George Parros announces retirement

So long, 'stache.

Popular enforcer and facial-hair enthusiast George Parros announced his retirement from the NHL on Friday. 

He played for five different teams over his nine seasons in the league, appearing in 474 games and recording 1,092 penalty minutes with 135 career regular-season fights, according to hockeyfights.com.

"It’s been an honor to play in the greatest league in the world. Thanks to the organizations I've had the good fortune to play for, especially to the Samueli and Molson families,” Parros said in a statement. “I've had the most amazing support from all of the fans who have supported my many endeavors throughout my career, for that I am eternally grateful. A final thank you to my parents Jim and Lynne, my wife Tiffany and my children who have made this dream of mine a reality.”

Parros was drafted by Los Angeles in 1999 and played college hockey at Princeton while majoring in economics. He spent his rookie season with the Kings before being claimed off waivers by the Colorado Avalanche, who dealt him to the Anaheim Ducks during his sophomore campaign.

Parros won the Stanley Cup with the Ducks in 2007 and appeared in 356 games with Anaheim before leaving as a free agent in 2012 for a single-season stint with the Florida Panthers. He joined the Montreal Canadiens in 2013-14, but suffered a concussion in his debut and was limited to 22 appearances in what would become his final season.

Parros expressed interest in continuing his career as recently as in October.

“Make no mistake about it, my No. 1 priority is making it onto an NHL roster,” he told the Montreal Gazette at the time.

It appears one team was interested: