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Bill Flett

Bill Flett
Born (1943-07-21)July 21, 1943
Vermilion, Alberta, Canada
Died July 12, 1999(1999-07-12) (aged 55)
Edmonton, Alberta, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 195 lb (88 kg; 13 st 13 lb)
Position Right wing
Shot Right
Played for Los Angeles Kings
Philadelphia Flyers
Toronto Maple Leafs
Atlanta Flames
Edmonton Oilers
Playing career 1963–1980

William Mayer Flett (July 21, 1943 – July 12, 1999) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames. Flett then moved to the World Hockey Association, playing with the Edmonton Oilers, returning to the NHL with the Oilers in the 1979–80 NHL season.

Playing career

Born in Vermilion, Alberta, Flett played his minor hockey in Okotoks, Alberta, then played junior hockey with the Melville Millionaires of the SJHL.[1] From 1963–64 through 1966–67, he played for teams in various minor professional leagues (AHL, EHL, WHL, CPHL). In 1967, when the NHL expanded from six to twelve teams, Flett was drafted by the expansion Los Angeles Kings. In his rookie season, playing on the right wing, he scored 26 goals and was named The Sporting News NHL West Division Rookie of the Year.

Flett was nicknamed "Cowboy" because in addition to being a hockey player, he owned a cattle ranch in Alberta and he was also a rodeo performer. Flett's rodeo career ended when the Los Angeles Kings owner Jack Kent Cooke threatened to fine him $1,000 ($8,800 today) for every rodeo he appeared in. He was well known throughout his career for being one of the few hockey players at the time to sport a full beard, and for being one of the last players to play without a helmet. Not known for his playmaking skill or skating, Flett did possess a booming and heavy slapshot and when paired with the right center who could get him the puck, he was among the league's biggest scoring threats.

Flett scored 24 goals in his sophomore season. His goal production declined significantly in his next two seasons. He was acquired along with Ross Lonsberry, Jean Potvin and Eddie Joyal by the Flyers from the Kings for Serge Bernier, Bill Lesuk and Jim Johnson on January 28, 1972.[2] He had his best season in 1972–73 with 43 goals with the Flyers. Flett was a member of the Flyers 1974 Stanley Cup champion team.

He was traded from the Flyers to the Toronto Maple Leafs for Randy Osburn and Dave Fortier on May 27, 1974.[3] He was waived by the Maple Leafs after reverting to his indifferent play. The Atlanta Flames picked him from waivers, and Flett had one last productive year in the NHL when he scored 23 goals in 1975–76. In 1976–77, the Flames sold him to the Edmonton Oilers of the WHA where he averaged over 60 points per season over the next three years. When Edmonton joined the NHL, he found he had little left and retired after 20 games. He scouted for the Oilers after that.

Personal life

Flett married Doreen in 1964; they had three sons together, Cody, Dean, and Shane.[4]

Flett lived in Edmonton after retiring from the Edmonton Oilers in 1980 and maintained friendships with his former teammates and team executives. He battled alcoholism for many years and explained, in 1997, that he had been sober for "4 or 5 years" after Oilers owner Peter Pocklington and coach Glen Sather helped him get a placement in the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage.[4]

In May 1999, Flett entered the hospital due to a gallbladder condition which eventually contributed to liver failure.[5] Flett received a liver transplant, but his body rejected it; he died on July 12, 1999, due to liver failure.[5]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1960–61 Melville Millionaires SJHL 27 16 2 18 14 7 3 1 4 10
1961–62 Melville Millionaires SJHL 24 8 14 22 44 — — — — —
1962–63 Melville Millionaires SJHL 53 31 54 85 80 18 7 11 18 40
1962–63 Estevan Bruins M-Cup — — — — — 6 1 1 2 2
1963–64 Rochester Americans AHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — —
1963–64 Charlotte Checkers EHL 41 26 21 47 48 3 0 1 1 6
1963–64 Denver Invaders WHL — — — — — 1 0 0 0 0
1964–65 Tulsa Oilers CPHL 39 8 22 30 58 12 1 2 3 6
1964–65 Victoria Maple Leafs WHL 23 1 7 8 14 — — — — —
1965–66 Tulsa Oilers CPHL 55 23 23 46 83 — — — — —
1966–67 Tulsa Oilers CPHL 62 16 28 44 108 — — — — —
1967–68 Los Angeles Kings NHL 73 26 20 46 97 7 1 2 3 8
1968–69 Los Angeles Kings NHL 72 24 25 49 53 10 3 4 7 11
1969–70 Los Angeles Kings NHL 69 14 18 32 70 — — — — —
1969–70 Springfield Kings AHL 5 2 6 8 6 — — — — —
1970–71 Los Angeles Kings NHL 64 13 24 37 57 — — — — —
1971–72 Los Angeles Kings NHL 45 7 12 19 18 — — — — —
1971–72 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 31 11 10 21 26 — — — — —
1972–73 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 69 43 31 74 53 11 3 4 7 0
1973–74 Philadelphia Flyers NHL 67 17 27 44 51 17 0 6 6 21
1974–75 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 77 15 25 40 38 5 0 0 0 2
1975–76 Atlanta Flames NHL 78 23 17 40 30 2 0 0 0 0
1976–77 Atlanta Flames NHL 24 4 4 8 6 — — — — —
1976–77 Edmonton Oilers WHA 48 34 20 54 20 5 0 2 2 2
1977–78 Edmonton Oilers WHA 74 41 28 69 34 — — — — —
1978–79 Edmonton Oilers WHA 73 28 36 64 14 10 5 2 7 2
1979–80 Edmonton Oilers NHL 20 5 2 7 2 — — — — —
WHA totals 195 103 84 187 68 15 5 4 9 4
NHL totals 689 202 215 417 501 52 7 16 23 42

References

  1. ^ "150 Okotokians Who Have Made a Difference A-H | the Town of Okotoks". Archived from the original on 2018-08-23. Retrieved 2018-08-23.
  2. ^ William Flett (RW) 1971–1974 – Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  3. ^ William Flett (RW) 1971–1974 – Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved January 24, 2023.
  4. ^ a b Elliott, Helene (1997-03-13). "A Cowboy Hat Trick: The First One in Kings' History Was Scored By Colorful Bill Flett, a One-Time Calf Roper Who Only Recently Stopped Celebrating". Los Angeles Times. Archived from the original on 2021-07-26.
  5. ^ a b Greenberg, Jay (1999-08-01). "'Cowboy' Flett a Gentle Giant". The Hockey News. Vol. 52, no. 40. Retrieved 2024-03-07.
  • Hockey Stars of 1969 by Stan Fischler
  • The Complete Handbook of Pro Hockey 1976 by Zander Hollander
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