Billy Harris (ice hockey, born 1935) explained

Billy Harris
Birth Date:29 July 1935
Birth Place:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Death Place:Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:0
Weight Lb:157
Position:Centre
Shoots:Left
Career Start:1955
Career End:1969
Coached For:Ottawa Nationals
Toronto Toros
Career Start Coach:1971
Career End Coach:1984

William Edward "Hinky" Harris (July 29, 1935[1] – September 20, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1955 to 1969.

Playing career

Harris began his NHL career with the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1955–56. He helped Toronto win 3 straight Stanley Cups in 1962, 1963, and 1964. In total, he played 10 seasons with Toronto before being traded in the off season to the Detroit Red Wings along with Andy Bathgate and Gary Jarrett for Larry Jeffrey, Eddie Joyal, Lowell MacDonald, Marcel Pronovost, and Autry Erickson on May 20, 1965. After playing 24 games for Detroit in 1965–66 he was sent down to the Red Wings AHL affiliate Pittsburgh Hornets. He spent the entire 1966–67 season in the AHL with Pittsburgh leading the team with 34 goals and helping them win the Calder Cup Championship.

The following year the National Hockey League expanded from six teams to twelve and on June 6, 1967 Harris was selected by the Oakland Seals in the expansion draft. During his second season with Oakland he was traded to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Bob Dillabough. Harris would retire from professional hockey at the conclusion of the 1968–69 NHL season.

Coaching career

After finishing his playing career in 1970 with the Canadian national team, Harris became head coach of the Swedish national ice hockey team in 1971–72. He then became the first head coach of the Ottawa Nationals in the WHA's inaugural 1972–73 season and coached Team Canada in the 1974 Summit Series against the Soviet Union.

Harris went on to become an assistant coach with the Edmonton Oilers under Glen Sather for two seasons beginning in 1981–82.

He ended his coaching career after serving as a head coach in the OHL for the Sudbury Wolves in 1982–83 and 1983–84.

In later years, Harris and Dave Keon operated one of Canada's biggest hockey schools.

Awards and achievements

Transactions

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1950–51Weston DukesB10 Jr. B18 6 14 20 212 8 9 17 4
1950–51Toronto MarlborosOHA2 0 1 1 0
1951–52Weston DukesB10 Jr. B
1951–52Toronto MarlborosOHA3 0 1 1 0
1952–53Toronto MarlborosOHA56 20 31 51 47 2 1 3 4
1953–54Toronto MarlborosOHA59 25 39 64 2715 4 6 10 20
1954–55Toronto MarlborosOHA47 37 29 66 2613 10 18 28 11
1954–55Toronto MarlborosM-Cip11 5 6 11 0
1955–56Toronto Maple LeafsNHL70 9 13 22 85 1 0 1 4
1956–57Toronto Maple LeafsNHL23 4 6 10 6
1956–57Rochester AmericansAHL43 5 20 25 152 0 0 0 4
1957–58Toronto Maple LeafsNHL68 16 28 44 32
1958–59Toronto Maple LeafsNHL70 22 30 52 2912 3 4 7 16
1959–60Toronto Maple LeafsNHL70 13 25 38 299 0 3 3 4
1960–61Toronto Maple LeafsNHL66 12 27 39 305 1 0 1 0
1961–62Toronto Maple LeafsNHL67 15 10 25 1412 2 1 3 2
1962–63Toronto Maple LeafsNHL65 8 24 32 2210 0 1 1 0
1963–64Toronto Maple LeafsNHL63 6 12 18 179 1 1 2 4
1964–65Toronto Maple LeafsNHL48 1 6 7 0
1964–65Rochester AmericansAHL11 4 10 14 610 5 12 17 10
1965–66Detroit Red WingsNHL24 1 4 5 6
1965–66Pittsburgh HornetsAHL42 15 22 37 23 0 0 0 2
1966–67Pittsburgh HornetsAmerican Hockey LeagueAHL70 34 36 70 299 2 6 8 6
1967–68Oakland SealsNHL62 12 17 29 2
1968–69Oakland SealsNHL19 0 4 4 2
1968–69Pittsburgh PenguinsNHL54 7 13 20 8
NHL totals769 126 219 345 20562 8 10 18 30

Coaching record

Team Year Post season
G W L T Pts Finish Result
Ottawa Nationals1972–737835394744th in WHA EastLost in division semi-finals (1-4 vs. NE)
Toronto Toros1973–747841334862nd in WHA EastWon in division semi-finals (4-1 vs. CLE)
Lost in division finals (3-4 vs. CHI)
Toronto Toros1974–754123171(47)2nd in WHA CanadianFired
WHA totals1972-1975197998992078-9 (0.471)

Death

Harris died as a result of cancer / leukemia, in Toronto, Ontario, on September 20, 2001. He was 66 years old.

Notes and References

  1. https://www.eliteprospects.com/player/198966/billy-harris