The 40-year-old forward played his entire career with the same National Hockey League (NHL) franchise - joining the Winnipeg Jets in 1995 who then relocated to become Arizona Coyotes.

He captained Canada to World Championship gold in Russia in 2007 to add to a title he won in Finland in 2003.

Doan also won silver medals at the World Championship in 2005, 2008 and 2009.

He was selected to play in the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin but Member of Parliament Denis Coderre asked for his removal due to an alleged racial slur against a French speaking referee.

The forward filed a lawsuit for defamation against the politician, who in-turn filed a counter-lawsuit.

A Parliamentary Committee then asked Hockey Canada to explain Doan's selection as captain in 2007 but an NHL investigation cleared him of any wrongdoing.

Canada lost 2-0 to Russia in the 2006 Olympic quarter-finals and did not win a medal, with Doan and Coderre, now the Mayor of Montreal, eventually settling out of court.

Doan was picked for the NHL All-Star Game in 2004 and 2009.

He played 1,540 NHL games, scoring 470 goals and claiming 570 assists. 

His retirement ends speculation that he was aiming for a place in Canada's Pyeongchang 2018 Winter Olympic team.

He would likely have had to find a club outside of the NHL as the league has opted not to send players to the Games.

"I could not fathom at the time that I would end up playing in Arizona for the next 21 years, raise a family and call this place home," Doan said when announcing his retirement in Arizona Republic.

"But that's exactly what happened. 

"And that's why this has been one of the hardest decisions I've ever had to make. 

"I'm retiring from the NHL."