Former National Hockey League forward Kyle Calder has died at the age of 47. The native of Mannville, Alta., played 590 games in the NHL for five teams after being selected in the fifth round of the 1997 draft by the Chicago Blackhawks.
NHL Career Highlights
Calder went on to play in 359 games with the Hawks and also skated for the Philadelphia Flyers, Detroit Red Wings, and Los Angeles Kings before ending his NHL career in the 2009-10 season with the Anaheim Ducks. That year, Calder was waived by the Ducks and joined the Toronto Marlies, recording 30 points in 40 games for the Maple Leafs’ American Hockey League affiliate.
Known for playing with grit and some touch around the net, Calder scored 114 goals and had 180 assists, as well as 309 penalty minutes, in the NHL.
International Success
On the international stage, Calder was a key contributor for Canada at the 1999 world junior championship in Winnipeg, where he tied for second in team scoring with eight points in seven games as Canada won silver. Calder also played for Canada at the world hockey championship in 2002, 2003 (winning gold), and 2006. He played in five seasons in the Western Hockey League for the Regina Pats and Kamloops Blazers.
Tributes and Family
“We mourn not only a respected former NHL player but a cherished teammate, friend, and member of our hockey brotherhood,” the NHL Alumni Association said in a post on X on Tuesday. “Kyle embodied the values that make our alumni family so special: His loyalty, toughness, generosity, and unwavering commitment to those around him.”
No cause of death was given, but the LA Jr. Kings youth hockey organization, with whom Calder previously had been a coach, posted to X that Calder had battled a brief illness.
Calder’s daughter, Madison, posted to Instagram after his passing: “Dad, there will never be enough words in the world to describe how incredibly lucky I was to have you as my dad. Never in a million years would I have thought this day would come. There will forever be a void in my heart, but forever a spot just for you.”
Calder’s hockey career ended in 2011-12, when he played in 27 games for Bakersfield of the ECHL.
