GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Brian Lashoff, the longtime Grand Rapids Griffins defenseman, has announced he will retire from professional hockey at the end of this season.

Lashoff helped lead the Griffins to two Calder Cup championships — 2013 and 2017 — and was named team captain in February 2021.

The 32-year-old spent nearly all of his pro career in the Detroit Red Wings’ system, first signing with the team as a free agent in 2008.

“You don’t stay with the same organization for this long by accident; that doesn’t happen by chance,” Griffins head coach Ben Simon said in a release. “As an undrafted player, he endeared himself to numerous coaches, teammates and the fans through his hard-nosed style of play, his infectious work ethic, and impeccable character both on and off the ice.”

Lashoff became a Griffins’ regular during the 2010-11 season, playing 37 games for the AHL club. He made his NHL debut with the Red Wings on January 21, 2013, scoring a goal in a 4-3 win over the Columbus Blue Jackets.

He played 75 games for the Red Wings during the 2013-14 season, his only pro season where he didn’t make an appearance in Grand Rapids. Since the 2014-15 season, Lashoff has spent more time in Grand Rapids than Detroit.

On April 10, 2021, he was traded to the Tampa Bay Lightning as part of a three-team trade and resigned with a new one-year deal with the Red Wings later that summer. Simon says it was an easy decision for the organization to bring him back.

“Brian epitomizes what an organization wants from its players,” Simon said. “He does things the right way, every day. He gave his best effort every practice, every shift, and every game, leaving it all out there on the ice. Off the ice, he set an example in the locker room every day as to what it meant to be a pro. The character and professionalism he brought to the rink every day were unmatched.”

Lashoff will be honored during a ceremony prior to the Griffins’ regular-season home finale on Friday. His final game will be Saturday’s road showdown with the Chicago Wolves.

Lashoff played in 136 NHL games and recorded two goals and an assist. He has played 628 games for the Griffins, second only to a fellow former team captain, Travis Richards, who played 655.