Longtime NHL executive and general manager Cliff Fletcher has passed away at the age of 90.
Fletcher was an icon in the game of hockey, widely regarded as one of the NHL’s greatest builders of the game.
Fletcher spent seven decades with six NHL organizations, including 25 years with the Toronto Maple Leafs. The organization was quick to issue a statement following the unfortunate news.
“The Toronto Maple Leafs and its fans will remain forever grateful for the many contributions Cliff made to the organization and the game of hockey,” the statement reads. “He will always be remembered as part of our hockey family. The club extends our deepest condolences to the Fletcher family, including his children Chuck and Kristy, their families, and his partner Linda.”
Fletcher began working in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens in 1956 as a scout. Ten years later, he joined the St. Louis Blues organization as a scout before eventually working his way up to being an assistant GM.
Fast forward to 1972, and Fletcher had landed his first GM role with the Atlanta Flames. He remained with the organization following its relocation to Calgary in 1980 and helped guide the franchise to its only Stanley Cup championship in 1989.
Fletcher also had stints with the Tampa Bay Lightning and Phoenix Coyotes, and was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2004.
“Few men in the history of hockey have had as profound and lasting an impact on the game as Cliff Fletcher,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. “Revered for his keen eye for talent, respected for his management acumen and beloved for his character, Cliff devoted seven decades to hockey in myriad roles and leaves a legacy as remarkable for the many men and women he has mentored as for the franchises he helped establish and games his teams won.
“On a personal level, Cliff was a friend and trusted advisor upon whom I relied for his wisdom and generous counsel. The entire National Hockey League family mourns his passing and sends its deepest condolences to Linda, his children Chuck and Kristy, and his many friends and admirers throughout the hockey world.”
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