In an era when players hang around just get their numbers and make milestones, JR hangs it up at 5 goals away from being the 3rd American to score 500 goals.

I remember first seeing as part of Mike Keenan's 1990 Blackhawks team that made the Finals. With Chelios, Goulet, Larmer, Belfour, and some tough aggressive hitters, these guys would hit other teams all game long. Unfortunately they up against Patrick Roy in his prime and Montreal spanked them to win their last Stanley Cup.

He has always been outspoken, and I enjoy seeing him on the Best Damn Sports Show as a guest host. Since he is Boston native and BU alum, he was almost as excited as I was when the Red Sox won the World Series in 2004.

Roenick, a nine-time All-Star who played with four teams, sent a text message to a reporter at The Philadelphia Inquirer reading, "I'm retiring; is that still news?" The story was posted on the paper's Web site Wednesday.

Year	Age	Team		GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1988-89	19	CHI	NHL	20	9	9	18	4
1989-90	20	CHI	NHL	78	26	40	66	54
1990-91	21	CHI	NHL	79	41	53	94	80
1991-92	22	CHI	NHL	80	53	50	103	98
1992-93	23	CHI	NHL	84	50	57	107	86
1993-94	24	CHI	NHL	84	46	61	107	125
1994-95	25	CHI	NHL	33	10	24	34	14
1995-96	26	CHI	NHL	66	32	35	67	109
1996-97	27	PHO	NHL	72	29	40	69	115
1997-98	28	PHO	NHL	79	24	32	56	103
1998-99	29	PHO	NHL	78	24	48	72	130
1999-00	30	PHO	NHL	75	34	44	78	102
2000-01	31	PHO	NHL	80	30	46	76	114
2001-02	32	PHI	NHL	75	21	46	67	74
2002-03	33	PHI	NHL	79	27	32	59	75
2003-04	34	PHI	NHL	62	19	28	47	62
Totals				1124	475	645	1120	1345

He had 1120 points, only two 50+ goal seasons, two more 40+ goal seasons, and only 3 seasons with 100+ points. No Stanley Cups. I just don't see him as a Hall of Fame caliber guy. There are so many deserving guys who played in the same era. Adam Oates has 300 more points, and didn't get in this year.

Roenick has been a very on and off signer. I have never gotten him by mail (in at least 7 tries), but I know others have gotten him (he has a 51% success rate on our site for his 102 requests). I was very happy to pick up a signed copy for my 1990 Pro Set set in a trade a few years back.

On an unrelated NHL side note, I feel so much for the Sabres losing both Brierre and Chris Drury in free agency in one day. I work some guys from Buffalo and all season I watched live vicarously through this team, and now the air from their sales has run out faster than Al Roker running to get fried chicken (pre gastro surgery).

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