Norstrom tells Swedish newspaper he's retired

Stars defenseman Mattias Norstrom told the Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet that he has retired.

"Dallas wanted to keep me, but it is over now," Norstrom was quoted as saying on the newspaper's Web site. "I promised myself 10 years ago that I would quit while I still had a strong position in the team. And now it is over...The last game against Detroit was my final one."

With Norstrom's contract off the books--he made $4.25 million last season--it gives the Stars some breathing room under the salary cap. It will be interesting to see if this changes the Stars' plans in free agency.

--Milenko Martinovich