Hurricanes captain Justin Williams says he is taking a break from the NHL to start this season.

With the start of training camp looming later this month, the 37-year-old forward said Monday that he will "step away" from the sport.

"This is the first time in my life that I've felt unsure of my aspirations with regards to hockey," Williams said in a statement released by the team. "For as long as I can remember, my whole offseason until this point has been hockey and doing what was necessary to prepare for the upcoming season.

"Because of my current indecision, and without the type of mental and physical commitment that I'm accustomed to having, I've decided to step away from the game," he added.