The Swedish paper Aftonbladet reports veteran NHL defenseman Mattias Norstrom has decided to retire effective immediately.

Norstrom began his NHL career with the NY Rangers in 1993-94 but would play the bulk of his fourteen NHL seasons with the Los Angeles Kings, where he would eventually become team captain and earned a reputation as one of the top defensive blueliners in the game.

He took over the captaincy of the Kings in 2001 after Rob Blake was traded to Colorado, a role he would hold until he was dealt to the Dallas Stars at the February 2007 trade deadline.

The 35-year-old Norstrom’s physical style began to take its toll on him this season, when he appeared in 66 games with the Stars, the first time he played less than 73 games in a season since the 1995-96 season, when he played 36 split between the Rangers and Kings.

His final playoff run however was a memorable one, appearing in all 18 of the Stars games and notching five points, including two goals, accounting for all but two of his career 7 playoff points.

It was thought that his strong performance in this spring’s playoffs might entice him back for another season with the Stars, who’ll now have to find a replacement for Norstrom either within their organization or via trade or free agency.