Ex-Stars forward Lehtinen retires from NHL

Lehtinen, who became a free agent after last season, hadn't caught on with a squad this year. The 37-year-old Finn released his retirement announcement through the Stars, who drafted him in 1992 when the team was still in Minnesota.

"It's a tough decision due to the fact that you play hockey your entire life and then must decide to stop playing," he said. "The memories I have playing in Dallas will never be forgotten and I will always be proud of the fact that I finished my career where it started."

Lehtinen was a cornerstone of the team in the years after it moved to Dallas and was known as one of the game's best defensive forwards.

He scored 243 goals and 514 regular-season points over 875 games, adding 27 goals and 49 points in 108 post-season contests. He played a crucial role in the Stars' 1999 Stanley Cup championship run, racking up 10 goals and 13 points in 23 playoff games that year.

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