Defenseman Justin Schultz was a member of the Penguins' Stanley Cup championship teams in 2016 and 2017.

Former Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Justin Schultz announced his retirement on Friday.

His most recent team, HC Lugano in Switzerland's National League, issued a statement on Schultz's behalf. Translated from Italian:

"Mine is a strictly personal choice. I discussed it with my family and I made the decision to end my career here and return to Canada. I thank Hockey Club Lugano for the professionalism shown and for respecting my choice and I wish the club and the team to find the path to success again."

Schultz, 34, spent parts of 12 seasons in the NHL, including five with the Penguins.

A right-handed shot, Schultz helped the Penguins win back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2016 and 2017. In 234 regular season games with the team, Schultz had 122 points (24 goals, 98 assists) while averaging 19:37 of ice time per contest.

In addition to the Penguins, Schultz also played for the Edmonton Oilers, Washington Capitals and Seattle Kraken.

Schultz, a native of Kelowna, British Columbia, signed with HC Lugano on Oct. 23. He appeared in eight games and recorded six assists before retiring.