Former Montreal Canadiens and Anaheim Ducks center Saku Koivu announced his retirement on Wednesday after 18 seasons in the NHL.
"Looking back at my 22 years of pro hockey, first in Finland and then in the NHL, I feel truly blessed and fulfilled," he said in a statement released by the National Hockey League Players' Association. "I have been contemplating retirement for quite some time and am very confident in my decision at this time and place."
Koivu, 39, appeared in 1,124 regular-season NHL games and 80 Stanley Cup playoff games. He scored 255 goals and had 832 points in the regular season, and 18 goals and 59 points in the playoffs.
He was captain of the Canadiens for nine seasons, from 1999-2000 to 2008-09, becoming the first European-born player to hold that role.
"I feel I was truly lucky to have a chance to play for the legendary Canadiens for so many years and serve as captain and share that great honor with many truly legendary captains from before my time," he said.
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Koivu spent the final five seasons of his NHL career in Anaheim.
The Canadiens selected Koivu in the first round (No. 21) of the 1993 draft. He ranks in the top five among Finnish-born NHL players in games played, goals, assists and points.
