Raleigh, NC (Best E Casino) - Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Glen Wesley announced his retirement from hockey on Thursday.

Originally drafted third overall in the 1987 draft by the Boston Bruins, Wesley completed his playing career ranked sixth on the NHL's all-time list of games played by a defenseman, skating in 1,457 total games over 20 seasons, 13 of which were spent with the Hartford/Carolina franchise. He spent his first seven seasons with Boston and briefly appeared with Toronto in the 2002-03 season.

The Red Deer, Alberta native began his career with the Bruins in 1987 and was named to the All-Rookie Team after totaling seven goals and 30 assists in 79 games. In his career, he tallied 128 goals along with 409 assists and 1,045 penalty minutes.

This past season with Carolina, he had one goal and 12 assists in 78 games and led the team in blocked shots with 110.

He appeared in the Stanley Cup Finals four times, with Boston in 1988 and 1990 and with Carolina in 2002 and 2006, capturing the Stanley Cup with the Hurricanes in 2006.

Wesley is the only player to have played for the Hurricanes in every season since the team relocated to North Carolina in 1997. He played more games (913) for the Hurricanes franchise than any player in the history of the team other than Ron Francis, and his 728 games played for the Hurricanes are the most of any player in a Carolina uniform. Wesley totaled 227 points (51 goals, 176 assists) for the Whalers and Hurricanes, and ranks 10th in team history in assists (176).

He also announced on Thursday that he will remain with the Hurricanes as the team's director of defenseman development.