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Hockey Star Trades Skates for Scalpel
2 Oct
Summary
- Claire Thompson retires from hockey at 28 to become an orthopedic surgeon.
- She holds an Olympic record for points by a defender with 13 in Beijing.
- Thompson plans to specialize in sports medicine and research for female athletes.
Claire Thompson, a decorated Canadian defenseman, has announced her retirement from professional hockey at the age of 28. Her decision comes as she returns to NYU Grossman School of Medicine to pursue a career as an orthopedic surgeon.
Thompson's illustrious hockey career includes an Olympic gold medal and a Walter Cup championship. She notably set an Olympic record for points by a defender with 13 during the 2022 Beijing Games. She also earned a silver medal at the Milan Olympics, accumulating 17 points across 14 career Olympic games.
After pausing her medical studies for hockey, Thompson returned to play in the PWHL. She was selected third overall in the 2024 PWHL Draft and helped the Minnesota Frost win the 2025 Walter Cup, also being a finalist for Defender of the Year. She later joined the expansion Vancouver Goldeneyes as an alternate captain.
Thompson is now fully dedicated to her medical aspirations, planning to specialize in orthopedic surgery with a focus on sports medicine and research concerning female athletes.
