The NHL world is left mourning after the passing of Cliff Fletcher. The Maple Leafs executive left for the heavenly abode on June 5. The NHL team shared the sad news on Friday, following which fans paid tribute to the 90-year-old on social media.

Al MacInnis, who was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2007, also paid tribute to the late NHL executive by sharing a post on his X (formerly Twitter) account on Friday and reflecting on Fletcher’s legacy.

"Sad to hear the passing of one of my biggest supporters," he wrote. "Cliff drafted me in 1981 and showed tremendous patience with a young player who still had a lot to learn."

Fletcher is best remembered for leading the Calgary Flames to win the Stanley Cup in 1989. MacInnis mentioned this in his post while paying tribute.

"I was thrilled to see him achieve his professional goal of winning the Stanley Cup with the @NHLFlames in 1989," he added.

MacInnis shared his "heartfelt condolences" to the Fletcher family.

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman Honors Cliff Fletcher’s Legacy

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman also paid tribute to Cliff Fletcher. In his statement, he reflected on Fletcher’s remarkable career in hockey.

"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 established and games his teams won," Bettman said via AP News.

Fletcher started his career as a scout with the Montreal Canadiens in 1956. He worked with Sam Pollock and then joined the St. Louis Blues in 1966. He later served as general manager for the Calgary Flames, and under his leadership, the team won the Stanley Cup in 1989.

In 1991, he went on to join the Toronto Maple Leafs as chief operating officer, president, and general manager, remaining with them for eight years before moving to the Tampa Bay Lightning. He also worked for the Phoenix Coyotes before returning to the Maple Leafs as interim GM in 2008, and then signed a contract with them as an advisor.

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Written by

Ankita Yadav

Edited by

Ankita Yadav