14 years in any professional sport is an eternity, especially in the very physical National Hockey League. John-Michael Liles grew up in Indiana and by the time he was in high school, it was apparent that hockey was his sport. He played on some elite teams during his teenage years and after high school had a successful college career at Michigan State.  

During his time with the Spartans, he was drafted by the Avalanche and was a Hobey Baker Finalist his senior season. Shortly after his college career wrapped up in 2003, John-Michael was playing with the Avs affiliate, the Hershey Bears. A few months later, he was in an Avs uniform and scored his first NHL goal in October of 2003.  

He'd spend several years playing solid defense for the Avalanche, becoming a fan favorite and racking up points and goals along the way. Good times rarely last in pro sports however and in 2011, John-Michael was traded to Toronto. A few years later, he was traded again, this time to the Hurricanes… just minutes before he was set to play for the Maple Leafs in the Outdoor Winter Classic. He’d be traded one more time (Boston) before retiring in 2017.  

These days, John-Michael is back to being a fan favorite on the Avalanche broadcast team on Altitude Sports. He’s also a husband and girl dad to two daughters.  

Listen to John-Michael’s story and conversation with @susiewargin on the Cut Traded Fired Retired Podcast. Links to listen on your favorite podcast platforms in the @ctfrpodcast bio!

To learn more about the host Susie Wargin, visit www.SusieWargin.com