NHL exec Cliff Fletcher dies at 90

Cliff Fletcher, the Hall of Fame executive who built the Calgary Flames into Stanley Cup champions and later revived the Toronto Maple Leafs, died Friday at the age of 90. The Maple Leafs, for whom he served as a senior adviser, announced his passing.

Fletcher’s career spanned seven decades, beginning as a scout with the Montreal Canadiens under Sam Pollock. He later became an assistant general manager with the St. Louis Blues before getting his first opportunity to run a franchise with the expansion Atlanta Flames in 1972. He remained with the organization when it relocated to Calgary in 1980.

In Calgary, Fletcher constructed a perennial contender, culminating in the franchise’s first Stanley Cup Final appearance in 1986. Three years later, his Flames defeated the Montreal Canadiens to win the championship in 1989. His tenure was marked by innovative moves, including drafting European players and signing one of the first Soviet players to defect to the NHL.

In 1991, Fletcher moved to Toronto, taking on the roles of president and general manager of a Maple Leafs team that had struggled for years under previous ownership. He immediately began a dramatic overhaul. His most famous...