Nieuwendyk Hired By Leafs To Assist GM

The Toronto Maple Leafs have announced the hiring of Joe Nieuwendyk as the Special Assistant to the General Manager.

Back in May NHL Digest cited an interview with Bobby Clarke in which Clarke suggested that with Cliff Fletcher on board, the Leafs should be looking at highly touted younger guys like Joe Nieuwendyk and Ron Hextall to direct the franchise into the future.

At that time, some thought that Hextall would be the better fit because his tough personality would likely withstand the always intimidating Toronto hockey community.

Easing Joe In

One may wonder if the position of “Special Assistant to the General Manager” could be a segue to the official General Manager’s position over the course of time.  Of course, Torontonians may have eaten Nieuwendyk for lunch if he was thrust into the GM’s chair directly.  However, if Fletcher believes Nieuwendyk has the capability to eventually be the Leaf’s boss, then this is a great way to help Joe get his feet wet (a la Steve Yzerman).

On that note, what is the difference between an “Assistant General Manager” and a “Special Assistant to The General Manager”?

Nieuwendyk recently served in a similar capacity with the Florida Panthers, serving as the team’s  special consultant to the general manager.  Although the term “special consultant” leaves the job description very vague to say the least, his experience in that capacity is likely to provide a solid management foundation at th every least.

Cliff Fletcher had the following to say about Nieuwendyk in a press conference announcing the hiring:

“Joe is an extremely intelligent individual, who has experienced success throughout his entire hockey career… We will value his contributions on all hockey decisions and he will be a great asset to our organization.”

A Cup Of Joe

Joe Nieuwendyk has a reputation of being an intelligent hockey mind and won three Stanley Cups over the course of his 20-year National Hockey League career. As a player Joe spent time with the Calgary Flames, Dallas Stars, New Jersey Devils, the Panthers and the Maple Leafs.

In 1,257 career NHL regular-season games, Nieuwendyk scored 564 goals and added 562 assists for 1,126 points. In 158 career playoff games, he totaled 66 goals and 50 assists (116 points).