Former Ottawa Senators defenceman Chris Wideman announced his retirement today at 34, surrendering to a back problem that kept him sidelined last season.
Wideman played his last two seasons in the league with the Montreal Canadiens, but made his name with the Ottawa Senators, spending almost a decade affiliated with the team. The Sens drafted him in 2009, 100th overall, before he launched into a full four-year run at Miami University (Ohio). Wideman spent three and a half seasons with the NHL club, including 15 of their 19 games in that fantastic playoff run in 2017.
Unfortunately, Wideman might best be remembered in Ottawa for getting caught up in the Uber-Gate story. In the fall of 2018, when the Sens were unravelling, it sure looked like past management made Wideman the scapegoat after an Uber driver secretly recorded (and later released on the internet) several Senator players having a private conversation, blowing off a little steam.
They criticized their coaches, mostly Guy Boucher’s assistant, Martin Raymond. Matt Duchene, Thomas Chabot, Colin White, Chris Tierney, Dylan DeMelo and Alex Formenton were also in the cab. Still, Wideman appeared to take the fall for the group, and he was quickly traded a couple of weeks later.
As a player, Wideman was a solid bottom-pairing guy, like an earlier version of Erik Brannstrom. He was also a good teammate and a good soldier for the Senators. I remember when he randomly posted on social media on a winter afternoon that he would be at a local outdoor rink if any local kids wanted to come out and play shinny. The response was excellent.
Here’s Wideman’s open letter of retirement, and while it doesn’t mention his time in Ottawa, it should also be noted it appears to have been written specifically for Canadiens.com:
There was a point in time during my career that I thought I’d never have the opportunity to write a note like this, and to leave the game with even more love than when I started playing at 3 years old – but I can. It is the greatest accomplishment of my professional career.
After much thought, I have decided it is best for my health and my family to retire from playing hockey professionally. I made numerous attempts at rehabilitation, therapy and many different treatments, but eventually it became apparent that returning to the game I love would not be possible.
While this is a difficult day for me, it is also a day of reflection and gratitude.
I am incredibly grateful to have had the opportunity to live out my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League.
When I left Miami University in the Spring of 2012, I could never have imagined how incredibly rewarding the next 12 years would be.
Those years brought many reasons to celebrate. Although there were certainly challenging times, I am lucky to have a support system of family and friends that were there consistently encouraging me to keep on going.
From an early age, my mother told me, “If you don’t believe in yourself, nobody else will believe in you.” That adage remained in the back of my mind as my career met quite a few roadblocks along the way.
My parents committed the time and provided the resources to set my siblings and me up for success. I am thankful that they instilled a strong work ethic in us, while always being there to nurture and guide us through tough times.
My wife, Caroline, made countless sacrifices to allow me to continue to turn a dream into reality. Thank you for your unwavering support. It brought me the strength to fight through adversity when most people thought it could not be done.
Becoming a father to my children, Henry and Ferris, has given me a new purpose and sense of pride. Playing hockey at the Bell Centre in front of my son Henry, gave us memories we will have for a lifetime.
The hockey world is special and it is full of incredible people. From minor hockey coaches to volunteers and parents, you are the ones that make a professional career possible.
Behind the scenes, the trainers, equipment and support staff play a huge role keeping players on the ice, but their ability to put a smile on my face every day made even the longest seasons not feel so heavy. Thank you all for your help, but most importantly for being a friend.
I have had the opportunity to play for some amazing organizations throughout my career and I could not be more thankful to have had the chance to play for and retire with the Montreal Canadiens.
A special thank you to Scott Mellanby and my agent Allain Roy for taking an interest in me and providing the opportunity to return to the NHL after spending a season playing in the KHL in Russia.
Thank you to Geoff and Kate Molson for giving me a second chance to play in the NHL. You both treat the players like family and make Montreal a special place to play. Jeff Gorton, Kent Hughes and Martin St. Louis gave me an opportunity to continue my career in Montreal until the end. I want to thank you all for changing my life for the better.
Skating on the Bell Centre ice with the CH logo on my chest, in front of the greatest fans in sports, is a feeling I wish all hockey players could experience. Thank you to all the fans who have supported me throughout my career.
Lastly, to my teammates. There is nothing in the game of hockey that brings me more joy than being part of a team. Being your teammate was never something I took for granted; it’s the part of the game that I’ll miss the most. We are teammates for life.
I’m not sure yet how I’ll manage to stay close to the game that I love, but as I did with everything else in my career, I know I’ll find a way.
Best,
Wides
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