Boychuk Reflects on End of Career

Johnny Boychuk was visibly emotional as he addressed the media following the announcement that his accomplished 13-year NHL career had come to an end, due to an eye injury suffered during the 2019-20 regular season.

It was a rarity for someone who has battled through some of the most grueling injuries imaginable, all while consistently flashing his beaming grin and radiating his infectious personality, to be fighting back tears and at a loss for words.
"When somebody tells you that you're not going to ever play again - or that you shouldn't - it's tough," Boychuk said during his Zoom call on Wednesday afternoon. "It's been really, really tough."
The defenseman's career-ending injury resulted from taking an errant skate to the face during the third period against the Montreal Canadiens on March 3, and required a 90-stitch repair. Following the NHL's pause issued on March 12, Boychuk diligently rehabbed during that four-month span and was cleared to play when the Islanders resumed their season in the Toronto bubble for the 2020 Stanley Cup Playoffs in the preliminary round against the Florida Panthers.

But it was during Game 1 against the Panthers, where Boychuk sustained a concussion from a hit at the offensive blueline delivered by Mike Matheson, that became a sobering realization for him. "When I got hit, I realized it might have been a - I wouldn't say a dirty hit - but I didn't see him coming," Boychuk explained. "I realized that I should have been able to see him a little bit, but I didn't. I realized something was off." The 36-year-old returned for the last two games of the Eastern Conference Final against the eventual Stanley Cup champions, Tampa Bay, fitting of his 'you do whatever it takes to win' motto.
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Following months of testing, MRI and X-Ray scans and meeting with specialists, the prognosis disclosed that Boychuk's peripheral vision was impacted, he had sustained some optic nerve damage and had received an extent of irreversible damage.
"I don't even think it was a decision," Boychuk said. "When you play with it and realize there's something wrong. Then, you go and get tests - it wasn't really a decision. It was a life choice. If I was to go and play again, not see somebody coming and get hit, I could be a lot worse than what I was."
While the Edmonton native is still coming to terms with the painful reality that his career has come to an end, he had nothing but positivity regarding the last six years spent on the Island where he has amassed 131 points (35G, 96A) in 404 games.
Everything from his simultaneous arrival with his eventual defensive partner Nick Leddy, to forming his tight-knit relationships with the community and teammates of all ages, Boychuk quickly became a fan-favorite and the feeling was mutual.
"There have been so many good memories," Boychuk said. "It's tough to process everything at one time...When I got traded to the Island, we had a good group of young players. Now, they're veterans and they've got experience. I see potential. I think a lot of guys see potential in the Islanders. It's a good place to play and to be with your family, to have a bond together as a team. It'll continue to just get better and better. I didn't realize it when I first got traded there, but I realized it after a year of what it was to be an Islander. You take pride in it."

Boychuk, who knows what it takes to win the ultimate prize of hoisting the coveted Stanley Cup, - as he did with Boston in 2011 - has witnessed and first-handedly contributed to the development of the Isles' organization. The team's evolution and caliber of success are something that he's proud of and knows will only continue to improve in the coming years.
And while Boychuk may no longer be able to be physically be on the ice with his teammates and in front of his beloved fans, he knows he'll always be an Islander.
"I think everybody has seen the transformation of the Islanders and how the team has conducted themselves," Boychuk said. "With Lou and Barry coming in, halfway through my time on the Island, it's just been getting better and better as well. It will continue to get better and better because we play together and we play for each other - we always will. It's been a nice transformation. I'm sure the fans have noticed it. We'll be a tough team to play against for a long time. That's what we wanted to bring and that's why I signed long-term with the Islanders."