By Chris Brown

Played for Tigers from 1998-2002

Former Tiger standout Jay Bouwmeester retires

Jan 11, 2021 | 5:10 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – Former Medicine Hat Tigers defenceman Jay Bouwmeester has quietly hung up his skates.

The 17-year veteran made it official in an interview with Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic.

Bouwmeester suffered a cardiac episode and collapsed on the St. Louis Blues bench in February 2020 during a game against the Anaheim Ducks.

He told LeBrun he knew then that he was finished playing hockey.

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Bouwmeester played for the Tigers from the 1998-1999 to 2001-2002 seasons. He played 194 games for the Tigers, scoring 40 goals and 111 assists.

He was chosen third overall by the Florida Panthers in the 2002 NHL Entry Draft and made the jump to the NHL that year.

Tigers head coach and GM Willie Desjardins and Bouwmeester weren’t with the Orange and Black at the same time, but they do have a connection from before either were in Medicine Hat.

“I scouted Jay when he was 14,” said Desjardins on Monday. “He was an unbelievable player.”

Desjardins was happy to see Bouwmeester lift the Stanly Cup in 2019 with the Blues, adding he was one of the key guys on the team.

He said Bouwmeester had an amazing career.

“He’s always been a guy that doesn’t like the limelight, he’s pretty quiet,” said Desjardins. “But really he left this mark in hockey.”

Desjardins said Bouwmeester left a great blueprint for Tigers players to follow.

“He played every night. You look at his record, he didn’t miss many games. He was always there, a really good teammate, a guy you knew you could count on.”

Bouwmeester played 1,240 regular season games played split between the Blues, Calgary Flames and the Panthers. He totaled 88 goals and 336 assists. Bouwmeester also won an Olympic gold medal as a member of Team Canada at the 2014 Winter Games.