Nieuwendyk takes job off the ice

Former forward Joe Nieuwendyk returned to the NHL on Tuesday, joining the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs as the special assistant to the general manager. The 41-year-old retired in 2007 due to lingering back problems. In 20 NHL seasons, Nieuwendyk accumulated 564 goals, 562 assists for 1126 points in 1257 games with Calgary, Dallas, New Jersey, Toronto and Florida. "Joe is an extremely intelligent individual, who has experienced success throughout his entire hockey career," said Toronto general manager Cliff Fletcher. "We will value his contributions on all hockey decisions and he will be a great asset to our organization." The Oshawa, Ontario, native was the 27th overall pick in the 1985 draft, and broke in with the Flames out of Cornell University in 1987. He is one of only three players in league history to reach... [read full story]