Brad Hunt Retires After Nearly Two Decades in Professional Hockey

Former Colorado Avalanche defenseman Brad Hunt has officially announced his retirement from professional hockey, marking the end of a remarkable journey that spanned nearly two decades. The 37-year-old took to social media to share the news, reflecting on a career that saw him traverse multiple leagues, including the BCHL, AHL, and NHL, culminating in a gold medal with Team Canada.

Hunt’s connection to Colorado runs deep, extending beyond his time with the Avalanche. Before and after his NHL stint, he became a prominent figure with the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanche’s AHL affiliate. Serving as the Eagles’ captain, Hunt played two seasons with the team, competing in 94 games and tallying 23 goals and 47 assists for a total of 70 points. His offensive prowess and leadership made him a key player within the organization.

During the 2022-23 NHL season, Hunt had his chance to shine with the Avalanche, appearing in 47 games and contributing four goals and six assists for 10 points. Although he may not have been a household name, Hunt’s career was characterized by tenacity and determination, as he consistently found ways to make an impact despite his 5-foot-9 stature, ultimately playing 288 regular-season games in the NHL.

Hunt’s final professional season took him overseas to Sport Vaasa in Finland’s top league, where he recorded seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points in 53 games during the 2025-26 campaign. Upon concluding his playing career, he took a moment to appreciate the journey hockey had afforded him. “Hockey has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember. From dreaming about playing in the NHL as a kid, to living that dream for so many years … I am incredibly grateful for every opportunity, every teammate, every coach, every organization, and every person who helped me along the way,” he shared.

His NHL journey spanned parts of 14 seasons with seven teams, including the Edmonton Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, and Vancouver Canucks. Across those 288 NHL games, Hunt accumulated 20 goals and 60 assists for 80 points. However, the NHL was just one chapter in his extensive career.

Hunt spent the majority of his time in the AHL, playing in 422 games for several teams, including the Chicago Wolves, Oklahoma City Barons, Bakersfield Condors, and Hershey Bears. Throughout his AHL career, he amassed 84 goals and 214 assists for a total of 298 points, earning six All-Star selections and establishing himself as one of the league’s more productive offensive defensemen.

His hockey journey began in the BCHL with the Burnaby Express, where he played parts of three seasons, notching 20 goals and 69 assists for 89 points in 122 games. A standout year in 2007-08, with 16 goals and 35 assists, paved the way to a collegiate career at Bemidji State University, where he concluded with 24 goals and 88 assists over 150 NCAA games.

Hunt’s final chapter with Team Canada was a fitting conclusion to his playing days, as he represented his country at the 2023 IIHF World Championship in Finland, contributing three assists in their gold medal-winning campaign. Just two years later, he settled in Finland for his last professional season.

As he steps away from the game, Hunt leaves behind a legacy that includes an NHL career, multiple AHL All-Star selections, a captaincy, and a world championship gold medal. His time as captain of the Eagles solidified his bond with the Colorado hockey community, a fitting testament to a defenseman who consistently proved that size was no barrier to achieving greatness in the sport.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.