Hometown hero Jason Arnott retires from NHL

Jason Arnott retired yesterday with 18 glorious seasons of NHL hockey on his résumé.

And 13 years ago, Arnott’s boyhood dream came true in the Stanley Cup final when he scored the winning goal for the New Jersey Devils in double-overtime.

His father is clearly proud.

"How many kids dream of playing in the NHL and scoring the game winning goal?” says Bill Arnott. “That’s pretty neat."

Phillip Eichler at the Wasaga Stars Arena says Arnott’s hometown of Wasaga Beach is proud of him.

"That goal he scored, everyone in town has a picture of it here,” he says.

Now 39 and living in Dallas, the kid from Wasaga Beach is retiring from the NHL – nagging injuries are forcing him to hang up the skates for good.

“He still wants to play but his knees won’t let him,” his dad says.

Bill Arnott watched his boy play minor hockey in Wasaga Beach, then move on to Stayner with the Siskins before playing in the OHL with the Oshawa Generals.

Not long after that, the NHL came calling. Jason Arnott was drafted by the Edmonton Oilers, and played his first game at 19. Arnott played for five other teams: The Devils, Stars, Predators, Capitals, and Blues. In his career, he scored 417 goals and earned 938 points.

“We have the memorial wall plaque and pictures and stand here at the arena and the kids see it and look up to him knowing that he made the NHL and had such a great career,” says Jack McCarl at the arena. “He was such a classy, down-to-earth guy when I met him.”

Eichler says he belongs in the Hockey Hall of Fame. And Arnott’s father agrees: “I'm a little biased, but I think he should be in there.”

Now 18 years later, Jason Arnott has had his fair share of Stanley Cup memories. The question now remains: will he be called to the Hall of Fame?

We'll have to wait a few years to find out, but if you ask anyone in Wasaga Beach, the answer is an overwhelming yes.