Former Toronto Maple Leafs defenceman Kenny Jonsson retires

STOCKHOLM, Sweden - Veteran Swedish defenceman Kenny Jonsson, a two-time Olympic champion and former NHLer, is retiring from hockey after 19 seasons.

"I made the decision when I felt that I didn't have the motivation to start dryland training (this off-season)," Jonsson said.

The 34-year-old, captain of the Swedish team that finished third at the world championship in May, spent the last four seasons with Swedish club Rogle, where he started his career.

Jonsson played in 705 NHL games, compiling 64 goals and 207 assists in 10 seasons, mostly with the New York Islanders.

He was drafted by Toronto 12th overall in 1993 and played with the Maple Leafs during the 1994-95 lockout-shortened season before being traded to the Islanders midway through the next season.

In 2006, he was voted best defenceman at the Winter Olympics.

Jonsson won his first Olympic gold with Sweden at the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway. In 2006, he also won gold at the world championship as Sweden became the first country ever to win Olympic and world titles in the same year.

"Highlights? The Olympic gold medals," Jonsson said.

He also won one silver and two bronze medals at the worlds, a bronze at the 1996 World Cup of Hockey and played in the 1999 NHL All-Star game.

Jonsson's brother Jorgen, who played briefly in the NHL and also made the 2006 Olympic and worlds double, retired after winning the Swedish Elite League title with Farjestad in April.