

Swiss winger Damien Brunner has retired from hockey at age 38, effective immediately, according to the website of his last club, EHC Biel-Bienne in Switzerland’s National League.
Brunner played only six games this season and did not register any points. His last game was on Nov. 22.
“During his rehabilitation, he noticed a further regression in his physical condition, which no longer allows him to return to play the sport at an elite level,” the club said.
Born and raised in the Zurich suburb of Kloten, Brunner came up through the ranks and turned pro with local club EHC Kloten, and later moved to EV Zug. He was never drafted by an NHL team but, after winning the National League scoring title and MVP in 2011-12, he signed as a free agent with the Detroit Red Wings at age 26 in 2012.
Over three seasons, Brunner played 121 NHL regular-season games with the Wings and New Jersey Devils, recording 58 points and 46 penalty minutes. He had a further nine points in 14 playoff games, all with Detroit in 2013.
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Since returning to Switzerland, Brunner played for HC Lugano and Biel-Bienne, where he’d played since 2018. In 766 National League games with four teams over 18 seasons, Brunner had 604 points and 484 penalty minutes.
Internationally, Brunner represented Switzerland at five IIHF World Championships, recording 26 points in 36 games. He also played in the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi.