Andy Greene retires after 16-year NHL career

Andy Greene has retired from the NHL at the age of 39.

Greene, who turns 40 later this month, signed a one-day deal to retire as a member of the New Jersey Devils.

Greene spent 923 of his 1,057 games with the Devils, putting up 49 goals and 246 points. Known more as a stay-at-home defenseman, he had a four-year stint with the Devils from 2013-16 where he didn’t miss a game, making his mark as one of the most reliable players in the lineup.

Greene made it to the NHL as an undrafted free agent out of Miami University. Greene was a star in the NCAA in his early days, winning the CCHA championship in 2006 and won two top offensive defenseman and one defensive defenseman title. He started his NHL career at 24 in 2006-07 and eventually became a mainstay with the team, earning the captain’s “C” in 2015. Greene played his last two full seasons with the New York Islanders, highlighted by two semifinal playoff appearances in 2020 and 2021.

“I’ve been told that I was born to play hockey,” Greene said in a statement. “My mom went into labor with me on the way to one of my older brother’s hockey games. I think that was a sign.”

“Andy was a bedrock for New Jersey during his 14 years and developed into an exceptional leader and what it meant to be a Devil,” Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald said. “He was a consummate professional when times were hard and a representation to his teammates in the locker room. It’s only right that he announces his retirement from the National Hockey League as a member of the Devils and we thank him for all that he’s done on and off the ice for the organization.”