Tomas Plekanec makes a heartbreaking announcement on Saturday.

Beloved former Montreal Canadiens forward Tomas Plekanec has shared some sad news this morning.

According to an official announcement from the 40 year old forward, he will be ending his hockey career effective immediately due to injury concerns. Plekanec was currently playing for the Kladno Knights of the Czech League, a team owned and operated by National Hockey League legend Jaromir Jagr, but health concerns have made it impossible for him to continue his career.

Plekanec had missed time this season due to an injury, which is now more serious than originally believed, and the veteran forward expressed his concern regarding his long term health if he continued to play at the professional level.

"Unfortunately, due to health reasons, I decided to end this season and thus my playing career. I imagined it differently. I was hoping that a few weeks of rest would be enough to get back on the ice and help the guys in the playoffs. Unfortunately, that won't happen. I'm terribly sorry, I'd like to help, but it would be a huge risk for me," said Plekanec via the team's official website. "At least this way I want to say goodbye to you, thank you for all the seasons I was able to play here. It was great, although unfortunately we played at the bottom of the table, but I still enjoyed it a lot. Thank you for supporting not only me, but also the whole club, and I hope that you will continue with us, with Kladno. Have fun."

Plekanec will best be remembered as a member of the Montreal Canadiens, the team that selected him in the third round (71st overall) of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft, with whom he played all but 17 of his 1001 NHL games.

A video was released alongside the announcement and although Plekanec is speaking Czech in the video you can tell by his somber mood that this is not an easy decision for the long time hockey pro.

I would like to wish him all the best on his future endeavors.