Before I get on with the blog, I was sorry to hear about Maple Leafs losing Bob Niven. My sympathy to the Niven family and friends. Bob was part of the great sixties Maple Leafs team. He won two Stanley Cup rings. His best years in the NHL were with the New York Rangers. He had two thirty-goal seasons, one with the Rangers and one with the Kings. Bob was known as a hard-working forward who never gave up. He will be missed. I found a podcast on Bob I thought people would find interesting.
The Maple Leafs have some decisions to make, mostly on defence. But today, I would like to talk about one forward the Leafs brought in at the deadline, Kyle Clifford. I know there is very little chance of Toronto bringing him back; but I will say every team could use a Kyle Clifford!
Toughness
Clifford is a tough buzzard. He is a nasty player who uses his size to his advantage. He is not afraid to get dirty in the corners. He will defend his teammates at a moment's notice. He is a man's man.
Role Player
Kyle is a typical fourth-line player. Penalty-killing is his best trait. He would clear the front of the net, keeping players honest. He is a great shot blocker who always stepped up to do what he was called to do. You can always rely on Kyle to do his job.
Last Word
The Maple Leafs will not re-sign Clifford, but they need a Clifford player. They need his heart and his style of play. The Maple Leafs need to be tougher this year. The Leafs were run over. Somehow, the Maples Leafs will have to find a replacement for him. They were outmuscled too many times this year. We could all use a Kyle Clifford in our lives.
Randy
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