Jets C Lucius, 21, retires with tissue disorder

Chaz Lucius, a erstwhile first-round prime for the Winnipeg Jets, announced his status connected Tuesday owed to a hereditary insubstantial disorder.

The 21-year-old halfway played for the Manitoba Moose this season, the AHL affiliate of the Jets.

Lucius said helium was diagnosed with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome, which affects the connective insubstantial that stabilizes and supports the joints and organs successful the body. He had struggled with associated injuries implicit the past respective years, some successful sustaining them and recovering from them.

"I thought I was conscionable unlucky. With this diagnosis of EDS, I present recognize that my assemblage could not grip the carnal quality of playing hockey," helium said successful a connection done Newport Sports, which represented him. "Given this condition, my wounded history, and helium carnal quality of hockey, I person been medically advised not to proceed to play."

Lucius is simply a autochthonal of Lawrence, Kansas. He was a merchandise of the U.S. National Team Development Program and aboriginal attended the University of Minnesota (2021-22). The Jets selected him 18th wide successful the 2021 draft.

He played for the Moose for the past 3 seasons, missing clip owed to injury. He had 9 points successful 25 games this play but hadn't been successful the lineup since aboriginal February. Head manager Mark Morrison said astatine the clip that Lucius "has a aesculapian information that needs a small spot further evaluation."

The Jets said successful a connection connected Tuesday: "After overmuch treatment and consultation with Chaz, his representatives, and aesculapian professionals, the Winnipeg Jets Hockey Club afloat supports his hard determination to retire. Chaz's information and struggles with Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS) enactment him astatine hazard of wounded if helium continues to play astatine the nonrecreational level, truthful we recognize his choice. We privation Chaz each the champion successful his efforts to beryllium an advocator for those dealing with EDS and anticipation for a agleam aboriginal successful beforehand of him."

Lucius thanked the Jets enactment for its enactment "through a precise challenging time," singling retired Mike Keane from the team's subordinate improvement unit for "caring for maine arsenic a idiosyncratic arsenic good arsenic a player."

He besides thanked each of his existent and erstwhile coaches and teammates. "I consciousness blessed to person experienced each that hockey gave maine implicit the years adjacent though I americium crushed that I cannot proceed to prosecute my imagination of playing successful the NHL," helium said.

Lucius said helium plans connected being an advocator for those with EDS.