Joe Thornton, one of the oldest skaters in National Hockey League history, officially announced his retirement on Saturday.
In a video message shared by the San Jose Sharks, Thornton, 44, officially announced the end of his long career.
“Based on how many people keep asking me, I guess I should tell you that I’m officially retired from the NHL,” Thornton said jokingly, shirtless and wearing a wide-brimmed hat.
“I thought you guys would find out sooner, but you kept asking – so here I am, retired. I have so much love for the game of hockey and for the countless number of people who helped make this child’s dream come true.
‘And if you’re looking for me, you know where to find me. I’ll be at the rink. Peace and love.’
Joe Thornton officially announced his retirement from the NHL after playing more than 1,700 games
Thornton, the last active NHLer to play in the 1990s, logged 1,714 regular season games and 187 playoff games over 25 seasons on the show.
He had not yet played a single game this NHL season and had not signed a contract with any team.
Throughout all 24 seasons, he played for four different teams, but was best known for his time with the San Jose Sharks.
He finishes his career with the sixth-most games played in NHL history, just 17 games behind Ron Francis for fifth place and 65 games behind fellow Shark Patrick Marleau for the all-time record.
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