WA-WJC-TalentGapClosing_ The Calgary Flames announced on Monday afternoon that former executive and head coach Al MacNeil [https://www.eliteprospects.com/staff/4234/al-macneil] passed away at 89 with his family by his side in Calgary. At 20, MacNeil made his NHL debut in 1955-56 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, where he spent four seasons before moving on to the Montreal Canadiens (1961-62), Chicago Blackhawks (1962-1966), and New York Rangers (1966-67). His last NHL stop was with the Pittsburgh Penguins, for one season, who claimed him in the 1967 Expansion Draft. Additionally, he played for two AHL clubs, the Rochester Americans and the Montreal Voyageurs, while skating in the EPHL and CHL. During MacNeil's final season with the Voyageurs, he was a player-coach before transitioning to an assistant coach role with the Canadiens in 1970-71. He served briefly as head coach that year, helping Montreal win the Stanley Cup. The following season, MacNeil began his AHL Hall of Fame journey by winning the first of three consecutive Calder Cup titles with the Nova Scotia Voyageurs in 1972, 1973, and 1974. In addition, he won the AHL Coach of the Year Award (Louis AR Pieri Memorial Award) in 1971 and 1973. By 1977, MacNeil was back with Montreal, serving as the Director of Player Personnel, winning two more Stanley Cup rings in 1978 and 1979. However, that was the end of his connections with the Original Six franchise, as he became the head coach of the Atlanta Flames for the 1979-80 season, a role he retained when the club moved to Calgary in 1980. From 1979 to 2006, MacNeil was part of the Flames family. After helping the organization win its first playoff series in 1981, he remained head coach for one more season before being promoted to assistant general manager in 1985. During his management tenure, MacNeil saw Calgary advance to the Stanley Cup Final in 1986, 1989, and 2004. He earned his fourth championship ring in 1989 when the Flames defeated the Canadiens in six games for the franchise's only Stanley Cup victory. MacNeil served as Calgary's assistant general manager from 1985 to 2006, serving briefly as an assistant coach (1991-92) and head coach (2002-03) before stepping away after the 2005-06 season. Thanks to his decades of contributions to the game on and off the ice, MacNeil is a member of the AHL Hockey Hall of Fame, the Nova Scotia Hall of Fame, and the Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame. After the announcement of his passing, the Flames organization, Flames Alumni, and former players took to social media to share their condolences and memories of one of the more beloved figures in franchise history. Image [https://thehockeynews.com/.image/c_fit,h_600,w_600/MjExNDI4NzY0NzEyNzA3MjMx/thncgybanner-bookmark.png]
