Brad Hunt has officially called it a career.
The former Minnesota Wild defenseman announced his retirement from professional hockey on social media, bringing an end to a career that spanned more than a decade and took him through the NHL, AHL and Europe.
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Hunt’s journey to the NHL was anything but conventional. Undrafted out of Bemidji State University, the Maple Ridge, British Columbia native worked his way through the ECHL and AHL before making his NHL debut with the Edmonton Oilers during the 2013-14 season.
Over parts of 10 NHL seasons, Hunt appeared in 288 regular-season games with the Oilers, St. Louis Blues, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Minnesota Wild, Vancouver Canucks and Colorado Avalanche. He finished his NHL career with 26 goals, 60 assists and 86 points.
Minnesota fans will remember Hunt from his three seasons with the Wild from 2018-21.
After being acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights during the 2018-19 season, Hunt carved out a role as a dependable depth defenseman with an offensive touch. He played 100 games for Minnesota, recording 12 goals and 13 assists for 25 points while quarterbacking the second power-play unit at times.
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His best offensive season came in 2019-20 when he set NHL career highs with eight goals, 11 assists and 19 points in 59 games.
Following his stint with the Wild, Hunt spent the 2021-22 season with the Vancouver Canucks before helping the Colorado Avalanche during the 2022-23 campaign. He later continued his career overseas before announcing his retirement.
Although he never became a full-time top-four defenseman, Hunt’s perseverance made him one of hockey’s better underdog stories. From going undrafted to reaching nearly 300 NHL games, he proved that determination and offensive skill could earn a lengthy career at the highest level.
His retirement closes the book on a professional career defined by resilience, adaptability and an unwavering commitment to chasing the NHL dream.
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