Former NHL player and assistant coach Tim Ecclestone passes away at 76

The National Hockey League (NHL) is mourning the loss of alumni Tim Ecclestone, who passed away over the weekend at the age of 76.

Ecclestone played 11 NHL seasons with the St. Louis Blues, Detroit Red Wings, Toronto Maple Leafs and Atlanta Flames. In 692 career games, he put up 126 goals and 233 assists for 359 points in that frame. He appeared in 48 playoff contests notching six goals and 17 points. He also played in the 1971 NHL All-Star Game.

Ecclestone made the jump to the NHL in the 1967-68 season following a breakout season in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL) with the Kitchener Rangers. During his rookie campaign with the Blues, he put up 14 points in 50 games. Ecclestone was part of the 68′, 69′, and 70′ Stanley Cup Final teams that were coached and managed by the legendary Al Arbour and Scotty Bowman.

Ecclestone was then dealt to the Red Wings in a trade that saw him and Red Berenson get dealt for Garry Unger and Wayne Connelly. Upon arriving in Detroit, he’d score a career-high 19 goals and with that play earned himself a spot in the NHL All-Star Game during the 1970-71 campaign.

In the 1973-74 campaign, the Red Wings dealt him to Toronto. He would play 51 games for the Leafs and the following season was dealt to Atlanta where he would finish off his career.

Following his playing career, Ecclestone was the assistant coach for the Flames from the 1977-78 campaign through 1979-90 prior to Atlanta relocating to Calgary.