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Hockey Hall of Famer, former Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher dies at 90
Photo credit: Tom Szczerbowski-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 5, 2026, 15:30 EDTUpdated: Jun 5, 2026, 16:11 EDT
Former Toronto Maple Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher died on Friday, the team confirmed.
Fletcher was hired by the Maple Leafs as chief operating officer, president and general manager in 1991, spending six seasons in this role. He was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2004.
The Maple Leafs released the following statement:
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 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.
Fletcher made an immediate impact, facilitating one of the greatest blockbuster trades of his era, acquiring Doug Gilmour from the Calgary Flames in a 10-player exchange that dramatically affected both team’s fortunes. Gilmour instantly became one of the greatest players in Maple Leafs history, was named a runner-up for the Hart Trophy in 1993, while winning the Selke Trophy. Toronto went to consecutive conference finals in 1993 and 1994.
Before joining the Maple Leafs, Fletcher was widely considered one of the brightest executives in the sport. He was quickly appointed as general manager of the Atlanta Flames, and remained in his role as the team was relocated to Calgary. Fletcher was the architect of the 1989 Stanley Cup-winning Flames team, which included Gilmour, Lanny McDonald, Joe Nieuwendyk and Gary Roberts, among others with ties to the Maple Leafs.
Fletcher is also known for acquiring Mats Sundin in exchange for Wendel Clark. Clark was arguably the most beloved Maple Leafs player of his era, and it was a calculated risk, but Sundin ultimately paid dividends.
Lauded for his work across various stops, Fletcher returned to the Maple Leafs in 2008 as interim general manager, before transitioning into a role as a senior advisor, and remained with the organization until his death.
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