The Islanders announced Wednesday that defenseman Johnny Boychuk's playing career is over due to an eye injury suffered during the recently completed season.

Boychuk said doctors have spent two months trying to figure out what's wrong. He said doctors told him it's optic nerve damage and recommended he not play anymore.  

Boychuk said his peripheral vision is bad and that some of the damage in his eye is irreversible.

Boychuk's injury was his second one to the same eye. He played in 725 career games and scored 206 points.

An emotional Boychuk said he wants to be remembered as a play who was tough to play against and battled through everything. 

“When someone tells you that you are not going to play again, or you shouldn't, or else you are going to get seriously hurt, it's really tough,” said Boychuk.

He had been with the Islanders since 2014. He won a Stanley Cup as a member of the Boston Bruins.

The Islanders shared a tribute video for Boychuk: