Brendan  Shanahan  has  decided to  retire

after 21 prosperous seasons in the National Hockey League.

The  veteran  forward made  the announcement Tuesday  after having parted ways

with  his most  recent club, the New  Jersey Devils, on the opening day of the

season.



"I  would  like to thank my  family and all of  the friends who have helped me

achieve  and  maintain my  childhood dream  of playing  in the National Hockey

League,"  Shanahan said  in a release. "I  am enormously grateful to all of my

coaches  and  teammates I've  had the  privilege of  learning from and playing

along  side of, throughout my career. While I always dreamed of playing in the

NHL,  I  can't honestly say that  I would have  ever imagined that I'd be this

fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped

me fulfill this dream."



Unaffiliated  through  the first  three  months  of  last season,  the  Devils

signed  Shanahan in mid-January and decided in the offseason to bring him back

for  a 22nd  season.  The two  sides  called the  ensuing  split amicable  but

general  manager Lou  Lamoriello  added  that the  emergence  of  some of  New

Jersey's  younger players  was a factor in  the decision. He had six goals and

eight assists  in 34  games during the 2008-09 season, adding a goal and three

points in seven playoff contests.



A  native of  Mimico, Ontario, Shanahan was taken second overall by New Jersey

in  the  1987 NHL  draft. Since  making his debut  in 1987-88, the 40-year-old

went on to play for St. Louis, Hartford, Detroit and the New  York  Rangers.



Shanahan  finished  his career with 656  goals and 698 assists in 1,524 games.

Those  impressive totals  leave him 11th all-time in goals and 23rd in points.

In  addition, Shanahan  ranks 35th all-time in playoff scoring with 134 points

in 184 games having tasted the postseason in 19 of his 21 seasons.



Shanahan was an eight-time All-Star and captured three Stanley Cup titles with

the Red Wings in 1997, 1998 and 2002.