Former Arizona Coyotes forward Jean-Sébastien Dea has announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 32.
Jean-Sébastien Dea is calling it a career.
The 32-year-old forward announced his retirement from professional hockey on Instagram, with TVA Sports’ Renaud Lavoie also sharing the news.
For the Utah Mammoth, Dea’s retirement brings an end to a career that included a brief stop with the franchise when it was still the Arizona Coyotes.
Dea played four games for Arizona during the 2021-22 season, recording one assist. It was a small part of a career that took the Laval, Quebec, native through several NHL organizations and overseas before ultimately bringing him back home.
Dea began his professional career near the end of the 2013-14 season after three years with the Rouyn-Noranda Huskies of the QMJHL. He signed with the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins as an undrafted free agent and spent much of the next five seasons with the club.
He became a consistent scorer in the AHL, putting up 72 goals and 163 points in 287 games. He also got his chance in the NHL, playing nine games with the Pittsburgh Penguins and scoring twice.
The 2018-19 season saw Dea move between Pittsburgh and the New Jersey Devils after being claimed off waivers by both teams. He scored three goals and five points in 20 games with New Jersey.
Following that season, Dea continued his journey around professional hockey, spending time in the organizations of the Buffalo Sabres, Montreal Canadiens and Coyotes.
His best AHL season came in 2021-22 with the Laval Rocket. Playing for his hometown team, Dea scored 26 goals and finished with 52 points in 70 games.
After his time in North America, Dea took his career overseas. He spent several seasons with Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk of the KHL before finishing his career with Eisbären Berlin of the DEL.
Dea leaves professional hockey with 153 goals and 341 points in 517 AHL games. He also appeared in 37 NHL games, recording five goals and seven points.
His four games with the Coyotes may have been just a small chapter in his career, but they are now part of the history of the franchise that has become the Utah Mammoth.
After more than a decade spent chasing the game across North America and Europe, Dea is finally hanging up the skates.
