Most free agents have already signed with teams, but what is going on with Blake Wheeler.
Wheeler signed with the New York Rangers last summer. He played 54 games during the regular season, tallying nine goals, 12 assists and 21 points before ultimately suffering a gruesome leg injury.
While Wheeler returned in the middle of the playoffs for New York, he played a limited amount of games and his future with the team was in question as he hit the free agent market.
Following the Rangers’ elimination in the Eastern Conference Final, the 37-year-old hinted at retirement, but didn’t fully rule out making a return to the NHL.
“I have three kids: an 11-year-old, an 8-year-old, a 6-year-old. The 11-year-old’s gonna be in middle school next year,” Wheeler said. “When you come to make those decisions now, I still love the game, still love to play, but I want to be around for their childhood, too, so I think those are the things you weigh.”
The month of July is about to end and there is still no word on what the future holds for Wheeler nor have we heard anything from the veteran forward himself.
Based on the fact that Wheeler has not officially announced his retirement could mean that he is still searching for another opportunity.
It’s also likely that the market for Wheeler is not very high at the moment since he is coming off a leg injury that many people considered to be career ending.
There is still time before training camp starts for Wheeler to get a contract or even a PTO, so this is not the end for Wheeler just yet.
These next couple months will be critical in seeing what direction Wheeler’s career goes in.
