Nashville Predators Captain Mike Fisher Retires

NASHVILLE, TN — After 17 years, Nashville Predators captain Mike Fisher is retiring from the NHL, he announced via open letter in The Tennessean Thursday.

The 37-year-old played parts of seven seasons with the Predators following a trade from Ottawa in 2011. Fisher played 11 seasons with the Senators and logged a total of 1,088 games in the NHL. He is married to country music uber-star Carrie Underwood and the couple and their young son live on a farm outside of Nashville. (For more updates on this story and free news alerts for your neighborhood, sign up for your local Middle Tennessee Patch morning newsletter.)

"This is the hardest decision I’ve ever had to make, but I know I’ve made the right one. I’ve decided to retire from the NHL.I kept praying for peace about the next step in my life. A peace that said this is God’s will for your future. A peace that said whether or not this was the right time to walk away," Fisher wrote in The Tennessean.

Fisher entered the Stanley Cup Final against Pittsburgh as the only member of the Predators with previous Cup Final experience, having played for the Sens during their loss to the Ducks in 2007's championship.

"Knowing we were so close to winning it all in June only makes it more difficult to leave it behind, but I do so with hope. Endings are always tough, but I believe when something ends, there are new beginnings, new opportunities and new things to be excited for, too," he wrote. "I believe that this team, that this city, is going to win a championship, and I’m going to be the biggest fan. No one will be happier than I will be to see it happen, because, these fans, they deserve it."

Among those offering congratulations was former Nashville Predator Rich Clune, who is open about his struggles with addiction and has often spoken about Fisher and Underwood embracing him during his time in the Music City.

The Predators signed free-agent center Nick Bonino from Pittsburgh in the offseason and re-signed top center Ryan Johansen, setting them up well down the middle. The team will have to name a new captain. Fisher took the captaincy after Shea Weber was traded to Montreal last summer.

Image via NHL