After 16 seasons of professional hockey, Toronto Marlies captain Rich Clune has announced his retirement, the AHL club announced on Thursday.
The 35-year-old Toronto native will join the Toronto Maple Leafs development staff.
“Rich is in a class of his own when reflecting on the impact he has made on the Toronto Marlies,” said Ryan Hardy, Maple Leafs assistant general manager, minor league operations. “He is celebrated by all those who played and worked with him for the professionalism he exhibited day in and day out, the contagious energy that extended from the gym to the ice and the compassion he demonstrated for his teammates and all members of this club. We’re thrilled to have him join the player development staff and to continue delivering his invaluable support and guidance within our organization.”
A third-round pick of the Dallas Stars in 2005, Clune played 139 NHL games with the Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings, and Maple Leafs. He spent the bulk of his career in the AHL, with the last seven seasons coming with the Marlies.
Clune, who grew up in Toronto's east end, scored 25 goals and 34 assists in 256 regular-season games with the Marlies, adding five more in 20 playoff games. He won the league championship, the Calder Cup, with Toronto in 2018. He was named team captain in 2020.
Clune's battle with drug and alcohol addiction, as well as mental health issues, was featured in a documentary called, Hi, My Name Is Dicky.
