Ex-NHLer Nedved retires at the age of 42

Nedved returned to the Olympics to play for the Czech Republic in Sochi. (Julio Cortez/AP)

PRAGUE, Czech Republic — Veteran Czech centre Petr Nedved has retired from ice hockey, a month after playing in the Sochi Olympics.

The 42-year-old Nedved made the announcement on Thursday after his White Tigers Liberec were knocked out of the Czech league playoffs.

“I can hardly find anything as beautiful as hockey in my life,” an emotional Nedved said.

Nedved returned to the Olympics to play for the Czech Republic two decades after winning a silver medal in Lillehammer playing for Canada.

He emigrated from then-communist Czechoslovakia in 1989 to start his NHL career in 1990 with three seasons for the Vancouver Canucks. In 1995-96, his best season, he scored 45 goals and had 54 assists for the Pittsburgh Penguins before adding 10 goals and 10 assists in the playoffs.

In 982 NHL regular season games, Nedved scored 310 goals and added 407 assists.

He also played for the St. Louis Blues, New York Rangers, Edmonton Oilers, Phoenix Coyotes and Philadelphia Flyers.

He returned home when he retired from the NHL after the 2006-07 season.

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