Seven weeks ago Brendan Shanahan surprised the hockey world by unanimously dissolving his one-year, $1m contract with the New Jersey Devils. On Tuesday he announced his expected retirement.

“I would like to thank my family and all of the friends who have helped me achieve and maintain my childhood dream of playing in the National Hockey League,” reads Shanahan’s statement about the end of his playing career after 21 years in the NHL.

The 40-year-old played for New Jersey, the New York Rangers, Detroit, Hartford and St. Louis during his 21-year career.

In 2008 Shanahan went back to the New Jersey Devils, where his magnificent career had started as a number-two draft pick in 1987. However, Shanahan and the Devils unexpectedly decided to go separate ways after this year’s training camp, just before the opening game.

On October 1 Shanahan was quoted: “When I signed this past summer, (GM) Lou Lamoriello, (coach) Jacques Lemaire, and I agreed that if we were unable to find a suitable fit in which I would be able to compete and contribute at the level I expect from myself, then I would simply step aside.”

Shanahan was one of the most productive forwards in the NHL. He leaves the league with 656 goals and 1,354 points in 1,524 regular-season games. He’s ranked 11th all-time in goal scoring, and fifth with 109 game-winning goals.

In the high of his career he led the Detroit Red Wings to three Stanley Cups (1997, 1998 and 2002) and won the 2002 Olympic Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Canada’s only Olympic gold in men’s hockey since 1952.

He also became on of three Canadians who won the Olympic gold and the Stanley Cup in the same year.

The Ontario native and son of Irish parents is one of only 22 players who won the three most prestigious titles in hockey with the Olympics, the World Championship and the Stanley Cup.

Shanahan and his 21 Triple Gold Club friends will be officially recognized at the Olympic Games in Vancouver during a February 22 ceremony at the Molson Canadian Hockey House.

Shanahan won the 1994 World Championship title in Milan, Italy, which was the first time Canada won the event in 33 years. He was second in scoring with seven points in six games.

Three years earlier he was also part of the 1991 Canada Cup winning team.

The player Shanahan is history, but speculation has already arisen about his qualities of a potential GM of an NHL team, or for a position within the NHL Players’ Association.