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Flyers’ Laperriere officially retires: “I’m just glad I had a chance to wear the orange and black”

NHL Awards Show

LAS VEGAS, NV - JUNE 22: Ian Laperriere of the Philadelphia Flyers speak after he accepts the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy during the 2011 NHL Awards at The Pearl concert theater at the Palms Casino Resort June 22, 2011 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

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After a 14 year career and over 1,000 games played, Philadelphia Flyers forward Ian Laperriere officially retired today in a conference call with reporters.

While Laperriere hasn’t played a game since the 2009-10 season -- he suffered a serious concussion that would ultimately end his career -- he stayed on the Flyers’ long-term injured reserve list over the last two years, working as a club mentor to injured players and encouraging them through their rehab.

Today, though, he called it quits.

“I’m just glad I had a chance to wear the orange and black,” Laperriere explained. “It’s something I would have missed, just to play for a team that cares so much about their fans and cares so much about their players.

“I’m not saying that everywhere else I played, they didn’t care about their players, but nothing compared to what the Flyers are.”

Laperriere said he plans to continue working with the organization and has thought about getting into the coaching ranks. That said, he made it clear he’s still plagued by post-concussion symptoms and re-iterated how appreciative he is of the Flyers.

“You see me at the rink and everything’s good, I have a smile on my face, but trust me, it’s been a really, really tough past two years,” he said. “I’m an actor, you guys know that. I can put on an actor face. When you get good people around you like I do in this organization, they really helped my transition.

“With those people that I really do talk about my future, they really listen and they give me great advice. I couldn’t be happier in that regard to finish my career and retire on this team, because I have all that support around me.”