The hockey world lost one of its great team builders this week as Cliff Fletcher, the former Stanley Cup-winning general manager of the Calgary Flames and Hall of Fame inductee, passed away. He was 90 years old. The Toronto Maple Leafs announced the passing of Fletcher on Friday morning. He had been working with the organization for decades and continued to do so up until his passing. The Maple Leafs highlighted the multiple Hall of Famers he brought over to the organization and the success they enjoyed in the 1990s under his leadership.
Today, the Toronto Maple Leafs mourn the loss of Cliff Fletcher. Cliff was one of the National Hockey League’s greatest builders, serving seven decades with six NHL organizations and leading the Calgary Flames to a Stanley Cup victory in 1989. It was with the Toronto Maple Leafs, however, that Cliff would spend the most seasons, 25 in total. As President, Cliff Fletcher inherited a club that had finished last in the NHL’s Norris Division in 1991, transforming them seemingly overnight. He welcomed future Hall of Famers Glenn Anderson, Dave Andreychuk, Mike Gartner and Pat Burns to the organization, along with Doug Gilmour, in what was the largest trade in NHL history. Those beloved Maple Leafs teams would come within one win of the Cup Final in 1993 and return to the Conference Final a year later. That off-season, Cliff acquired Mats Sundin from the Quebec Nordiques, a player who would go on to become the highest scorer in Leafs history. In 2004, Cliff Fletcher was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame and rejoined the Maple Leafs in 2008, remaining with the organization until this day,” the team said in a statement.
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. 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.”
