from the Washington Capitals,

Brooks Orpik has announced his retirement today from the National Hockey League (NHL) after 15 seasons.

Born in San Francisco, California, but raised in Amherst, New York, the steady defenceman was a well-respected teammate and leader with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Washington Capitals over the course of his career - a journey that saw him total 194 points over his 1,035 regular-season games.

"I've been extremely lucky to have the best job in the world for many years, but my body is telling me it is time to move on to something new," said Orpik. "I'm excited for more family time and to experience a lot of the things that being a professional athlete forces you to miss out on. Thank you to the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins for giving me the opportunity to play against the best athletes in the world. I'll be forever grateful for the memories and relationships that hockey has given me."

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