Kyle McLaren is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for over a decade. He was born on June 18, 1977, in Humboldt, Saskatchewan, Canada. McLaren began his hockey career in the Western Hockey League (WHL) with the Tacoma Rockets in the 1993-94 season. He was then drafted by the Boston Bruins in the first round, ninth overall, in the 1995 NHL Entry Draft.
McLaren made his NHL debut with the Bruins in the 1995-96 season and quickly established himself as a physical defenseman. He played with the Bruins for six seasons, from 1995 to 2002, and was known for his hard-hitting style of play. McLaren was also a solid defensive player and was often relied upon to shut down the opposing team's top forwards.
In 2002, McLaren was traded to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Jeff Jillson. He played with the Sharks for four seasons, from 2002 to 2006, and continued to be a physical presence on the ice. McLaren was also a key player on the Sharks' penalty kill unit and helped the team reach the Western Conference Finals in 2004.
In 2006, McLaren was traded to the Boston Bruins in exchange for a draft pick. He played with the Bruins for one season before being traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 2007. McLaren played just 12 games with the Flyers before being traded to the San Jose Sharks for a second time in his career.
McLaren played his final NHL season with the Sharks in the 2007-08 season. He played in 61 games that season and recorded six points (one goal, five assists). McLaren announced his retirement from professional hockey in 2009.
Throughout his NHL career, McLaren played in 719 games and recorded 31 goals, 109 assists, and 1,102 penalty minutes. He was known for his physical play and his ability to shut down the opposing team's top forwards. McLaren was also a solid defensive player and was often relied upon to play in key situations, such as penalty killing.
After retiring from professional hockey, McLaren worked as a scout for the San Jose Sharks. He also coached youth hockey in his hometown of Humboldt, Saskatchewan. In 2018, McLaren was named the head coach of the Humboldt Broncos, a junior hockey team in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League.
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