DENVER (Reuters) - Colorado Avalanche captain Adam Foote will retire at the end of the NHL season, bringing down the curtain on a 20-year career that included two Stanley Cups and an Olympic gold medal, the team said on Friday.
Selected in the first round of the 1989 NHL Draft by the Quebec Nordiques, the defenseman followed the team to Denver when it relocated and spent 17 of his 19 seasons with Colorado.
"Like every boy's dream growing up in Canada, my goal was to play one game in the National Hockey League," Foote, who will retire after Colorado's season-ending game on Sunday against the visiting Edmonton Oilers, said in a statement.
"After 20 years and over 1,000 games, I feel fortunate to be a part of this great game for so long."
Foote, who has not played since suffering a leg injury on March 16 while blocking a shot, spent from 2005-08 with the Columbus Blue Jackets then returned to the team he helped lead to two Stanley Cups.
Over 19 seasons, Foote has amassed 308 points, including 66 goals, 1,534 penalty minutes in 1,153 career games.
He also represented Canada at three Olympics (1998, 2002, 2006) winning gold at the Salt Lake City Winter Games.
(Writing by Steve Keating in Toronto, Editing by Frank Pingue; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)
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