At 36, Savine Wielenga has decided to retire, announcing this decision in an Instagram post on Monday, September 22: "Forever thankful for the game of hockey and everyone I have to share it with."
She had definitively left the Linköping team in the spring. Wielenga is a familiar face in the Swedish SDHL, having played 152 games and 67 points over seven seasons. She reached the Swedish league final in 2023 with Brynäs.
Born in The Hague, Savine Wielenga remains the greatest player in Netherlands women's hockey history. According to Netherlands Ice Hockey Federation, she holds the record for caps (124), goals (82), and points (148) for a Dutch player. At the World Championships, she was 48 points ahead of Julie Zwarthoed, second top scorer.
She was an important part of her country's immense rise at the IIHF World Championships. In 2023, the "Oranje" came close to qualifying for the world's top division, beaten on goal average by Denmark.
Last Sunday, it was fitting that she received the very first trophy awarded to the best female hockey player in the Netherlands, a trophy that will now bear her name. A truly remarkable achievement for Savine Wielenga.