Undrafted Defenseman Announces Retirement After 10 Seasons
The 37-year-old defenseman announced his retirement from professional hockey on Instagram, closing the book on a 14-year career.
"Hockey has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember," Hunt wrote. "From dreaming about playing in the NHL as a kid, to living that dream for so many years... I am incredibly grateful for every opportunity, every teammate, every coach, every organization, and every person who helped me along the way."
Undrafted
No team ever called Hunt's name in the draft.
At 5-foot-9 and 176 pounds, he didn't fit the traditional mold NHL clubs wanted on the blue line, so he took his game to Bemidji State University instead, where he was an instant standout, posting nine goals and 32 points as a freshman en route to conference rookie of the year and first-team all-star honors. He finished his four-year college career with 112 points in 150 games.
Former Eagles' captain and Avs' defenseman Brad Hunt has officially hung up his skates after 422 AHL games (298 points) and 288 NHL games (86 points). The 37 year old spent last season playing in Finland. #Avs #GoAvsGo #EaglesCountry @HockeyMtnHighCO pic.twitter.com/dgcX5Lz9Ah
— Brennan Vogt (@brennan_vogt) August 2, 2026
That production earned him only an AHL contract with the Chicago Wolves, not an NHL deal, and he responded by making the AHL All-Star team as a rookie.
The Edmonton Oilers finally gave him an entry-level contract in July 2013, and Hunt turned into one of the league's top offensive defensemen with their AHL affiliate in Oklahoma City, racking up 101 points in 128 games across two seasons.
The Break
The real turning point came in the summer of 2017.
After bouncing between St. Louis, a waiver claim by Nashville, and the AHL, Hunt signed as a 28-year-old free agent with the expansion Vegas Golden Knights.
Best of luck to Brad Hunt in his retirement. He was always a great guy #VegasBorn #ForgedInGold pic.twitter.com/8oAueD4rdI
— Kim ⚔️⚔️ (@Kimberkayper) August 2, 2026
It paid off immediately. Hunt played 45 games and scored 18 points for a first-year Golden Knights team that shocked the league by reaching the Stanley Cup Final.
That opportunity launched a six-year run as a full-time NHL player, taking him through Vegas, the Minnesota Wild, the Vancouver Canucks, and the Colorado Avalanche.
The Career
Hunt's best individual season came with Minnesota in 2019-20, when he posted career highs of eight goals, 11 assists, and 19 points in 59 games while quarterbacking the second power-play unit.
He finishes with 26 goals and 60 assists for 86 points across 288 NHL games and 10 seasons with seven different organizations: the Oilers, Blues, Golden Knights, Wild, Canucks, Avalanche, and Predators organization via waivers.
Add in 422 AHL games and a gold medal with Canada at the 2023 World Championship, and Hunt closes his career with 409 points across 763 total professional games.
Hunt spent the 2025-26 season overseas with Sport Vaasa in Finland's top domestic league, posting seven goals and 18 assists for 25 points in 53 games before deciding to call it a career.
