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Ex-B’s enforcer Robins retires: ‘No way I was ever going to risk getting hit in the head again’

Boston Bruins Vs. Philadelphia Flyers At TD Garden

Boston Bruins Vs. Philadelphia Flyers At TD Garden

Boston Globe via Getty Images

Bobby Robins’ colorful career has come to an end.

This week, the longtime AHLer -- who made headlines this year for making the Bruins out of training camp at age 32 -- announced his retirement, after missing nearly all of last season to a concussion suffered in his NHL debut.

Now recovered, Robins said the decision to walk away was easy.

“Hockey is what I know. It’s what I do. But after getting my head banged up like that, it was -- no pun intended -- a no-brainer for me,’” Robins said, per the Providence Journal. “I couldn’t do it anymore. After the lowest points that I experienced, to where I am now, where I feel like myself again, there was no way I was ever going to risk getting hit in the head again or going through that again.”

Robins, who also moonlit as a blogger during his professional career, suffered a concussion in this fight with Flyers d-man Luke Schenn:

He later admitted he played through a concussion without notifying trainers or medical staff of his condition.

“After that first game, looking back, obviously I should have said something and sat out, but I would have literally played through anything at that point,” Robins told the Journal. “I was almost in denial, thinking it would go away, and it never did.

“I’m pretty sure it happened in the fight with Schenn. I kind of felt like I got my bell rung or got dinged in the head — in my line of work it happens more often than not. That’s just kind of how I felt. I got right on the plane (after the game) and went to Detroit thinking it would go away in the morning, like it always had. Then that morning when I woke up in Detroit, it was still there. I was like, oh man, but I would have played right to the death.”

Robins, now 33, appeared in one more game after that Detroit tilt -- a 4-0 loss to Washington in which he fought again, this time against Michael Latta -- and was demoted to AHL Providence shortly thereafter. He appeared in a few games for Providence, then sat out entirely after facing Worcester on Oct. 18.

Robins spent most of his time away dealing with headaches and vision problems, but is now over those symptoms.

“I’m back to my old self, finally,” he said. "[Wife] Sam and [daughter] Libby are very happy to have their husband and dad back.”