Veteran defenceman Pavel Kubina announced his retirement from the NHL after 13 seasons.
Kubina played most of his career with the Tampa Bay Lightning, winning a Stanley Cup with the team in 2004. The Czech blueliner also spent time playing with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Atlanta Thrashers and Philadelphia Flyers.
“Making my way to the NHL and playing in the best league in the world for 13 seasons has been a dream come true,” Kubina said in a Lightning press release. “I will be forever grateful for the experiences and friendships that I have gained over the course of my career, including capturing the Stanley Cup in Tampa in 2004.”
The 36-year-old was drafted by the Lightning in the seventh round (179th overall) of the 1996 NHL Draft. In 970 career NHL games, Kubina registered 110 goals, 276 assists and 1,123 penalty minutes. His final season in the NHL was the 2011-12 campaign that he spent with the Lightning and Flyers. Last season, Kubina played for Genève-Servette HC in Switzerland.
Kubina represented the Czech Republic internationally at every level of competition, including three times at the Olympics, where he won a bronze medal in Torino in 2006.
“Pavel was one of the best defenceman I played with during my NHL career,” former Leafs teammate Mats Sundin said. “More importantly he was a great teammate and friend. I will always care about Pavel as one of my best friends.”
