Scott Gomez is calling it a career.
The veteran forward announced his intention to hang up his skates after 16 seasons in the NHL on Wednesday, telling Doyle Woody of the Alaska Dispatch News.
"This has been my life,'' Gomez said. "It's so weird to think I'm never going to play hockey again.
"People say, 'You'll find something.' But saying that, there will never be that feeling again, of even playing a preseason NHL game. You're playing at the highest level there is.
"But I'm done. I'm done.''
Gomez started his career with the New Jersey Devils where he won a pair of Stanley Cups and the Calder Trophy as Rookie of the Year in the 1999-2000 season. He'd go on to play for the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens, San Jose Sharks, St. Louis Blues, and Ottawa Senators, as well as a second stint with the Devils.
The last few years saw Gomez battling for a roster spot and he split time between the Blues, Senators, and Hershey Bears of the AHL during the 2015-16 season.
Gomez, who was a member of the 2006 U.S. Olympic team and a two-time All-Star, finishes with 181 goals and 756 points over 1,079 career games.
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