Hockey History
Sharks Playoff Hero Donskoi Announces Retirement
What a shame.
This afternoon, San Jose Sharks playoff hero Joonas Donskoi announced his retirement.
Donskoi is just 31 and was most recently with the Seattle Kraken.
“After suffering multiple concussions over my career I’ve decided to retire from professional hockey. It is extremely hard to let go of something you have put your whole life into, but at this point I know it’s the right decision for my own well being and future,” Donskoi wrote on Instagram. “I am looking forward to putting our family first now.”
On Sept. 29, Donskoi suffered his self-reported seventh concussion during the Seattle Kraken’s pre-season matchup against the Vancouver Canucks. This concussion caused headaches, vertigo, and vision problems that kept Donskoi out for the entirety of the 2022-23 season.
San Jose Sharks fans probably best remember Donskoi for his game-winning OT goal in Game Three of the 2016 Stanley Cup Final. That was the first Stanley Cup Final win in franchise history.
Originally drafted by the Florida Panthers in the fourth round of the 2010 Draft, the Sharks signed Donskoi out of Finland as a free agent.
The rookie made an immediate impact in teal, netting 11 goals and 25 assists in San Jose’s 2015-16 Western Conference-winning campaign.
Donskoi played four seasons for the San Jose Sharks, then inked a four-year contract with the Colorado Avalanche in the summer of 2019. He was selected by the Kraken in the Expansion Draft in 2021.
The Finnish winger totaled 80 goals and 208 points over his seven-year NHL career.
Donskoi and his wife Devin have a two-year old son, Declan. And it looks like he’s expecting another!
Happy trails, Joonas!
