Bill Gadsby

William Alexander Gadsby (August 8, 1927 – March 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League between 1946 and 1966.

Playing career

Gadsby began his outstanding hockey career in Calgary playing for several minor league teams including the Alberta Midget champions in 1942. He played two years for the Edmonton Junior Canadians before joining the Chicago Black Hawks in 1946. He was captain twice during his eight years with them. Gadsby contracted polio in 1952 but fought back without interrupting his hockey career, although he spent three weeks in the hospital. That was not his first brush with danger, however—in 1939 he was travelling with his mother on the passenger liner when it was hit by a torpedo fired by a German U-boat and sank, and he and his mother spent several hours in a lifeboat before being rescued.

Gadsby was a First Team All-Star three times and a Second Team All-Star four times. In 1958–59, he set a record for assists by a defenceman, with 46.

Despite a long (20 seasons) NHL hockey career, Gadsby never won the Stanley Cup. He came closest to winning the Cup in 1964, when the Detroit Red Wings lost a seven-game final series to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1968, he became head coach of the Red Wings but was fired shortly into his second season.

When he retired he was the leading career scorer among defencemen with 568 points.

Bill Gadsby was inducted to the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame in 1986 as an athlete.

Retirement and death Gadsby was an "Honored Member" of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association, and was active in its efforts to raise money for children's charities in Metro Detroit.

He would also return to Canada in the Hockey Offseason to play Baseball for the Calgary Buffalo for parts of three seasons from 1950 to 1954.

He died at the age of 88 on March 10, 2016, in Farmington Hills, Michigan, following a period of failing health.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1943–44 Calgary Grills AHA-B 9 4 1 5 4 — — — — — 1944–45 Edmonton Canadians AJHL — — — — — — — — — — 1945–46 Edmonton Canadians AJHL — 14 12 26 — — — — — — 1945–46 Edmonton Canadians M-Cup — — — — — 14 12 5 17 22 1946–47 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 48 8 10 18 31 — — — — — 1946–47 Kansas City Pla-Mors USHL 12 2 3 5 8 — — — — — 1947–48 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 60 6 10 16 66 — — — — — 1948–49 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 50 3 10 13 85 — — — — — 1949–50 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 10 25 35 138 — — — — — 1950–51 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 25 3 7 10 32 — — — — — 1951–52 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 59 7 15 22 87 — — — — — 1952–53 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 68 2 20 22 84 7 0 1 1 4 1953–54 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 70 12 29 41 108 — — — — — 1954–55 Chicago Black Hawks NHL 18 3 5 8 17 — — — — — 1954–55 New York Rangers NHL 52 8 8 16 44 — — — — — 1955–56 New York Rangers NHL 70 9 42 51 84 5 1 3 4 4 1956–57 New York Rangers NHL 70 4 37 41 72 5 1 2 3 2 1957–58 New York Rangers NHL 65 14 32 46 48 6 0 3 3 4 1958–59 New York Rangers NHL 70 5 46 51 56 — — — — — 1959–60 New York Rangers NHL 65 9 22 31 60 — — — — — 1960–61 New York Rangers NHL 65 9 26 35 49 — — — — — 1961–62 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 7 30 37 88 — — — — — 1962–63 Detroit Red Wings NHL 70 4 24 28 116 11 1 4 5 36 1963–64 Detroit Red Wings NHL 64 2 16 18 80 14 0 4 4 22 1964–65 Detroit Red Wings NHL 61 0 12 12 122 7 0 3 3 8 1965–66 Detroit Red Wings NHL 58 5 12 17 72 12 1 3 4 12 NHL totals 1,248 130 438 568 1,539 67 4 23 27 92

NHL coaching record Team Year Regular season Post season G W L T Pts Finish Result Detroit Red Wings 1968–69 76 33 31 12 78 5th in East Missed playoffs Detroit Red Wings 1969–70 2 2 0 0 2 3rd in East Resigned