Red Wings goalie Hasek retires after winning Stanley Cup
By Larry Lage, Associated Press, 06/25/02
DETROIT -- Dominik Hasek wanted to become a Detroit Red Wing to complete his resume with a Stanley Cup.
Now that the 37-year-old future hall of famer has one, he's retiring.
Hasek, one of the most accomplished goalies in history, announced Tuesday he would not return for the second year of the contract he signed last summer.
"Winning the Cup has been everything I could ask for," Hasek said.
Possible replacements for Hasek include Toronto's Curtis Joseph, who becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if he doesn't sign again with the Maple Leafs.
Other high-profile goalies who could become unrestricted free agents include Boston's Byron Dafoe, the New York Rangers' Mike Richter and Dallas' Ed Belfour. The Stars have said they will not re-sign Belfour.
Hasek sought a trade to Detroit because he wasn't satisfied with his six Vezina Trophies as the NHL's best goalie, his two Hart Trophies as the league's MVP, and a gold medal with the Olympic champion Czech Republic at the 1998 Nagano Games.
He wanted his name on the Stanley Cup.
It all paid off June 13 when the Red Wings defeated Carolina in Game 5 to win the Cup.
"We had a sensational year. We know the type of effort that he put out," Detroit owner Mike Ilitch said. "We knew exactly what the contracts read. We were prepared for something like this."
Hasek's retirement announcement was not his first.
While he was with the Buffalo Sabres, he announced that the 1999-2000 season would be his last in the NHL. But after missing much of the season with a groin injury, Hasek reconsidered and wanted another chance to win the Cup in Buffalo.
When Hasek announced that planned retirement, he said that the longer he stayed in the United States, the harder his son Michael's adjustment would be to life in the Czech Republic, where the goaltender wanted to return with his family.
The Red Wings wanted a big-time goalie in the playoffs, and Hasek came through.
After leading the NHL with 41 wins during the regular season, he recorded six shutouts -- two more than any goalie ever in the playoffs.
Before the playoffs started for Detroit on April 17, Hasek said he was nervous because of the Cup-or-bust expectations. He hadn't experienced such pressure in his previous 11 playoff appearances with the Sabres, which he led to the 1999 finals, or the Chicago Blackhawks.
Hasek's nerves showed in the first two games of the postseason when he gave up eight goals to Vancouver, which shocked the Red Wings by winning the first two games of the playoffs.
Hasek refused to make excuses and promised he would do better -- and he did.
He gave up seven goals in the final four games against the Canucks, for a 2.41 goals-against average. Hasek improved that statistic to 2.07 in the second round against St. Louis in the second round and 1.78 in the conference finals against Colorado while outplaying Patrick Roy in the much-anticipated matchup between two of the game's best goalies.
When Detroit faced elimination down 3-2 to the Avalanche, Hasek responded with two straight shutouts. As excited as he was, he relegated himself to merely bouncing on his skates a few times after eliminating Roy and Colorado.
He saved his lowest goals-against average of 1.40 and his greatest outward sign of joy for the Stanley Cup finals.
When Brendan Shanahan's empty-net goal sealed the win in Game 5 with 44.5 seconds left, Hasek skated between the circles, bounced on one skate then leaped into the air to celebrate before laying on top of Shanahan and Steve Yzerman near center ice.
Under the deal announced last year, the Red Wings paid Hasek $8 million for the 2001-02 season, matching the salaries of Yzerman and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, with two more option years at the same salary.
By Larry Lage, Associated Press, 06/25/02
DETROIT -- Dominik Hasek wanted to become a Detroit Red Wing to complete his resume with a Stanley Cup.
Now that the 37-year-old future hall of famer has one, he's retiring.
Hasek, one of the most accomplished goalies in history, announced Tuesday he would not return for the second year of the contract he signed last summer.
"Winning the Cup has been everything I could ask for," Hasek said.
Possible replacements for Hasek include Toronto's Curtis Joseph, who becomes an unrestricted free agent on July 1 if he doesn't sign again with the Maple Leafs.
Other high-profile goalies who could become unrestricted free agents include Boston's Byron Dafoe, the New York Rangers' Mike Richter and Dallas' Ed Belfour. The Stars have said they will not re-sign Belfour.
Hasek sought a trade to Detroit because he wasn't satisfied with his six Vezina Trophies as the NHL's best goalie, his two Hart Trophies as the league's MVP, and a gold medal with the Olympic champion Czech Republic at the 1998 Nagano Games.
He wanted his name on the Stanley Cup.
It all paid off June 13 when the Red Wings defeated Carolina in Game 5 to win the Cup.
"We had a sensational year. We know the type of effort that he put out," Detroit owner Mike Ilitch said. "We knew exactly what the contracts read. We were prepared for something like this."
Hasek's retirement announcement was not his first.
While he was with the Buffalo Sabres, he announced that the 1999-2000 season would be his last in the NHL. But after missing much of the season with a groin injury, Hasek reconsidered and wanted another chance to win the Cup in Buffalo.
When Hasek announced that planned retirement, he said that the longer he stayed in the United States, the harder his son Michael's adjustment would be to life in the Czech Republic, where the goaltender wanted to return with his family.
The Red Wings wanted a big-time goalie in the playoffs, and Hasek came through.
After leading the NHL with 41 wins during the regular season, he recorded six shutouts -- two more than any goalie ever in the playoffs.
Before the playoffs started for Detroit on April 17, Hasek said he was nervous because of the Cup-or-bust expectations. He hadn't experienced such pressure in his previous 11 playoff appearances with the Sabres, which he led to the 1999 finals, or the Chicago Blackhawks.
Hasek's nerves showed in the first two games of the postseason when he gave up eight goals to Vancouver, which shocked the Red Wings by winning the first two games of the playoffs.
Hasek refused to make excuses and promised he would do better -- and he did.
He gave up seven goals in the final four games against the Canucks, for a 2.41 goals-against average. Hasek improved that statistic to 2.07 in the second round against St. Louis in the second round and 1.78 in the conference finals against Colorado while outplaying Patrick Roy in the much-anticipated matchup between two of the game's best goalies.
When Detroit faced elimination down 3-2 to the Avalanche, Hasek responded with two straight shutouts. As excited as he was, he relegated himself to merely bouncing on his skates a few times after eliminating Roy and Colorado.
He saved his lowest goals-against average of 1.40 and his greatest outward sign of joy for the Stanley Cup finals.
When Brendan Shanahan's empty-net goal sealed the win in Game 5 with 44.5 seconds left, Hasek skated between the circles, bounced on one skate then leaped into the air to celebrate before laying on top of Shanahan and Steve Yzerman near center ice.
Under the deal announced last year, the Red Wings paid Hasek $8 million for the 2001-02 season, matching the salaries of Yzerman and defenseman Nicklas Lidstrom, with two more option years at the same salary.
