Photo credit: Kim Klement-Imagn Images
Former Maple Leafs enforcer and 2-time Stanley Cup champion Kyle Clifford has officially retired and will be taking on a front office role in Toronto.
Long-time enforcer and NHL veteran of 13 seasons, Kyle Clifford, has officially retired from professional hockey and will reportedly be joining the Toronto Maple Leafs’ front office in a player development role.
Drafted in the second round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Clifford spent the first 10 years of his career with the Los Angeles Kings before pit stops in St. Louis and Toronto.
His role as an enforcer was defined during his early days in Los Angeles when he accumulated 483 PIMs and 860 hits during his first 5 seasons with the club that also included 2 Stanley Cup championships.
He only played in 3 games during their 2012 run but was a key member of their 2014 winning side. He appeared in 24 games, where he collected 39 PIMs, added 7 points, and finished off 64 hits.
Clifford ended up playing in 52 games in parts of 2 seasons with the Blues under Craig Berube before returning to Toronto. After going unclaimed on waivers in the early stages of the 2021-22 season, Clifford was traded for future considerations and was assigned to the Toronto Marlies.
The now 34-year-old last played an NHL game during the 2022-23 season for the Maple Leafs, where he appeared in just 2 games but added an assist, took 2 PIMs and averaged 7:55 TOI. However, he appeared in 116 AHL games between 2022 and 2025, where he tallied 22 goals and 56 points with 250 PIMs.
Clifford now remains in the Maple Leafs organization, but this time around, he will be joining the front office in a player development capacity.
Previously on MapleLeafsDaily
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Former Maple Leafs Forward and 2-time Stanley Cup Champion Officially Retires and Joins Front Office
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