Brian Gionta announced his official retirement from the National Hockey League during a press conference this afternoon.
“I don’t really feel my career warrants a formal announcement… but I am announcing my retirement.” – Brian Gionta pic.twitter.com/mXfewFgqvx
— Joe Yerdon (@JoeYerdon) September 24, 2018
He played 16 seasons in the league for the New Jersey Devils, Montreal Canadiens, Buffalo Sabres and Boston Bruins. During his career he scored 291 goals in 1,026 games.
Of those 291 goals, 40 came with the Sabres over three years (230 games).
The Rochester, NY native was the captain of two NHL teams, including becoming only the second American born captain of the Canadiens.
He won his only Stanley Cup in 2003 with the Devils.
Throught his career the 1998 third-round pick scored at least 20 goals seven times in his career, with one of those seasons being a 48 goal campaign.
At the end of the day, the undersized forward had a great NHL career.
After spending time time last season mentoring the Rochester Americans of the AHL while he prepared for the Olympics and coaching at Sabres development camp this summer, Gionta will continue his hockey career in a new role.
He’ll join the Sabres in what he described as a “small-part” within the organization off the ice.