Former Wild Center Mikko Koivu Retires From NHL
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- Longtime Minnesota Wild center and team captain Mikko Koivu announced his retirement from the NHL Tuesday.
Koivu played 15 years for the Wild and spent the start of this season with the Columbus Blue Jackets.
"I have been extremely blessed and I am eternally grateful to the Minnesota Wild and Columbus Blue Jackets organizations for the opportunities they have given me to live out my dreams of playing in the National Hockey League for the past 16 years," Koivu said in a statement.
The Wild drafted Koivu sixth overall in the 2001 NHL draft and he logged his first NHL minutes in 2005. He was named captain in 2008 and held on to that role until he left the team in 2020.
Koivu is the Wild's all-time leader in games played, assists and points.