Swiss Defenseman Raphael Díaz Still Enjoys Playing at 38; Not Ready to Quit Yet
© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images - Swiss Defenseman Raphael Díaz Still Enjoys Playing at 38; Not Ready to Quit YetSwiss defenseman Raphael Díaz, 38, will be a free agent at the end of the current season. Despite his age, he’s still logging top-pair minutes for Fribourg-Gottéron in the National League and he told Swiss media outlet Freiburger Nachrichten that he’s still having fun and not seriously thinking about retirement.
“I don’t look too far ahead,” he began, according to Swisshockeynews.ch. “If you stay healthy, you logically want to keep playing. And at the moment I’m healthy and enjoying hockey.”
As much as he still enjoys playing, Díaz admitted that at his age, he’d be wise to keep his options open, particularly if an off-ice hockey job should present itself.
“We'll let the season continue for now,” he added. “Then the discussions about whether to continue and how to continue will come.”
Díaz, who was born in Switzerland to a Spanish father and Swiss mother and holds dual citizenship, is a product of the EV Zug club, where he played his entire career until he was 35, except for a five-year span in North America from 2011 to 2016. In 201 NHL regular-season games with the Montreal Canadiens, Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames and New York Rangers, he recorded 49 points and 62 penalty minutes. He also had one assist in 13 playoff games.
Díaz is now in his fourth season playing for Fribourg-Gottéron. In 893 career National League regular-season and playoff games (as of October 1), he has 404 points and 517 penalty minutes. He is a three-time league all-star and was a member of Zug’s championship team his last season there in 2020-21.
Internationally, Díaz has represented Switzerland at eight IIHF World Championships, winning two silver medals. He has also played in four consecutive Winter Olympics – 2022 in Beijing is his most recent international appearance.
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