During a National Hockey League (NHL) career that spanned 18 years, Ronning played for the Blues, Vancouver Canucks, Phoenix Coyotes, Nashville Predators, Los Angeles Kings, Minnesota Wild and New York Islanders.

Prior to being drafted, he played in the Western Hockey League for the New Westminster Bruins, displaying the same excellent scoring touch.

[2] Accordingly, Ronning earned the WHL Most Valuable Player Award and the Bob Brownridge Memorial Trophy as the league's leading scorer.

He spent part of 1988–89 with the Blues' International Hockey League affiliate, the Peoria Rivermen, and played the entirety of the following season in Italy with HC Asiago.

When he returned to the Blues in 1990–91, he was traded to his hometown team, the Vancouver Canucks, along with Geoff Courtnall, Robert Dirk, Sergio Momesso, and a fifth-round draft pick (Brian Loney) in exchange for Garth Butcher and Dan Quinn.

[3] The following season, Ronning helped the Canucks on their run to the 1994 Stanley Cup Finals, which they lost in seven games to the New York Rangers.

Ronning was a veteran presence and still an able scorer, recording 48 points, as the Wild reached the Western Conference Finals before being swept by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.

I certainly hope that kids who are also small in stature but not in heart will look at me and other similar players and know that their dream can come true through hard work and dedication to the game.Ronning and his wife, Ivana have four children; three daughters Taryn, Kristin and Carly and one son, Ty.

Vice-President and Co-Founder Cliff Ronning heads up Base Hockey's Shooting Analysis and Custom Fitting protocol in Burnaby, British Columbia.