Veteran defenseman Steve Staios has retired and will join the Toronto Maple Leafs' front office.
The Hamilton native, who spent 18 seasons in the NHL, will be Toronto's new player development adviser. Staios, 39, will advise Toronto management on the prospects and players at all levels of the organization. He will also take on special assignments for both the amateur and pro scouting departments. Staios spent last season with the New York Islanders, garnering eight assists in 65 games. He finishes his career with 56 goals and 164 assists in 1,001 games with Boston, Vancouver, Atlanta, Edmonton, Calgary and the Islanders. Staios said it was time to "move on to a news chapter in my life." He reunites with Leafs general manager Brian Burke, who was the GM of the Vancouver Canucks when Staios played there in the late 1990s.