NHL executive, agent Bill Watters passes away at 83

Bill Watters, the former NHL executive and player agent who was a longtime radio and television broadcaster, has died.

He was 83.

Watters was born in Orillia, Ont., on June 29, 1943. He played football with the University of Toronto’s Varsity Blues in the early ’60s and was selected by the Toronto Argonauts with the second-overall pick in the 1964 CFL Draft, but decided not to play due to a knee injury.

In hockey, he worked as both a broadcaster and player agent through the ’70s and ’80s, then became the assistant general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs from between 1991 to 2002.

The Sheet host Jeff Marek, who worked with Watters at Toronto’s AM 640 for a number of years, praised Watters in a social media post Sunday.

“A dear friend, radio partner, and kind soul who taught me about how the game really worked. Sitting next to him for years was an incredible education coupled with great laughs,” Marek said.

Leafs senior executive advisor Mats Sundin released a statement through the team’s social media Sunday, saying the franchise was saddened by the news.

“As a longtime member of the team’s front office, Bill was an important part of my time as a player with the Maple Leafs and someone I will remember with affection,” Sundin said. “Bill cared deeply about the Leafs, the city of Toronto and the people around him. Personally, his support and kindness meant a great deal to me and I will always cherish the relationship we fostered during our time together.”

Former Leafs play-by-play announcer Joe Bowen, who worked with Watters for a number of years, shared his own thoughts Sunday.

“For so many years, we partnered together on the air, but we were soulmates off it,” Bowen said. “He taught me so much about the business of hockey.”