Blue Jackets F Nathan Gerbe retires

Columbus Blue Jackets forward Nathan Gerbe retired from the NHL on Thursday.

The NHL Alumni Association announced his retirement.

The Buffalo Sabres selected the 5-foot-4 Gerbe in the fifth round of the 2005 NHL Draft. In 435 career games with the Sabres (2008-13), Carolina Hurricanes (2013-16) and Blue Jackets (2017-18, 2019-21), he had 151 points (63 goals, 88 assists).

He appeared in just nine games for the Blue Jackets in 2020-21, contributing one goal and two assists. He missed the entire 2021-22 season after undergoing hip surgery in September 2021.

That was the latest surgery for Gerbe, 35, who had multiple injuries throughout his career. In 2019, he had surgery to repair his hip labrum and bilateral hernia surgeries.

He had not reached the 50-game mark in a season since 2014-15.