as I can, but I'm just going to try and enjoy it, have a lot of fun with it, and hopefully we'll have a good game. It's going to be a special night, that's for sure.
On why now was the right time to retire
I think everything just kind of fell in place. Obviously my contract's up, my kids are getting older and my parents are getting older. We've always kind said once my hockey career is over here, we always wanted to move back to Sweden. My boy is six years old now, he'll be starting school. So it's good timing for that. So everything just kind of fell in place and it's, like I said, it's not a decision that was just made last night. It's something that I really fought through, not just me, but as a family, and it just seemed right. Everything just seems aligned in a perfect timing that this would be the time. All the kids are excited to go back home to Sweden, too. They're excited to come back to grandparents and cousins. So yeah, it's good timing.
On his legacy in Anaheim
I haven't (thought about it) yet....There's definitely been some ups and downs. Early on, the first couple of yearsw e obviously won the division and had a couple of good playoffs runs. As of late, it's been a little bit of struggle for me personally and even us as a team. So there's been some ups and downs, but I think that's one of those things that it's going to take a few years after you retire before it actually sinks in. When you're kind of in it now, you don't really think too much of it. And obviously the way things have been going here as of late, you try to stay away from any type of social media and whatnot. But I mean, I'm sure if you ask me again in five years, I'll look back at this and I'd be extremely proud, just to be able to do this and play over 800 games.
On his final game at Honda Center and his relationship with Ducks fans
It means a ton. They've been awesome throughout both the good and bad. Obviously, the first couple of years we were making playoffs and were having good pushes, but even as of the last five or six years here, they've been showing up every night and they've been rocking in there. We've had guys come and go coming from different teams and coming in here and say like, man, you guys have a really good crowd, even though it's been pretty tough lately. It's been amazing to see the support, even just from people coming asking for autographs at the games and whatnot. They're always positive. They wish you the best. They hope for things to turn around. There's never any sort of negativity around it. It's more so the other way, trying to push you in the right direction. So to be able to share one last night with them, obviously will be special. They've been great to me, to my family and to this team as a whole. So it will be a special night.
