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B.C.ѻýs ѻýHamburglarѻý retires from hockey after 10-year pro career that almost never happened

As a teen, Surreyѻýs Andrew Hammond thought about quitting the game that eventually earned him folk-hero status in the NHL
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Andrew Hammond in net for Ottawa Senators in 2015. (File photo: Andre Ringuette)

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

The 34-year-old ѻýHamburglarѻý announced his retirement from hockey in Monday (Dec. 19), blaming an ankle injury he suffered while playing for Montreal Canadiens last season.

ѻýI wonѻýt be able to make a full recovery,ѻý Hammond posted.

ѻýIѻým excited for more time stopping pucks at home with Cal, Carson and Harlow.ѻý

Hammond first signed a NHL contract with Ottawa Senators on St. Patrickѻýs Day 2013.

ѻýOne dream came true,ѻý he wrote. ѻýI was an undrafted free agent signing out of college. I thought things couldnѻýt get better than that. I was wrongѻý 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 ѻýjobѻý in the world.ѻý

While in Ottawa, during the teamѻýs 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.

ѻýI always was the kid who at age six was begging my parents to take shots on me in the driveway,ѻý . ѻýI was hooked on hockey after that ѻý94 Canucks (playoff) run and always dreamed about being in the NHL.ѻý

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

ѻýThings werenѻýt going for him and he wasnѻýt playing much, so he was going to hang them up,ѻý Sean Murray, his longtime goaltending coach, said in 2015.

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

ѻýHe wasnѻýt sure he was going to go,ѻý Murray recalled. ѻýI said to him, ѻýJust go play, you never know whatѻýs going to happen, right?ѻý 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.ѻý

to see Hammondѻýs 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.

ѻýI would like to thank my wife first and foremost,ѻý Hammond tweeted Monday. ѻýWeѻýve had probably 20 addresses weѻýve called home throughout my career. Sheѻýs 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.ѻý

Appropriately, he signed off with a hamburger emoji.



tom.zillich@surreynowleader.com

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Tom Zillich

About the Author: Tom Zillich

I cover entertainment, sports and news for Surrey Now-Leader and Black Press Media
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