As expected, veteran NHL forward Paul Gaustad has retired from professional hockey. He made the announcement on his Instagram page Thursday afternoon.
In his social media post, he thanked his wife, family and friends for their support throughout the course of his career.
“After 14 years as a professional hockey player, I have decided to move on to the next chapter of my life and career. It has been an honor and a privilege to play in the AHL and NHL, and I am forever grateful for the amazing friendships and memories I’ve made during this journey,” he wrote on Instagram.
“Thank you to my talented teammates and coaches for helping me throughout the years. I will always remember and cherish our time together. And, of course, I want to express my appreciation to the incredible organizations I played for, as well as the fans in Rochester, Buffalo and Nashville that supported us.”
Gaustad, originally selected 220th overall in the 2000 draft, entered the NHL with the Buffalo Sabres during the 2002-03 season.
He joined the Nashville Predators in the midst of the 2011-12 season and finished his career with 727 regular season games played. He scored 89 career goals and 231 points.