Former NHLer Korbinian Holzer retires at 38
Former NHL defenseman Korbinian Holzer has called it a career at 38 years old.
Holzer, drafted 111th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in 2006, spent parts of eight seasons in the NHL. He accumulated six goals, 27 points and 139 penalty minutes in 206 games with Toronto, Anaheim and Nashville.
The rugged defender left the NHL after the 2019-20 season and would go on to spend the final six years of his career in Europe. He most recently captained the Graz99ers, an Austrian-based team in the ICEHL, registering eight points and 45 penalty minutes in 44 games en route to his only professional hockey championship.
Holzer got his first taste of the pro ranks playing in Germany in 2005-06. He’d go on to make the top league in 2007-08, two years after getting drafted by Toronto. He’d establish himself as a tough-as-nails blueliner while killing penalties and blocking shots. Holzer made his NHL debut in the 2010-11 season, while primarily skating with the Toronto Marlies. He’d get his next NHL action in 2012-13, before finally playing in the NHL more than the AHL in 2014-15.
Holzer was mostly a depth defenseman in Toronto. In fact, he would never play more than 49 games in an NHL season during his career. That came in 2019-20, where he played 46 games with Anaheim and another three with Nashville before signing in the KHL.
Internationally, Holzer established himself as a reliable defenseman for Germany. He helped his nation advance to the top division of the World Juniors after taking home gold at the Division IA tournament in 2007-08. Holzer also played in two Olympic Winter Games, and seven different World Championships, which include a spot on the all-star team in 2021.
“My decision was already made before the playoffs,” Holzer said in a Graz99ers team statement. “Of course, I never dreamed it would turn out this way. That makes the timing all the more perfect. It didn’t happen overnight, but rather developed over months. And now it’s simply time to take the next step.”
Holzer is expected to step into the coaching ring moving forward.