Bill Flett

William Mayer "Cowboy" 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 when the leagues merged for the 1979–80 NHL season.

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

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 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 ($7,400 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. Fed up with his dwindling production, the Kings traded Flett, along with Eddie Joyal and Ross Lonsberry to the Philadelphia Flyers where he had his best season in 1972–73 with 43 goals. Flett was a member of the Flyers 1974 Stanley Cup champion team. After the season ended, he was traded to the Toronto Maple Leafs where he reverted to his indifferent play, and as a result, the Leafs put him on waivers. 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.

Death

In May 1999, Flett entered the hospital due to a gall bladder condition which eventually contributed to liver failure. Flett received a liver transplant; however, his body rejected the transplant. Flett died on July 12, 1999 due to liver failure. He had battled alcoholism for many years and claimed to be sober for "4 or 5 years" after checking into the Betty Ford Clinic in Rancho Mirage in the early 1990s.[2] Flett was survived by his wife Doreen and three sons, Cody, Dean and Shane.

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	0		—	—	—	—	—
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. https://www.okotoks.ca/culture-heritage/museum-archives/museum-exhibits/150-okotokians-who-have-made-difference-h
2. https://articles.latimes.com/1997-03-13/sports/sp-37680_1_bill-flett

• Hockey Stars of 1969 by Stan Fischler
• The Complete Handbook of Pro Hockey 1976 by Zander Hollander

External links

• Bill Flett at Find a Grave
• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or Legends of Hockey, or The Internet Hockey Database