South Surrey-raised NHL goaltender Andrew Hammond has called it a career.

The 34-year-old 含羞草研究社淗amburglar含羞草研究社� announced his retirement from hockey in Monday (Dec. 19), blaming an ankle injury he suffered while playing for Montreal Canadiens last season.

含羞草研究社淚 won含羞草研究社檛 be able to make a full recovery,含羞草研究社� Hammond posted.

含羞草研究社淚含羞草研究社檓 excited for more time stopping pucks at home with Cal, Carson and Harlow.含羞草研究社�

Hammond first signed a NHL contract with Ottawa Senators on St. Patrick含羞草研究社檚 Day 2013.

含羞草研究社淥ne dream came true,含羞草研究社� he wrote. 含羞草研究社淚 was an undrafted free agent signing out of college. I thought things couldn含羞草研究社檛 get better than that. I was wrong含羞草研究社� my career was a series of unbelievable and unexpected memories. I met some of the best people I know and I can honestly say I had the best 含羞草研究社榡ob含羞草研究社� in the world.含羞草研究社�

含羞草研究社� Andrew Hammond (@andrewhammond30)

While in Ottawa, during the team含羞草研究社檚 improbable run to the playoffs that spring. Senators fans threw hamburgers on the ice in salute to the Hamburglar, who compiled a 20-win, one-loss record in relief of the injured Craig Anderson and Robin Lehner.

The White Rock-born Hammond grew up playing for teams with Semiahmoo Minor Hockey Association and graduated from Earl Marriott Secondary.

含羞草研究社淚 always was the kid who at age six was begging my parents to take shots on me in the driveway,含羞草研究社� . 含羞草研究社淚 was hooked on hockey after that 含羞草研究社�94 Canucks (playoff) run and always dreamed about being in the NHL.含羞草研究社�

As a teen he played 32 games for Surrey Eagles and began to doubt whether he wanted to continue playing hockey.

含羞草研究社淭hings weren含羞草研究社檛 going for him and he wasn含羞草研究社檛 playing much, so he was going to hang them up,含羞草研究社� Sean Murray, his longtime goaltending coach, said in 2015.

During the 2007-08 season, Hammond was dealt to Vernon Vipers of the BCHL.

含羞草研究社淗e wasn含羞草研究社檛 sure he was going to go,含羞草研究社� Murray recalled. 含羞草研究社淚 said to him, 含羞草研究社楯ust go play, you never know what含羞草研究社檚 going to happen, right?含羞草研究社� So he went up there and all of a sudden he won the RBC Cup (national championship) with them. He finally got the chance to play, and with a decent team, and he just took off from there.含羞草研究社�

to see Hammond含羞草研究社檚 career stats on eliteprospects.com.

Hammond played at Bowling Green State University from 2009 to 2013. During his NHL career, Hammond signed with six teams, including Ottawa, Montreal, Colorado, Buffalo, Minnesota and New Jersey. Over the years he bounced around the AHL minor league, too, and ended his pro days this year with a pair of games in the Russian KHL league, with Traktor Chelyabinsk.

含羞草研究社淚 would like to thank my wife first and foremost,含羞草研究社� Hammond tweeted Monday. 含羞草研究社淲e含羞草研究社檝e had probably 20 addresses we含羞草研究社檝e called home throughout my career. She含羞草研究社檚 been there for all of it; good games, bad games and everything in between. I would also like to thank my parents for making the sacrifices along the way that allowed me to live out my dream.含羞草研究社�

Appropriately, he signed off with a hamburger emoji.

tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com
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