Toronto Maple Leafs Mourn the Passing of Former Player and Four-Time Stanley Cup Winner
The Toronto Maple Leafs are mourning the loss of former defenceman Al MacNeil, who played 70 games with the team before becoming a legendary hockey executive.
Some sad news to pass along from the hockey world with a direct tie-in to the Toronto Maple Leafs. Al MacNeil, who played 70 games with the Toronto Maple Leafs over four seasons before going on to become a hockey executive and winning four Stanley Cups, has died at the age of 89.
MacNeil was also captain of the Toronto Marlies when the team won back-to-back championships in 1955 and 1956.
In all, MacNeil played 524 games in the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Pittsburgh Penguins.
While he never won the Stanley Cup as a player, he got his name on hockey's greatest prize four times: in 1971 as the head coach of the Montreal Canadiens, in 1978 and 1979 with Montreal as director of player personnel; and with the Calgary Flames as assistant general manager in 1989.
MacNeil, originally from Sydney, Nova Scotia, was the first person from Atlantic Canada to coach an NHL team. He won the American Hockey League's Calder Cup as coach and general manager of the Canadiens' Nova Scotia affiliate in 1972, 1976 and 1977, was voted AHL coach of the year in 1972 and 1977, and won the 1976 Canada Cup tournament for his native country as an assistant coach under Scotty Bowman.
Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of Al MacNeil. He is being mourned by his wife, son, daughter, and two grandchildren.
