Former Avalanche star stuns fans with shocking career announcement
Photo credit: Ric Tapia / Icon SMI
Peter Mueller, a former first-round pick and standout forward who spent part of his NHL career with the Colorado Avalanche, officially announces his retirement from professional hockey on Sunday.
Mueller has decided to hang up his skates after a career that spanned nearly two decades across multiple leagues.
Former Avalanche Peter Mueller announces his retirement.
Aarif Deen from Colorado Hockey Now writes that to longtime Avalanche fans, Mueller will always represent a case of unrealized potential, someone who could have achieved so much more at the NHL level.
The Avalanche picked up Mueller in a notable 2010 trade deadline deal that saw Wojtek Wolski head the other way. Colorado also added Kevin Porter as part of the return.
"Mueller went on to be one of the best trade deadline acquisitions in NHL history. In fact, he still holds the record for the most points by a player acquired on trade deadline day. He had nine goals, 11 assists, and 20 points in just 15 games for Colorado after the trade while playing on a line with center Matt Duchene and winger Milan Hejduk." -Deen
But the real twist in Mueller's story came immediately after. He was on pace to boost those point totals, and likely would have, had it not been for what happened in game 15. On a night where he had already tallied two goals and an assist against the San Jose Sharks, Mueller's season abruptly came to an end.
"The then 21-year-old was slammed into the boards behind the net at Pepsi Center by former Avalanche defenseman Rob Blake and suffered a concussion. He was removed from that game, missed the last bit of the regular season, the six-game playoff series loss against the Sharks, and the entire 2010-11 season. And he was never the same again." -Deen
Despite knowing the risks surrounding his future, Colorado still showed their faith in Mueller by signing him to a two-year extension that summer. That's how much belief the organization had in his potential.
Mueller eventually made his return midway through the 2011-12 campaign, suiting up for 32 games and recording 16 points with the Avalanche. He went on to play 43 games for the Florida Panthers during the lockout-shortened 2013 season before continuing his career overseas.
"Mueller played in Switzerland, Sweden, Czechia, and Germany. He won championships and was a point per game player in the Czech league in 2024-25. He even had a 56-game AHL stint with the Providence Bruins in 2016-17." -Deen
All things considered, hats off to a solid professional career. Now 37, Mueller walks away on his own terms, a rare feat in pro sports, and an achievement that deserves real respect.
| POLL | ||
JUILLET 27 | 17 ANSWERS Former Avalanche star stuns fans with shocking career announcement Do you think former Colorado Avalanche forward Peter Mueller had the potential to be Hall of Famer despite his underwhelming career? | ||
| yes | 3 | 17.6 % |
| no | 14 | 82.4 % |
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