Vernon Fiddler announces retirement after 877 games in NHL

Vernon Fiddler has retired from the NHL. (Mark Humphrey/AP)

NASHVILLE — Forward Vernon Fiddler is retiring from the NHL after playing 877 games over 14 seasons in the league with four different teams.

Fiddler announced his decision Wednesday in a story for The Players Tribune .

The 5-foot-11 centre says he thought the New Jersey Devils would be his final team when he signed during the 2016 off-season. But Fiddler wrote that Nashville general manager David Poile and Devils GM Ray Shero, who launched his professional career, worked out a trade sending him back to the Predators where he started in the NHL.

Fiddler says coming full circle was special with the Predators’ run to the Stanley Cup Final a "perfect way to finish my career."

He finished with 104 goals and 261 points and also played for the Coyotes and Dallas.

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