NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Veteran defenseman Mark Borowiecki has decided to retire from hockey after playing more than 450 games over parts of 12 NHL seasons.

Borowiecki, 33, announced his decision in an Instagram post Wednesday, more than six months since his last professional game, when he was stretchered off the ice after an awkward hit into the boards during a game against Philadelphia on Oct. 22. He was hospitalized, went on injured reserve and did not play again.

"I am very excited for a new chapter in the hockey world, and I'm looking forward to finding an opportunity to help grow the game and help other players develop," he wrote.

Borowiecki, a native of Ottawa, played his final two-plus seasons with the Nashville Predators after spending the vast majority of his NHL career with his hometown Senators. Nicknamed "Boro Cop" and known more for his hitting and toughness than scoring, he had 56 points in 468 regular-season and playoff games.

"A friend of mine who played a long, long time in the NHL asked me when I was a young player breaking into the league what I wanted my legacy to be," Borowiecki wrote. "He told me that being remembered as a good person and good teammate would always be far more important than any on-ice accomplishments. I really hope that I have achieved that."