Kyle Calder, the Canadian journeyman forward who saw his thirteen season pro career take him to the U.S., Canada, Sweden and Kazakhstan, along with capturing World Championship Gold and World Junior Championship Silver, sadly passed away today at the age of 47 after a brief illness.
A 1997 draft pick of the Chicago Blackhawks, Calder would make his NHL debut in 2000, spending six seasons in the Blackhawks system, with a season on Södertälje of the Swedish Elite league during the 2004-05 NHL lockout. Calder would be on the move following his Chicago departure in 2006, spending parts of seasons in Philadelphia, Detroit and Anaheim, only amassing two full seasons with the Los Angeles Kings. After a demotion to the Ducks’ ECHL franchise, Calder would join Barys Astana of the KHL for the 2010-11 season, returning to the ECHL in 2011-12 for his final pro season with the Bakersfield Condors. In his ten NHL seasons, Caleder would amass 114 goals and 294 points in 590 career NHL games.
An Alberta native, Calder would debut for Team Canada at the 1999 World Junior Championships, winning Silver in a heartbreaking overtime loss to Russia. Calder would make his first of three World Championship appearances in 2002, capturing Gold in his second attempt in 2003, assisting on Canada’s first goal en route to a 3-2 overtime comeback over Sweden. Calder would finish fourth at his final World Championships in 2006.
Our condolences go out to the Calder family, as well as the extended hockey community across Canada, on this sudden and shocking loss.
International Hockey Lineal Championship 