Former 1st rounder and Leafs prospect announces his retirement at age 27
His stint may have been brief in Toronto, but today, a former Leafs prospect has announced his retirement from professional hockey at the age of 27 to pursue a coaching career, beginning in the WHL with the Victoria Royals.
Left winger Morgan Klimchuk was originally acquired by the Leafs back in November of 2018 in a trade with the Calgary Flames, who drafted Klimchuk 28th overall in the first round of the 2013 NHL Entry Draft. The Leafs sent defensive prospect Andrew Nielsen the other way in the deal. Today, he has decided to hang up his skates, per Sportsnet 960's Ryan Pike.
Klimchuk suited up in just 13 games for the Leafs' AHL affiliate Toronto Marlies during the 2018-19 season before being dealt to the Ottawa Senators less than 2 months later in exchange for forward prospect Gabriel Gagne. He was immediately assigned to the AHL's Belleville Senators, where he finished his career in 2019-20.
Klimchuk had not formally announced his retirement until today, but he has not played professional hockey since 2020. The Regina, SASK native made it into just one lone NHL game in his career, with the Calgary Flames back in the 2017-18 season.
Best of luck to Morgan in this next chapter of his life and in his new coaching career.
