Chris Kunitz (Ferris State) has called it a career. The four-time Stanley Cup champion retired from NHL play on Tuesday after 15 seasons with Anaheim, Atlanta, Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay and Chicago.
A native of Regina, Sask., Kunitz collected 268 goals and 351 assists for 619 points and 746 penalty minutes in 1,022 NHL regular-season outings from 2003 until 2019. A six-time 20-goal scorer, his highest-scoring NHL campaign came in 2013-14 with Pittsburgh, when he registered career highs of 35 goals and 33 assists for 68 points in 78 games to earn NHL First Team All-Star status. He also tallied 27-66—93 points in 178 career Stanley Cup Playoff contests, winning his first Cup with Anaheim (2007) before following up with three more titles with Pittsburgh (2009, 2016, 2017).
Kunitz, 39, also won a silver medal with Canada at the 2008 World Championships, and earned gold with the Canadians at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games. He also notched 41 goals and 87 points along with 184 PIM in 118 American Hockey League regular-season appearances with Cincinnati and Portland.
Kunitz prepped with both Yorkton and Melville in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League prior to skating four seasons at Ferris State (1999-2003). As a senior at FSU, he recorded career highs of 35-44—79 points in 42 outings in leading the Bulldogs to the 2003 Central Collegiate Hockey Association championship game, and an at-large berth in the 2003 NCAA Tournament.
He was also an NCAA First Team All-America selection and a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist his senior season, and was additionally tabbed as the 2002-03 CCHA Player of the Year. In 152 career collegiate outings, he put up 99-76—175 points and 275 PIM, and twice earned All-CCHA First Team accolades. His 99 career goals rank him second all-time at FSU.
Kunitz, who spent last season with Chicago where he played in 1,000th NHL regular-season game, has joined the Blackhawks as a player development adviser.
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