Former University of Maine hockey standout Paul Kariya announced his retirement from the NHL today.

Kariya, who won the Hobey Baker Award as a freshman at Maine and helped the Black Bears to the 1993 national championship, retired after 15 seasons in the NHL. Kariya scored 989 points in 989 NHL games, yet sat out the 2010-2011 season recovering from concussion symptoms.

Through his agent, Don Baizley, Kariya released a statement announcing his retirement.

“I am also very grateful for the support I have received over the years from the fans, especially those in Anaheim, Colorado, Nashville, and St. Louis,” Kariya said in the statement. “It was my dream to be a professional hockey player in the NHL from my minor hockey days in North Vancouver and Burnaby, through junior hockey in Penticton, college hockey at the University of Maine, and the Canadian National Team. I would not have achieved it without support from all of these people and organizations.”