He may have only skated in 71 NHL games during his playing career, but Kurt Walker left an indelible mark on the hockey world.
The former Toronto Maple Leafs tough guy and founder of Dignity After Hockey died Friday night at age 64. Walker’s charity, as well as his former team, confirmed the news of his passing on Saturday.
Walker, a native of Weymouth, Mass., spent parts of three seasons with the Maple Leafs between 1976 and 1978 where he amassed nine points to go with his 152 penalty minutes.
His biggest impact came off the ice with Dignity After Hockey, a non-profit group created with the goal of assisting former players that fall on hard times. The video below shows Walker in 2016 discussing his journey to the NHL and his reasons for starting his charity.
The career journeyman also spent time with the Sherbrooke Castors, Saginaw Gears, Oklahoma City Blazers, Dallas Black Hawks, Springfield Indians, Tulsa Oilers, Broome Dusters, Syracuse Firebirds and Adirondack Red Wings during his playing career.
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