A 17-year veteran of the NHL and a Stanley Cup champion, center Vincent Lecavalier announced his retirement Tuesday.
"Hockey has provided me so much in my lifetime but requires an incredible commitment," Lecavalier said in a statement released by the Kings. "It is now time for me to devote more time to my family."
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Lecavalier, 36, spent this past season with the Los Angeles Kings but was best known as an offensive threat during his 14 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. With the Lightning, he earned four All-Star appearances (2003 and 2007-09) and led the NHL with 52 goals during the 2006-07 season.
He scored 26 goals and 56 points in 75 career postseason games, including 16 points in 2004 when the Lightning won the Stanley Cup. The first overall pick in the 1998 NHL Draft finishes his career with 20 or more goals in all but four of his professional seasons, totaling 421 goals and 949 points in 1,212 regular season games.
Lecavalier spent two full seasons with the Flyers but was traded to the Kings after playing just seven games in 2015-16 after stating his intention to retire at season's end.
"Hockey is the greatest team sport in the world," Lecavalier's statement concluded. "There is nothing like sharing a locker room with your teammates and competing together day in and day out. I have made lifelong friends and I’d like to thank them for making this an unforgettable journey. … Thank you."