Gaustad announces retirement

Former Sabres center Paul Gaustad announced his retirement from the National Hockey League on Thursday. 

Gaustad played in eight seasons with Buffalo, scoring 71 goals and 110 assists for a total 181 points in 479 games. He went on to play for the Nashville Predators for five seasons, where he added another 248 games. 

Gaustad was known for his faceoff abilities and became a good veteran for the Predators, but they opted not to re-sign him at the end of his latest contract. Now at 34 years old, the former 7th round (220th overall) selection by the Sabres is retiring from the NHL. 

“I have decided to move on to the next chapter of my life and career. It’s been an honor and a privilege to play in the AHL and NHL, and I am forever grateful for the amazing friendships and memories I’ve made during this journey.” – Paul Gaustad

“After 14 years as a professional hockey player, I have decided to move on to the next chapter of my life and career. It has been an honor and a privilege to play in the AHL and NHL, and I am forever grateful for the amazing friendships and memories I’ve made during this journey. Thank you to my talented teammates and coaches for helping me throughout the years. I will always remember and cherish our time together. And, of course, I want to express my appreciation to the incredible organizations I played for, as well as the fans in Rochester, Buffalo and Nashville that supported us. A special thank you to my wife, family and friends that have helped and supported me, from a kid at a local Portland rink dreaming of playing in the NHL, to all of the ups and downs of a pro career. Although I will miss the competition and camaraderie of playing in the NHL, I’m excited to spend more time with my beautiful family and help my three sons pursue their dreams.” @danigaustad06 @phillip__gaustad @buffalosabres @predsnhl @amerkshockey @winterhawks

A photo posted by Paul Gaustad (@paulgaustad28) on Sep 8, 2016 at 11:02am PDT