Penguins minor-league forward Ben Sexton announced his retirement from professional hockey on Saturday.
Sexton, 28, missed the entire 2019-20 season with a concussion.
It's with a heavy heart that I'm announcing my retirement from playing professional hockey," Sexton wrote on Twitter. "After missing the 2019-2020 season due to a concussion, and having a prior history of the injury, for my long term health and growing family it is in our best interest for me to step away from the game. I'd like to thank my family, friends, teammates, coaches and organizations I played for, for helping me pursue my dream of playing in the NHL. I look forward to starting this next chapter in my life and giving back to the game I dearly love and has given me so much."
Sexton was initially acquired by Pittsburgh along with defenseman Macoy Erkamps from the Senators in exchange for forward Tobias Lindberg and defenseman Stefan Elliott in December 2018. Sexton recorded seven goals and three assists in his 26 games with Wilkes-Barre following the trade to finish the 2018-19 season.
Sexton was signed to an AHL contract for the 2019-20 season and attended Pittsburgh's training camp, but missed the entire AHL season with an injury.
Sexton was originally a seventh-round pick by the Bruins in 2009. After turning pro in 2014, he played in 200 AHL games, recording 44 goals and 46 assists. He appeared in two NHL games with the Senators in 2017-18, and was scoreless with a minus-2 rating.
Sexton’s father Randy was the Penguins’ director of amateur scouting from 2010-17, and has been an assistant general manager with the Sabres for the past three seasons.
