Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell retires after 17 NHL seasons

Chicago Blackhawks defenseman Brian Campbell announced his retirement on Monday after 17 seasons in the NHL.

Campbell will join the Blackhawks' front office in the business operations department, assisting with various marketing, community relations and youth hockey initiatives, the team announced.

"We are excited that Brian will continue to be a part of the organization," Blackhawks president and CEO John McDonough said in a statement. "After a brilliant career on the ice, Brian will remain an important part of our franchise."

Campbell, 38, finished his NHL career with 504 career points (87 goals, 417 assists) in 1,082 games. He played in 295 games over four seasons with the Blackhawks (2008-2011 and 2016-17), tallying 24 goals and 110 assists.

Campbell was a member of the Blackhawks' 2010 Stanley Cup Champion team and collected the primary assist on Patrick Kane's series-clinching goal.

On Jan. 22, Campbell recorded his 500th career point and on April 5 he appeared in his 1,000th career NHL game. The defenseman appeared in four NHL All-Star Games (2007, 2008, 2009, 2012).

"I'm excited to transition into the next step in both my professional career and life," Campbell said. "I'm grateful to the countless number of teammates, coaches, team staff and fans that I have crossed paths with throughout my playing career in Chicago, Buffalo, Florida and San Jose. The Blackhawks organization has allowed me to take on this challenge and I'm thankful for this new opportunity."

The native of Strathroy, Ontario, played in the Stanley Cup playoffs in nine seasons, appearing in a total of 107 games, scoring nine goals and adding 35 assists. Campbell had a streak of 423 consecutive games played that began in March 23, 2011, and ended on Dec. 29, 2016.

Originally selected in the sixth round of the 1997 NHL draft by Buffalo, Campbell began his NHL career with the Sabres where he played eight seasons (1999-2004, 2005-2008) and scored 176 points (32 goals, 144 assists) in 391 games. Campbell played five seasons with the Florida Panthers (2011-2016) where he totaled 175 points (28 goals, 147 assists) in 376 games and won the 2012 Lady Bing Trophy (Most Sportsmanlike). He also played 20 games during the 2007-08 season with the San Jose Sharks.