NHL veteran defenseman Steve Staios takes retirement; joins Toronto Maple Leafs as advisor –NHL Update
Steve Staios, a professional hockey player who had been playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the last 17 years and professional hockey for last 22 years, has finally decided to call it a day and end his long hockey career.
Immediately after his retirement he has also decided to join Toronto Maple Leafs’ management team.
Toronto Maple Leafs is not the first NHL team that Staios is associated with, as it is an interesting fact that he has been associated with six different NHL teams during his playing career but co-incidentally Toronto is not one of those six teams. Toronto
is the seventh team that he would be joining.
38-year-old defenseman will occupy the position of Player Development Advisor as his job would be to advise and keep informed Maple Leafs management about all the coming up, emerging players and prospects. He would also have to do special assignments like
amateur and pro scouting.
Born in Hamilton, Ontario, Staios is delighted to be part of Maple Leafs organisation and keen to play part in their success. He thinks it is the right time to retire as a player and start a new job. He is also happy to have a re-union with Brian Burke who
was general manager of Vancouver Canucks back in those days when Staios played for them. He is also happy to have opportunity to learn from him as he said,
“I am very excited about joining the Toronto Maple Leafs management team," Staios said. "I am looking forward to doing everything I can to help the team have success.”
Turning 39 on 28th July, Staios also added that,
“I feel very fortunate to have the opportunity to work with Brian Burke and Dave Nonis and learn from their experience and knowledge."
General Manager of Toronto Maple Leafs, Brian Burke also had good things to say about Staios as he said,
"Steve Staios was a 'working man's player' -- ready to play every night, competed to the best of his ability regularly against the other team's best players and he was an exemplary teammate”.
57-year-old manager also congratulated his former player by saying that,
“We congratulate him on his dedication and worthy years of service as a player and we are really thrilled to have him join our team today."
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