I really struggled as to what member of the A-B-C line to cover on the Random Blackhawks Spotlight and I have landed on Kyle Calder.
You knew I had to cover one of them.
If you’re not familiar with the terrible Blackhawks team from about 2000 to 2005, the A-B-C line was composed of Tyler Arnason, Mark Bell, and Kyle Calder.
Calder was a feisty dude with some offensive ability. He played 6 seasons in Chicago from 1999-2006 with his best campaign coming in ’05-’06 when he scored 26 goals, 33 assists in 79 games.
Let's take a look Calder’s career in a snapshot:
How did the player join the Blackhawks organization?
Calder was drafted in the 5th round (130th overall) in 1997. He came out of the WHL playing for the Regina Pats and Kamloops Blazers.
He played a bit in the IHL and AHL before joining the Blackhawks semi-regularly when he suited up for 43 games in 2000-01.
The Hawks were trying to figure out but weren’t very good at this time.
Steve Sullivan, Alex Zhamnov, Eric Daze, Tony Amonte, and Michael Nylander were leading the way offensively. Jocelyn Thibault – our random feature from last week – was trying to hold things together.
Ultimately, the Hawks proceeded to get worse with Calder getting more and more responsibility.
And yes, there was a time that all the Hawks fans had to look forward to was the “A-B-C line”.
Why this player stood out for me?
Calder just looked like a hockey player. He had the hair flowing, he would fight, could score some goals. There wasn’t much not too like.
As I said above, these were bleak times in Chicago.
No, he wasn’t a superstar but he played hard.
The main thing that stood out to me when I was starting to reminisce about Calder was how he was traded from Chicago to PHI (for Michal Handzus) but then the Hawks re-acquired and traded him in the same day.
Confused?
Here’s what happened (thanks Wikipedia):
“On August 2, 2006, Calder was awarded a $2.9 million contract for the 2006–07 season by an arbitrator. The Blackhawks decided to accept it, and then on August 4, 2006, Calder was traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in exchange for Michal Handzus. At the trade deadline, the Flyers sent him back to Chicago for a third-round draft pick and Lasse Kukkonen. Chicago immediately sent him to the Detroit Red Wings for Jason Williams. Calder scored his first goal as a Red Wing during his first shift. He signed a two-year contract with the Los Angeles Kings on July 2, 2007.”
I remember being excited to have Calder coming back to CHI, only to be disappointed to hear he was immediately dealt.
Where is the player now?
I have no idea.
His last job in hockey was an assistant coach for the Los Angeles Jr. Kings in the 2018-19 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
Other than that… I got nothing. I hope he’s enjoying retirement.
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What are your memories of Kyle Calder?
Stay safe and see ya out there!
TC
Chicago Blackhawks Blogger • 
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