The Komets announced Tuesday that veteran defenseman Guy Dupuis is retiring from professional hockey after a career spanning 21 years.
Dupuis, 41, began his career in 1990 appearing in two seasons with Adirondack of the AHL after being selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1988 NHL Entry Draft. Dupuis made his Fort Wayne debut during the 1991-92 season skating 10 games with the Komets. Dupuis also appeared that season with Adirondack participating in 49 AHL games and three playoff games.
Dupuis began a string of seven straight seasons with the Komets in 1992-93 and capped the season with an IHL Turner Cup Championship. After a six-year swing of various stints with other teams in the AHL, IHL, UHL, WCHL, ECHL and a two-year tour of Germany elite hockey, the Moncton, New Brunswick native returned to Fort Wayne to complete his career skating an additional six campaigns collecting three additional IHL championships, all as captain of the Komets. Dupuis also became one of only 15 players to have won four Turner Cup championships. "Guy is and always will be a special part of Komet hockey," Komet president Michael Franke said. "It goes beyond playing the game. Guy Dupuis did it all on and off the ice. His on-ice accomplishments will never be duplicated."
In addition to four championships during his Fort Wayne career and several All-Star appearances, the defenseman also captured the league Defenseman of the Year Award on three occasions, was an eight-time Komet Defenseman of the Year and seven-time recipient of the Komets' Plus/Minus Award. "I will cherish forever my memories of the victories and championships I experienced with my teammates, the organization and the community," Dupuis said. "There is a part of me that will always miss the game, our dedicated fans and the excitement that was Komet Hockey. At this point in my life it is just the best decision for my family that I retire from pro hockey."
Always active in the community, Dupuis was twice honored with Fort Wayne's Bud Gallmeier Memorial Trophy for Community Service and is a two-time winner of the Komets' True Komet Award.
Dupuis broke many Komet franchise records during his 14-year Fort Wayne career. Among the records now owned by Dupuis are most career games played (945), most playoff career games played (95), most games played overall including regular season and playoffs (1,040), most goals by a Komet defenseman (126), most assists by a Komet defenseman (417), most points by a Komet defenseman (543), most playoff goals by a Komet defenseman (14), most overall goals by a defenseman including regular season and playoffs (140), most overall assists by a Komet defenseman including regular season and playoffs (454) and most overall points including regular season and playoffs by a Komet defenseman (594).
"Guy is a class act; first on the ice and last off. Every day of his career he worked at his game in practice and his work ethic was second to none," Komet head coach Al Sims said. "His determination and heart carried him to a long career. His records will go down in Komet history and may never be broken."
#2 to be retired on Guy Dupuis Night
