On Friday afternoon, the hockey world lost another legendary executive when news broke that Cliff Fletcher had passed away at the age of 90. Thanks to a career that spanned almost seven decades, Fletcher was inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2004.
As recent as the 2023-24 season, he was a senior advisor for the Toronto Maple Leafs, his second stint with the Original Six franchise, having served as President and General Manager from 1991 to 1997 before returning in 2007.
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Although Fletcher is deeply connected to the Maple Leafs, having spent more than 20 years with the organization, many in the hockey community remember him for his time with the Calgary Flames.
Fletcher was the franchise’s first general manager, hired in 1972 when the Atlanta Flames came into existence. He stayed with the club when they relocated to Calgary in 1980.
By that time, he was already piecing together a superstar roster, one loaded with future Hall of Famers like Joe Nieuwendyk, Al MacInnis, Mike Vernon, and Joe Mullen, that would reach the 1986 Stanley Cup Final against the Montreal Canadiens, and would win the rematch in 1989.
Born in 1935 in Montreal, Fletcher became a scout for the Canadiens in 1956, holding that position until 1966 before moving into an assistant general manager role with the expansion St. Louis Blues. After achieving his only Stanley Cup victory with the Flames, he went to Toronto, then to Tampa Bay (1998-2000) and Arizona (2000-27), before returning to the Maple Leafs.
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Beloved by many in the hockey community, Fletcher left behind an incredible legacy, one fondly remembered in Calgary as the man responsible for the franchise’s only Stanley Cup title.
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