Paul Gaustad announces retirement on Instagram

Veteran center Paul Gaustad took to Instagram on Thursday to announce his retirement from professional hockey.

"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. 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. A special thank you to my wife, family and friends that have helped and supported me, from a kid at a local Portland rink dreaming of playing in the NHL, to all of the ups and downs of a pro career. Although I will miss the competition and camaraderie of playing in the NHL, I’m excited to spend more time with my beautiful family and help my three sons pursue their dreams." @danigaustad06 @phillip__gaustad @buffalosabres @predsnhl @amerkshockey @winterhawks

A photo posted by Paul Gaustad (@paulgaustad28) on Sep 8, 2016 at 11:02am PDT

Selected in the seventh round of the 2000 NHL Draft, Gaustad appeared in 727 career games split between the Buffalo Sabres and Nashville Predators, recording 89 goals, 142 assists, and 778 penalty minutes.

Gaustad became a free agent on July 1 after appearing in 63 games for Nashville in 2015-16.

In the caption, Gaustad wrote, "Although I will miss the competition and camaraderie of playing in the NHL, I’m excited to spend more time with my beautiful family and help my three sons pursue their dreams."

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Paul Gaustad announces retirement on Instagram

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