Jets 2021 first-round pick Chaz Lucius retires from hockey for medical reasons
Chaz Lucius, a 2021 first-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, announced his retirement from hockey on Tuesday after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
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Chaz Lucius, a 2021 first-round pick of the Winnipeg Jets, announced his retirement from hockey on Tuesday after being diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS).
EDS is a hereditary disorder that affects the connective tissue that stabilizes and supports the joints and organs throughout the body, Lucius explained in a statement released by his agency.
Lucius was playing with the American Hockey League’s Manitoba Moose this season, appearing in 25 games and totalling nine points. He last played on Feb. 9.
“As I struggled with incurring and recovering from various joint injuries over the past several years, I had thought I was just unlucky,” Lucius’s statement said. “With this diagnosis of EDS, I now realize that my body impacted by EDS could not handle the physical nature of playing hockey.”
A native of Lawrence, Kan., Lucius spent time collegiately with the University of Minnesota and played junior hockey with the Portland Winterhawks. He had spent the last two seasons with the Moose.
He also played for the United States at the 2023 world juniors, scoring five goals in seven games. He registered a hat-trick in his country’s bronze-medal win over Sweden.
“After much discussion and consultation with Chaz, his representatives, and medical professionals, the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club fully supports his difficult decision to retire,” the Jets said in a statement.
Lucius said that he plans on becoming “an advocate for those suffering with EDS” going forward.
