Bison Sports and the Bison men's hockey program remember former Bison men's hockey head coach and player Wayne Fleming. Fleming fought a courageous battle with brain cancer and passed away on Monday, March 25. He was 62 years old.
"We are very saddened at the passing of Wayne Fleming and our deepest condolences go to Wayne's wife Carolyn and the Fleming family," reflected current Bison Men's Hockey Head Coach
Mike Sirant. "Wayne's passion, pride and hard work built the Manitoba Bisons into an elite and nationally respected Canadian University Men's Hockey program. He continued to be a tremendous supporter of the Bisons throughout his National Hockey League coaching career. Wayne was a great friend, mentor and inspiration to countless coaches, players and students at the University of Manitoba. We will be forever grateful for the legacy Wayne and Carolyn left on our campus and in the Province of Manitoba."
Fleming was a Snowflake, MB born hockey player who played four years for the Manitoba Bisons men's hockey team in the 1970s (1970-71, '71-72, '72-73 and '74-75). While playing, he graduated with a Bachelor of Physical Education in 1973 and then Certificate in Education in 1975 at the University of Manitoba.
After his graduation and his playing days were over, Fleming continued to be on the University of Manitoba campus as he was the assistant coach of the Bison men's hockey team for the next three years (1976-77 to 1979-80) and then moved from assistant to head coach in 1980-81 and was at the helm of the Bisons for nine seasons (1980-81 to 1986-87 and 1988-89 and '89-90). During those productive years, Fleming guided the Bisons to back-to-back GPAC (defunct now Great Plains Athletic Conference) Championships from 1983-84 (regular season record: 19-4-1) and 1984-85 (17-3-4) plus named GPAC Coach of the Year in 1982-83 and 1984-85 and also selected as Canadian Interuniversity Athletic Union (now CIS) Coach of the Year in 1984-85.
In addition, Fleming coached future NHL stars Mike Ridley and Stu Grimson plus Canadian Olympian Vaughn Karpan during his days with Manitoba. Fleming also coached Sirant during his four year playing career from 1981-82 to 1984-85 and helped Sirant into the coaching ranks as he was named an assistant coach in Fleming's last season during 1989-90 year (Sirant would then later became the Bison men's hockey head coach in the 1992-93 season).
After Manitoba, Fleming had a very successful coaching career both internationally and at the National Hockey League (NHL) level. He was part of the Canadian National Team from 1990-92 in the role of assistant coach and general manager as they proceeded to win a silver medal at the 1992 Winter Olympics. Then from 1992 until 1996, he was the head coach of Leksands IF of the Swedish Elitserien. Fleming was coach of the Landshut Cannibals in Germany for one year before returning to North America to become an assistant coach with the New York Islanders in 1997-98 for two seasons. He was also an assistant coach in the NHL for the Phoenix Coyotes (1999-00, '00-01), the Philadelphia Flyers (2002-03 to 2005-06), the Calgary Flames (2006-07, '08-09) and finished with the Tampa Bay Lightning (2010-11 and 2011-12). Fleming continue his success internationally as he went back to the Canadian national program in 2000 and was named the Vice President, Hockey by Hockey Canada and served as an associate coach for the national team when it captured a gold medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics and the 2004 World Cup of Hockey.
Wayne Fleming was inducted into the Manitoba Bisons Men's Hockey Hall of Fame in 1993. His Bisons head coach regular season conference record for his nine seasons was 140-78-14. Plus, Fleming coached Barry Trotz (current NHL\'s Nashville Predators head coach) and appointed him as an assistant coach with the Bisons, his first coaching position.
Fleming is survived by his wife Carolyn plus four children, seven grandchildren, parents and sister Jennifer. A celebration of Wayne's life is being planned and details will be announced as they become available.
