Benoit St-Amand retires from Canada's national sledge team

“It has been a memorable 10 years, getting to represent my country and travel the world playing the game I love.”

Hockey Canada announced Friday (10 October) that 2006 Paralympic gold medallist and two-time IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships gold medallist Benoit St-Amand has announced his retirement from competitive ice sledge hockey.

The Longueuil, Quebec native, who originally joined Canada’s national sledge team as a forward in 2004, finishes his Team Canada career with a record of 39-5-1 in 51 games with the national team. He ranks second all-time in games played and wins among goaltenders.

“It has been a memorable 10 years, getting to represent my country and travel the world playing the game I love,” said St-Amand. “I cannot thank my teammates, coaches and Hockey Canada enough for giving me every opportunity to succeed. Now feels like the right time to step away, try new things and spend more time with my family.”

St-Amand, 36, played in three Paralympic Winter Games, winning gold in 2006 in Turin, Italy, and bronze in 2014 in Sochi, Russia. He was also part of the Canadian team that finished fourth in 2010 in Vancouver.

He played in four IPC Ice Sledge Hockey World Championships, winning two gold medals (2008, 2013), and two bronze (2009, 2012), and five World Sledge Hockey Challenges, winning three gold medals (2007, 2008, 2013) and two silver (2009, 2012).

“There are few better examples of a teammate than Benoit St-Amand,” said Scott Salmond, vice-president of hockey operations and national teams with Hockey Canada. “He dedicated himself to his team, to his country and to his game, and on behalf of Hockey Canada, I cannot thank him enough. We look forward to working with Benoit to continue to grow sledge hockey, and wish him and his family all the best in the future.”