| Position: | Defence |
| Shoots: | Left |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 2 |
| Weight Lb: | 217 |
| Birth Date: | March 11, 1967 |
| Birth Place: | Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada |
| Career Start: | 1987 |
| Career End: | 2003 |
| Draft: | 82nd overall |
| Draft Year: | 1985 |
| Draft Team: | Washington Capitals |
| Played For: | Washington Capitals Buffalo Sabres Mighty Ducks of Anaheim St. Louis Blues Tampa Bay Lightning San Jose Sharks Nashville Predators |
William K. Houlder (born March 11, 1967) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman. In his NHL career, Houlder appeared in 846 games. He tallied 59 goals and added 191 assists.
He was drafted by the Washington Capitals in the fourth round, 82nd overall, of the 1985 NHL Entry Draft.
After playing three seasons with the North Bay Centennials of the Ontario Hockey League, Houlder joined the Capitals during the 1987–88 season. After going back and forth between Washington and their AHL affiliate Baltimore Skipjacks for three seasons, Houlder was traded to the Buffalo Sabres before the 1990–91 season in exchange for Shawn Anderson.
Houlder remained with the Sabres until being selected by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 1993 NHL Expansion Draft. Houlder's journeyman status continued for the remainder of his career, as he played just one season for Anaheim before moving on to play with the St. Louis Blues, Tampa Bay Lightning, San Jose Sharks, the Lightning again, and the Nashville Predators.
Houlder retired after the 2002–03 season as a Predator. In his NHL career, Houlder appeared in 846 games. He tallied 59 goals and added 191 assists.
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | |||||
| 1984–85 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 66 | 4 | 20 | 24 | 37 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1985–86 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 59 | 5 | 30 | 35 | 97 | 10 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 12 | ||
| 1986–87 | North Bay Centennials | OHL | 62 | 17 | 51 | 68 | 68 | 22 | 4 | 19 | 23 | 20 | ||
| 1987–88 | Fort Wayne Komets | IHL | 43 | 10 | 14 | 24 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 30 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Baltimore Skipjacks | AHL | 65 | 10 | 36 | 46 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 8 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Baltimore Skipjacks | AHL | 26 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 12 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 | ||
| 1989–90 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 41 | 1 | 11 | 12 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 69 | 13 | 53 | 66 | 28 | 15 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 4 | ||
| 1990–91 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 7 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1991–92 | Rochester Americans | AHL | 42 | 8 | 26 | 34 | 16 | 16 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 | ||
| 1991–92 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 10 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | San Diego Gulls | IHL | 64 | 24 | 48 | 72 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1992–93 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 15 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 | ||
| 1993–94 | Mighty Ducks of Anaheim | NHL | 80 | 14 | 25 | 39 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1994–95 | St. Louis Blues | NHL | 41 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 20 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1995–96 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 61 | 5 | 23 | 28 | 22 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1996–97 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 79 | 4 | 21 | 25 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1997–98 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 82 | 7 | 25 | 32 | 48 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1998–99 | San Jose Sharks | NHL | 76 | 9 | 23 | 32 | 40 | 6 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1999–00 | Tampa Bay Lightning | NHL | 14 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 57 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 81 | 4 | 12 | 16 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 82 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Nashville Predators | NHL | 82 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 46 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL Totals | 846 | 59 | 191 | 250 | 412 | 30 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 14 | ||||