Tuesday, the eight-time All-Star left wing announced his retirement from the league.

He's the only NHL player to top 600 goals and 2,000 penalty minutes and led the league with 17 Gordie Howe hat tricks — a goal, assist and fight in the same game.

Shanahan began and ended his career with the New Jersey Devils, joining them at 18 out of junior hockey as the No. 2 overall pick of 1987 and again last January a week before his 40th birthday. He signed a one-year deal and went to this fall's training camp, but he and the Devils agreed to part ways so the team could go with younger players.

Shanahan signed with the St. Louis Blues as a free agent in 1991, but had to win over fans because popular defenseman Scott Stevens went to the Devils as compensation. He did that quickly, topping 50 goals in his second and third year there.

In 1993-94, he had 52 goals and 50 assists while taking 397 shots and spending 211 minutes in the penalty box. All were career highs.

Shanahan spent 1995-96 as Hartford Whalers captain after arriving in the Chris Pronger trade but asked to be dealt because of the uncertainty over whether the franchise would move. He was traded to the Detroit Red Wings and won his three Stanley Cup titles there in 1997, 1998 and 2002.

Shanahan was popular off the ice, too. He was a staple on ESPN commercials and appeared in six consecutive All-Star Games. He won the 2003 King Clancy Trophy for charitable work.

But perhaps his biggest off-ice contribution was the summit he called during the 2004-05 lockout to figure out how to improve the on-ice product. That led to rules changes that boosted offense and sped up the game.

Though several older players had trouble adjusting to the new NHL, Shanahan had 40 goals the first year after the lockout.

Shanahan, who also played two seasons with the New York Rangers, finished in the top three in games, goals, assists and points by a left wing. He's 11th overall in games and goals and fifth in game-winning goals (109) and power-play goals (237). Internationally, he won a gold medal with Canada at the 2002 Olympics.

"While I always dreamed of playing in the NHL," he said in a statement, "I can't honestly say that I would have ever imagined that I'd be this fortunate and blessed. I would like to sincerely thank everyone who has helped me fulfill this dream."

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Shanahan's career stats by team: