Winnipeg Jets First Round Pick Chaz Lucius Retires From Hockey Following Heartbreaking Diagnosis

Back in the 2021 NHL Draft, the Winnipeg Jets used the No. 18 overall pick on Chaz Lucius from the University of Minnesota with hopes that he could become a key center of the future for the team.

Although he's yet to put up incredible numbers for the Manitoba Moose of the AHL, Lucuius showed potential, but on Tuesday he made a heartbreaking announcement on social media.

Posted by Newport Sports on behalf of Lucius, the announcement was made that he has to retire from the sport of hockey due to a diagnosis of Ehlers-Danlos Syndrome (EDS), a hereditary disorder that effects the connective tissue that stabilizes and supports the joints and organs throughout the body.

In the statement, Lucius' representation reveals that the 21-year old thought he was just unlucky with injury, but after the EDS diagnosis, suddenly all of the issues that he had made sense, as he spent plenty of time on the sidelines in recent years due to this condition.

While Lucius never made his NHL debut, he had some fantastic years with the Moose, tallying 27 points over 54 games, but tragically at the age of 21, his hockey career is now over.

At the end of his statement, Lucius reveals that he will now look to become an advocate for those suffering from EDS, and while he's not likely to step away from hockey entirely, this is a noble and worthy path for the Kansas native as he looks to lead a great, long life after his NHL dreams have now gone.