Saku Koivu, star for Canadiens, Ducks, retires after 18 seasons in NHL
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Longtime Montreal Canadiens captain Saku Koivu (COY-vu) has retired.
The NHL players association announced on Wednesday that the Finnish star would call it a career after 18 seasons, all but five of which were spent in Montreal. He won four Olympic medals with Finland in the Winter Olympics, including a silver medal in their 2006 loss to archrival Sweden in the final.
In a statement released by the NHLPA, Koivu says he has "been contemplating retirement for quite some time" and "very confident" in his decision.
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In 1999, Koivu was chosen as the first European-born captain in Canadiens history.