Hal Gill's NHL career will be remembered as long and successful. Gill, 40, made his retirement official on Thursday after not playing in 2014-15.
Longevity is a sign of a player's worth, and for Gill, his final career numbers will show 1,108 games over 16 seasons since his NHL debut with the Boston Bruins on Oct. 17, 1997.
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A player's name on the Stanley Cup is a sign of success, and Gill got his place in history with the 2009 Pittsburgh Penguins.
Achievement can be seen in a player's ability to rise above expectations. Gill was an eighth-round pick in the 1993 NHL draft, called after 206 other players. Between his arrival with the Bruins and his six-game farewell tour with the Philadelphia Flyers, Gill played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens and Nashville Predators as well as the Penguins.
One other category of distinction: Gill represented the United States five times in the world championships. At 6-7, he was an impressive figure on the ice but lacked overall talent, speed and skill to be more than a journeyman.
But it was a journey that few get to make.
Gill, from Concord, Mass., and Providence College, summed up his career in a statement released by the NHL Players' Association.
"I am so thankful to have played for such great organizations. I was lucky to have made amazing friendships throughout my career and live in so many beautiful cities. "I would like to thank the fans for their support, the coaches for their direction, the team staffs for their efforts, and most of all, my teammates for their camaraderie (and keeping me in line)."
Gill joined the Lincoln-Sudbury high school hockey team's coaching staff in his native Massachusetts in 2014, and announced via Twitter that he'll continue with the program during his retirement.
To clarify, I am officially retired from the NHL and excited to coach the LS Warriors!
— Hal Gill (@Skillsy75) April 23, 2015