Tim Vitek retired on a high note. He was the fifthleading scorer in the Southern Professional Hockey League with 73 points -- three short of his career-high -- in 56 games for the Knoxville Ice Bears.
"I knew it had to come to an end," he said. "I'm glad it came on my own terms."
The five-foot-10,175-pound Vitek spent most of his career in the SPHL, but he also played one full season and parts of two others in the Central Hockey League.
He won a pair of SPHL titles with Knoxville in 2008 and '09.
"I've been very fortunate enough to be part of a couple championship teams," he said. "There's nothing like being part of a championship."
Vitek also won back-to-back Western junior 'B' championships with the Chatham Maroons in 2000 and '01 before playing four seasons at the University of Massachusetts.
Vitek almost retired last summer. He chose to rejoin the Ice Bears two weeks before camp began.
He looks forward to spending the hockey season closer to his family. He'd also like to try coaching, maybe at the junior C' level.
Tim Vitek Stats:
http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/pdisplay.php?pid=63076