Dave Scatchard announced, via a series of tweets, his retirement from hockey due to a severe concussion he sustained on April 3, 2011 after receiving a shoulder to the head while playing for the Peoria Rivermen.

His statement was as follows:

After a long week of tests at the Mayo clinic Dr.’s have advised me that playing hockey is not an option for me any longer. Wouldn’t be safe/
Sadly after taking the weekend to absorb it. I have accepted it and am pretty upset. Feel like I have a few more years inmestill #concussion/
I will miss the game A Lot. I will miss my teammates and the challenge of accomplishing our goals together. #beenonateamsinceIwas5yrsold/
Thank you to everyone who cheered for me over the last 30yrs + 14yrs of pro hockey. Has been an amazing journey and I loved every min of it/ Thanks to all my teammates that went to war with me for 650+games in the NHL and everyone who helped me get there. Thanks to my mom+dad/
I have 3 amazing children and an incredible wife that I need to be healthy for in the future. Disappointed that I couldn’t leave on own terms

Dave Scatchard during warm-ups before the March 20th game vs. the Lake Erie Monsters.

Yesterday, a heart-wrenching interview with Scatchard was published in the Toronto Star. He detailed that many day-to-day activities are still hard for him to complete with his persistent concussion symptoms. Even so, after 13 years in the NHL, Scatchard was not willing to give up on playing until his doctors at the Mayo Clinic told him that it would be impossible. He has had previous issues with concussions and hopes that if he talks about his own problems, it will help others in the future.

Dave Scatchard's career statistics according to hockeydb.com.

As for myself, I will definitely miss Dave Scatchard. It is always sad to see players suffer from the concussion symptoms, but even more so when they are a member of a team you are passionate about. He may have been an older player by many standards, but with his on the ice passion, you never would have known it. Not afraid to drop the gloves or play with physicality, Dave Scatchard was truly an asset to the Peoria Rivermen in the 2010-2011 season.

One of my favorite Scatchard goals of the season, a seemingly effortless one at that can be watched here. (at :10)