Michael Stone Announces Retirement

Michael Stone has officially announced his retirement today from the National Hockey League following a career that spanned 12 NHL seasons and 552 regular season games. While Stone has stepped away from his playing career, he has not departed the NHL as the Calgary Flames have signed him as the newest member of their player development team.

"I feel very happy to be able to leave the game the way I have and directly into this role with the Flames organization," said Stone. "I believe it would have been a lot more difficult had this opportunity not been available."

"I'm excited to learn and gain some new experiences in a different capacity in the NHL," continued Stone. "I'm looking forward to working with the young defencemen and help them achieve their ultimate goal of playing with the Calgary Flames."

Stone, a native of Winnipeg, MB, was originally drafted by the Phoenix Coyotes in the third round (69th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft. Following an all-star junior career with the Calgary Hitmen which concluded with a Western Hockey League championship in 2010, Stone turned professional with the Coyotes' American Hockey League affiliate in San Antonio, TX.

Stone made his NHL debut with Phoenix on February 18, 2012. He would go on to play 314 games with the Coyotes before a trade to Calgary on February 20, 2017. He was a mainstay on the Flames blueline the following season, playing in all 82 games. Over the course of seven seasons in Calgary he would play 228 games recording 17 goals and 32 assists for 49 points. He finished his NHL career with 41 goals and 104 assists for 145 points.

"The combination of Michael just finishing his NHL playing career and that his specialty is defensemen specific was exactly the role that we have been trying to fill," said Flames Director of Player Development Ray Edwards. "After drafting Etienne (Morin) and Axel (Hurtig), that's a good area for Mike to jump into immediately and assisting with our Wranglers defensemen prospects. It's a perfect fit."

In his new role, Stone joins Edwards along with Martin Gelinas, Darren Rommerdahl, Rebecca Johnston, Danielle Fujita and Rick Davis as a member of the Flames player development team.

Michael and his wife Michelle have three children Jolie, Wyatt, and Rhett and look forward to continuing to call Calgary home year-round.