Kyle Calder, a gritty forward who played for the WHL's Regina Pats before embarking on a 10-year NHL career, has died at age 47.
An Instagram post from Calder's daughter confirmed his passing on Monday in the Los Angeles area, where he coached a minor hockey team. A cause of death has not been confirmed but several reports claim Calder had been suffering from a serious illness.
An Alberta native, Calder spent parts of four seasons with the Pats and earned the nickname "Grease" for his uncanny ability to come out of corners with the puck.
From 1996-99 with Regina, where his teammates included Barret Jackman, Brad Stuart and Garth Murray, Calder had 76 goals and 119 assists in 185 regular-season games. He also had three goals and one assist in 18 postseason games before being dealt to the Kamloops Blazers during his final WHL season.
Calder was chosen by the Chicago Blackhawks in the fifth round, 130th overall, of the 1997 NHL draft. Between stints in the minors and a sojourn in Sweden during the NHL lockout of 2004-05, Calder made his Blackhawks debut during the 1999-2000 season and remained with the team until being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2006.
The NHL Alumni Association posted a glowing tribute to Calder on social media:
"Kyle embodied the values that make our alumni family so special: his loyalty, toughness, generosity, and an unwavering commitment to those around him. He was tough as nails on the ice, a fierce competitor who never backed down, yet behind that grit was a teddy bear heart. Kyle cared deeply for his teammates, friends, and everyone fortunate enough to know him. He was a protector, a loyal friend, and someone who always put others before himself."
Calder also played for the Detroit Red Wings and Los Angeles Kings before retiring from hockey in 2012 following three minor-league seasons.
In 590 NHL games he scored 114 goals and added 180 assists, highlighted by a 26-33-59 campaign with Chicago in 2005-06. Calder also represented Canada four times at world championships, winning silver with the Canadian junior team in 1999 and gold with the men's team in 2003.
