Toronto, ON -- (Sports Network) - Former forward Joe Nieuwendyk returned to the NHL on Tuesday, joining the front office of the Toronto Maple Leafs as the special assistant to the general manager.

The 41-year-old retired in 2007 due to lingering back problems. In 20 NHL seasons, Nieuwendyk accumulated 564 goals, 562 assists for 1126 points in 1257 games with Calgary, Dallas, New Jersey, Toronto and Florida.

"Joe is an extremely intelligent individual, who has experienced success throughout his entire hockey career," said Toronto general manager Cliff Fletcher. "We will value his contributions on all hockey decisions and he will be a great asset to our organization."

The Oshawa, Ontario, native was the 27th overall pick in the 1985 draft, and broke in with the Flames out of Cornell University in 1987. He is one of only three players in league history to reach the 50-goal plateau in each of his first two full seasons (51 in 1987-88 and 1988-89), joining Hall- of-Famers Wayne Gretzky and Mike Bossy.

Nieuwendyk won the 1988 Calder Trophy for top rookie in the NHL and took home the Conn Smythe Trophy in 1999 as the Stanley Cup Playoffs most valuable Player. He is also a three-time Stanley Cup winner, with Calgary (1989), Dallas (1999), and New Jersey (2003). His international career included two stints representing Canada in two Winter Olympics, winning a Gold Medal in Salt Lake City in 2002.