Stephen Johns retires at 29

Stephen Johns formalized his retirement today. We are talking about a great defenseman of 6’4 ” who occupied a regular position with the Dallas Stars. He had been drafted in 2^e round by the Chicago Blackhawks in the 2010 draft. His best season came in 2017-18 when he racked up 15 points in 75 games and posted a +10 record. That was, however, before sustaining a concussion on March 19, 2018, his fourth in his career.

Since then, the young man has had several health problems. We are talking about, among other things, quite violent migraines. Since that injury, he has only played 17 regular season games, in addition to four in the playoffs, in the past three seasons. Via his Instagram account, Johns even admitted to having suffered from depression.

This means that not only did the injuries put an end to his dream in a hasty fashion, but they will possibly have a long-term impact on his health. It is far from an easy situation. But the young man has chosen to take control of his life. Yes, he’s retiring, but that’s not the only announcement he made today.

He also announced that he would take advantage of his platform to send a message. He has decided to embark on a journey that will take him to the four corners of the United States on inline skates. Its goal? Continue to inspire others like he did as a hockey player and help those in need defeat their own demons. We are therefore talking about a young retiree who has gone through very difficult times in recent years and who wants to take advantage of his experience to help others.