Yesterday, the Edmonton Oilers announced they were releasing Brandon Sutter from his professional tryout. Soon after, Sutter also announced his retirement from professional hockey.
Having not played since the 2020-21 season, there were doubts regarding Sutter's chances of rejoining the team. A major reason behind this gap in his career was contracting a COVID-19 variant while with the Vancouver Canucks. The ailment left him with lingering symptoms of long COVID. When news of Sutter's release from the Oilers' PTO surfaced, the initial assumption was that the team had made the decision. However, an Edmonton Oilers insider, Mark Spector, clarified that Sutter himself decided to conclude his NHL journey.
Sutter met with Oilers GM Ken Holland, coach Jay Woodcroft, and trainer TD Forss in Seattle, stating his inability to continue due to health concerns. Even after performing well in the training camp and looking likely to be in the Oilers' starting lineup, the enduring effects of his sickness forced Sutter to retire.