Why Cliff Fletcher’s celebration of life was just the party he wanted

Close to 300 friends and family of the late NHL executive gathered at the Hockey Hall of Fame to salute one of the game's most respected men

Published Sep 12, 2026  •  Last updated 10 minutes ago  •  3 minute read

Former Leafs general manager Cliff Fletcher smiles as he is being introduced as the club's interim GM in 2008. Toronto Sun files

“The gang’s all here!”

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A favourite Cliff Fletcher remark as one of his team meetings, post-game bar sessions or a family-and-friends party he’d arranged kept swelling in numbers.

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Friday night at the Hockey Hall of Fame would’ve topped ‘em all, just as the beloved NHL exec had planned his celebration of life.

About 300 people came from a few blocks away to right across North America and Europe to honour the man who influenced half a dozen NHL cities and beyond, won a Stanley Cup, re-ignited love of the moribund Maple Leafs and enriched the lives of so many on the ice and at all levels of the sport.

Fletcher, whose last role was a senior advisor of the Maple Leafs, died at his home in Arizona in June at age 90, “earning his pay cheque until the very end” son Chuck Fletcher reminded the crowd. But he’d stipulated long before that grief should give way to a gathering of those who shared his 70-year hockey journey to retell some of the game’s greatest stories.

“That was the true gift of my Dad – he stayed connected,” daughter Kristy eulogized. “He was incapable of holding a grudge, even when he had reason to. He just thought life was too short.”

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Cliff Fletcher and team captain Lanny McDonald are seen here with other teammates after The Calgary Flames won the Stanley Cup in 1989. Photo by Calgary Herald file photo

Who did Fletcher influence among hockey executives?

On the Great Hall’s stage, beside the Cup he won with Calgary in 1989, beneath his smiling portrait from his 2004 induction, the accolades rolled out from management cronies. They stretched back to his formative days; Scotty Bowman (Montreal and St. Louis), David Poile (Atlanta Flames) and Kyle Dubas, only in his 20s when he began a special bond with Cliff as Leaf assistant GM that continued as GM of Pittsburgh.

In another corner, Fletcher’s peers Ken Holland, Lou Nanne, Brian Burke and Jim Devellano congregated.

Leafs legend Mats Sundin has been hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs as Senior Executive Advisor as announced during a press conference held at Real Sports Bar & Grill in Toronto on Monday May 4, 2026. Photo by Ernest Doroszuk /Toronto Sun/Postmedia

Which prominent players did Fletcher trade?

Those players that ’the Silver Fox’ was most notable for wheeling and dealing – Lanny McDonald, Doug Gilmour and Wendel Clark – all gave heartfelt tributes. Mats Sundin was applauding at the back, the controversial 1994 centrepiece of the Clark trade, indebted to Fletcher for a career change to Leafs captain, franchise points leader and who just inherited his advisor role.

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The Flames won their Cup in the Forum of Fletcher’s native Montreal, well represented Friday by Poile, who shared an Atlanta parking lot trailer with his boss before their expansion team arena was built and original play-by-play man Jiggs McDonald. Coach Terry Crisp led the Calgary contingent, including Jamie Macoun, Rick Wamsley and Ric Nattress, all part of Fletcher’s record 10-player trade when he switched roles to Toronto.

Chuck, Kristy, Fletcher’s wife, Linda, his sisters and four grandchildren shared personal stories, Chuck recounting being Ray Shero’s assistant with Pittsburgh and the latter suggesting Cliff, in his second stint with the Leafs, would give the Pens a break acquiring Toronto defenceman Hal Gill. But Cliff gave his son no quarter in trying to bluff and squeeze and eventually getting an extra draft pick out of him.

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What is Fletcher’s legacy?

Grandson Will wore the ‘89 Flames’ Cup ring bequeathed to him on Friday; brother Owen the 1993 Norris Division championship bauble created for the Leafs; Chuck’s son Keith his Hall of Fame ring.

Attendees also spanned player agents, scouts, trainers, broadcasters and beat writers. Many of us in the latter group appreciated that tap on the shoulder from Fletcher after what appeared to be a slow day and routine morning practice.

“Don’t make dinner plans with your family tonight,” he’d warn, a tip that a trade or signing was imminent.

There was the loyal old guard of Gardens’ employees; media relations, accountants, usherettes, and maintenance workers whom Fletcher would load on the Leafs road trip charter at playoff time in reward for their unglamourous service.

“He treated the Zamboni driver the same as the team owner,” said son-in-law Jim Neish.

Host Gord Miller repeated another famous Fletcher axiom in closing Friday’s salute:

 “If the worst thing they can say about you is that you were too good to people, I’m okay with that.”

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