Rick MacLeish, who starred for the NHL’s Philadelphia Flyers in the 1970s and was a longtime standardbred owner, passed away late Monday night (May 30) at the age of 66.
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“With the passing of Rick MacLeish, the Flyers have lost one of their legends”, said Flyers President, Paul Holmgren in an article posted on the team’s website. “Rick will be missed by all who were fortunate to come and know him over the years”. His happy and friendly demeanour was front and centre everywhere Rick went.
MacLeish is survived by his wife Charlene and daughters Danielle and Brianna. “May he rest in peace”.
Last month, MacLeish’s daughter announced her father was dealing with several medical problems and had been hospitalized for six weeks.
But MacLeish finally stuck in the National Hockey League for the 1972-73 season, and promptly scored 50 goals and assisted on 50 more for a young and suddenly competitive Flyers team headed for greatness. The Flyers Alumni Association said recently that MacLeish was battling an illness.MacLeish was the leading scorer in the playoffs when the Flyers won back-to-back titles. The Bruins took MacLeish with the No. 4 overall pick in the first round of the 1970 amateur draft, a pick that was originally the Flyers’ but had been previously acquired by the Bruins.
“He wasn’t just a great hockey player, he was a great family man”, his brother, Dale, told the Brock Citizen. We both turned pro together in 1970.
He’d score 349 goals and 759 points in 846 career games.
“Ricky was the most talented player the Flyers had during the 1970s”, said Flyers Senior Vice President and Hall of Famer Bobby Clarke, who played with MacLeish during throughout that decade. MacLeish scored 38 goals and had 79 points and added 11 more goals and 20 more points in the 1975 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
The Cannington, Ontario, native had some close calls with passing earlier in his life.
Macleish was inducted into the Flyers Hall of Fame in 1990.
“I would say that Rick MacLeish was probably one of the most naturally skilled players that the Flyers have ever had in their history of 50 years”, former Flyers defenseman Joe Watson said.
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Bob Kelly, who scored the winning goal in Game 6 of the Flyers’ 1975 Stanley Cup, agreed with that assessment. He played 25 games as a Red Wing, netting two goals and eight assists.
