Forward Paul Byron announced his retirement from professional hockey on Wednesday in a letter published by the Montreal Canadiens.
He will now act as a player development consultant for the Habs.
Byron did not play last season due to hip issues. During the assessment in April, he noted that he felt pain not only when he skated on the ice, but also after walking for “30 to 45 minutes”.
A native of Ottawa and aged 34, Byron played in 521 games and amassed 208 points, including 98 goals. It was in the Habs uniform that he had his best moments with a harvest of 81 goals and 160 points in 383 games.
Paul Byron also played 130 games in four seasons with the Calgary Flames (16-30-46), between 2011 and 2015. He began his NHL career on January 23, 2011 with the Buffalo Sabres, the team that claimed him in the sixth round – 179e overall – in the 2007 draft in Columbus.
At the top with the Canadian
He had appeared in eight games with the Sabers and scored one goal, two days after his first game, in his hometown of Ottawa.
Claimed on waivers from the Flames on October 6, 2015, in what was one of former general manager Marc Bergevin’s good moves, Paul Byron managed to get by with the Montreal team thanks to his great speed and his tenacity.
Not intimidated despite his stature of 5 feet 9 inches (1.75 m) and 158 pounds (72 kg), Byron had two seasons of at least 20 goals with the Canadian.
In 2016-17, he scored 22 goals and 21 assists, career highs, in 81 games. The following season, he participated in all 82 games for the team and recorded 20 goals and 15 assists.
During the playoffs, Byron participated in 38 games, all with the Canadian. He collected five goals and six assists. In 2020-2021, the season in which the Canadian reached the grand final, he scored three goals and added three assists in 22 games.