Following a difficult medical diagnosis, QMJHL defenseman Lane Hinkley announced his retirement from hockey.
Hockey is a tough sport. Just ask Charlottetown Islanders associate captain Lane Hinkley. The 19-year-old defenseman announced his retirement via Instagram after learning a medical exam revealed a lesion on his brain.
“The doctor said my MRI showed there is a 25 mm. by 17 mm. lesion on my brain, as well as other scars that they couldn’t determine the size of,” Hinkley wrote.
“Too many hits, too many punches, too many concussions that I didn’t properly heal from.”
The former first round QMJHL draft pick says he is at risk for Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy (CTE) and early dementia.
Hinkley was originally drafted 16th overall by Acadie-Bathurst in the 2020 QMJHL Entry Draft. He suited up in 59 games for the Titan before being traded to the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He joined Charlottetown during the 2022-2023 season playing 39 games for the Islanders organization.
Listed at six-foot-two and 230 pounds, the big defenseman played a physical brand of hockey. Despite his health problems, Hinkley wouldn’t change a thing.
“I will never regret a single hit or punch that I ever threw. I will never apologize for the way I played,” he wrote. “I didn’t score many goals towards the end, but I was a tough mother–er and nobody can take that away from me. I wear these scars on my hands proudly.”
In a statement released by Charlottetown Islanders Head Coach and General Manager, Jim Hulton, Hinkley was described as "an honest player who competed hard every day."
"Lane is highly respected by teammates, coaches and support staff for his straightforward, team first approach. While we are saddened to learn that Lane can no longer risk playing, we are fully confident that he will be successful in any venture that he enters into."
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