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Report: Gaustad expected to announce retirement

Paul Gaustad, Andrew Desjardins

Nashville Predators center Paul Gaustad (28) fights with Chicago Blackhawks left wing Andrew Desjardins (11) in the first period of an NHL hockey game Thursday, Dec. 10, 2015, in Nashville, Tenn. (AP Photo/Mark Zaleski)

AP

For now, Paul Gaustad is technically on the free agent market. However, rather than signing a late-summer deal with a team or accepting a professional tryout, he may opt to call it a career.

According to a report in the Edmonton Journal, which listed off a number of veteran centers the Oilers may be interested in as training camp approaches, Gaustad is expected to announce his retirement in “a couple of weeks.”

Now 34 years of age, Gaustad spent the last four-plus seasons in Nashville. However, it was determined quickly after the Predators were eliminated from the 2016 Stanley Cup playoffs that the veteran forward -- as well as Eric Nystrom -- would not be back.

With an annual $3.25 million cap hit from his now-expired four-year contract, Gaustad scored two goals and six points last season for Nashville. He reached the 10-goal mark, with 21 points, two years ago.

Gaustad, who began his NHL career in Buffalo during the 2002-03 season, has played in 727 regular season games, with 89 goals and 231 points. He also had 778 penalty minutes throughout his career.

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After 16 seasons, Scott Gomez calls it a career