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Simon Gagne calls it a career

simongagnegetty

Simon Gagne announced his retirement on Tuesday.

“Today, I want to thank my trainers and teammates,” he said in a statement. “You inspired me to surpass myself. You made me understand that you need more than talent; it takes sacrifice and discipline and you need to work harder than your rivals.

“I also wish to thank my fans. Every evening, you energized me and inspired me to perform.”

Gagne, 35, is hanging ‘em up after an abbreviated ’14-15 campaign in Boston. He played in just 23 games with the Bruins before leaving the team in December to spend time with his father, Pierre, who eventually succumbed to liver cancer.

Following his father’s passing, Gagne told the Bruins he wouldn’t be returning to the club.

“Last year, I lost my father: my number one fan, my coach, my confidant, my best friend, and my top teammate,” Gagne explained in today’s announcement. “The hard knocks of life often teach us to stop, think and look back at the road traveled, so that we can make the right decisions going forward.

“Today, I am hanging up my skates, calmly and with peace of mind, knowing that it is the right time and the right decision.”

Gagne walks away from the game with an impressive resume.

Over 14 years he racked up 601 points, won a Stanley Cup with Los Angeles in 2012, and an Olympic gold with Team Canada in 2002.

A two-time All-Star, Gagne will probably best be remembered for his time in Philadelphia, during which he became a fan favorite. He had a tremendous season in 2005-06, scoring 47 goals and 79 points en route to capturing the Bobby Clarke trophy as team MVP.

Gagne was later re-acquired by the Flyers in ’13 and, fittingly, scored in his first game back with the team.