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Message: <blockquote data-quote="Knightfall" data-source="post: 3085483" data-attributes="member: 2012">NHL missing a few familiar facesCanadian Press9/25/2006 3:36:28 PM(CP) - There was no question of Luc Robitaille coming back for a 20th NHL season.The former scoring sensation for the Los Angeles Kings says it was time to move on."I knew it was the right time and personally, I have no regrets," Robitaille said recently from his home in Los Angeles. "There was not a day when I didn't do my best to be ready for a game."For sure, I'll miss the camaraderie. It's like being in a special club. We get to play a game we all played when we were 10. I'll miss that. But I have no regrets."Robitaille and Detroit Red Wings legend Steve Yzerman are the most prominent among the players who won't be back on the ice for the 2006-07 campaign.Also retired are Keith Primeau and Eric Desjardins of the Philadelphia Flyers, tough guy Tie Domi of the Toronto Maple Leafs, winger Brian Savage of the Phoenix Coyotes and defenceman Eric Weinrich, who ended last season with the Vancouver Canucks.Goaltender Garth Snow retired as a player to sign on as general manager of the New York Islanders, while defenceman Bob Boughner left the Colorado Avalanche to concentrate on his ownership of the junior Windsor Spitfires with former teammate Warren Rychel.And journeyman Brad Bombardir has gone from playing defence to being director of community relations with the Minnesota Wild.Others, like Brian Leetch, Jason Allison and Yanic Perreault, are unrestricted free agents hoping to avoid retirement by signing with an NHL club.Robitaille and Yzerman will each have his jersey retired this season.Robitaille's No. 20 will be raised by the Kings on Jan. 20 before a game against the Phoenix Coyotes while Yzerman's No. 19 goes up Jan. 2 before a match against the Anaheim Ducks.Brett Hull, who retired a week into the 2005-06 season, will have his No. 16 retired on Dec. 5 by the St. Louis Blues.The Red Wings announced Monday that Yzerman would work in the front office as a vice-president. The Ottawa native scored 692 goals in 1,514 games over 22 seasons and won three Stanley Cups with Detroit."He was one of the most special people I ever played with," said Robitaille, who spent two seasons as Yzerman's teammate, winning a Cup in 2002, before returning to the Kings."I think it was time for him, too. His knees were bad. But he had such a great ending. He was playing well. He had such a great career."While Yzerman was drafted fourth overall by Detroit in 1983, Robitaille's name wasn't called by the Kings until the 171st pick in 1984.The Montreal native went on to set an NHL goal-scoring record for left wingers with 557. He passed former centre Marcel Dionne for the Kings' all-time goals record last season, when he had only 15 in 65 games.It was not a bad career for a player who some scouts said couldn't skate well enough for the NHL."I just remember thinking `My name is on a list and now it's up to me to win a job,"' Robitaille recalled. "It was a challenge."I tell kids now that the difference is that if you're a first pick, they'll look at you two or three times, but if you're a late pick, they'll only look once and you'd better be ready when they do."Robitaille expects to stay in the Kings organization in some capacity, although no deal has yet been reached with the club."I want to learn the business side of the game," he said, before adding with a laugh "they always said they didn't make money, I want to see that now."Both Robitaille and Yzerman may have piled up even more points if not for the lockout that wiped out the 2004-05 season, but Robitaille said the year off gave him a preview of what retirement would be like and helped him make his decision.It was not so gentle for Primeau, who reported for camp but failed to receive medical clearance to play due to the lingering effects of concussions. The 15-year veteran with Detroit, Hartford and Philadelphia announced his retirement Sept. 14.Domi, let go by Toronto, retired after 16 seasons with the third-highest penalty minutes total of all time - 3,515. He also scored 104 goals.Boughner, who was on the NHL Players Association executive committee until his retirement, has no regrets after his 10-year career with Buffalo, Nashville, Pittsburgh, Calgary, Carolina and Colorado."I'm having a ball," he told the Denver Post about his new occupation as a team owner.Weinrich retired after 18 NHL seasons and is now assistant coach with Portland in the AHL.Savage played 12 seasons and Desjardins played 17 in the NHL, winning a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1993.Checking forward Tom Fitzgerald, who played for seven teams in 17 seasons, mostly recently with Boston, also hung up the blades.</blockquote>

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