Longtime NHL center Brad Richards officially announced his retirement from hockey Wednesday after 15 seasons in the league.
The announcement confirming his decision was posted on the National Hockey League Players' Association's official site.
Richards included a statement thanking those who helped him along the way during his five NHL stops since arriving to the sport's top level for the 2000-01 season:
I want to thank the fans and the five organizations I have played for: Tampa Bay [Lightning], Dallas [Stars], and the three original six teams—the New York Rangers, Chicago [Blackhawks], and Detroit [Red Wings].