Darren McCarty, a veteran of 15 NHL seasons who won four Stanley Cups with the Detroit Red Wings, officially announced his retirement Monday.
The 37-year-old McCarty spent 13 seasons with the Red Wings. He appeared in 758 games overall, recording 127 goals, 288 points and 1,477 penalty minutes. He scored the Cup-winning goal in the 1997 finals against Philadelphia to end Detroit's 42-year title drought. He also helped the Red Wings hoist the Cup in 1998, 2002 and '08.
"I'm very proud to have played for as long as I did, with so many great teammates and to have been a part of all those strong teams, especially the four Stanley Cup-winning teams in Detroit," McCarty said in a statement released by the NHL players' association. "Playing with and against the best players in the world for the past 15 years has been an amazing experience."
The Red Wings selected the hard-nosed right wing with the 46th overall pick in the 1992 draft. He made his NHL debut during the 1993-94 season, playing in 67 games as a rookie. McCarty, who embraced the enforcer's role in Hockeytown and became a fan favorite, had his best season in the 1996-97 Cup-winning campaign, scoring 19 goals to go with 30 assists.
McCarty saved his best for the postseason with 49 points in 174 career playoff games, including six game-winning goals.
After signing with the CalgaryFlames in 2005, he returned to Detroit to finish his career. McCarty played in only 13 games last season before becoming a free agent and was not signed this past offseason.
"It was a great ride. I appreciate what the game has given me and I'm happy with what I was able to accomplish as a hockey player, but now I'm excited for the next chapter," he said.
