Bill Heindl, Jr.

William Wayne Heindl Jr. (May 13, 1946 – March 1, 1992) was a Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 18 games in the National Hockey League for the Minnesota North Stars and New York Rangers between 1970 and 1972, and in the World Hockey Association with the Cleveland Crusaders during the 1973–74 season. Internationally he played for the Canadian national team at the 1969 World Championships.

Playing career Heindl began his junior hockey career in Winnipeg, Manitoba, playing for the Winnipeg Braves, and then joined the Oshawa Generals of the Ontario Hockey Association for the 1965–66 season. That year Oshawa played in the Memorial Cup, and Heindl put up impressive numbers, scoring 13 goals and 21 points in the playoffs that year. After one season in Oshawa, Heindl joined the Eastern Hockey League's Clinton Comets, where he had his most productive season as a professional scoring 52 goals in 1967–68.

While his NHL rights were held by the Boston Bruins, Heindl never played for the parent club, Over the next two seasons, Heindl spent more time playing for Minnesota's American Hockey League affiliate the Cleveland Barons than in the NHL, and was left unprotected for the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, where he was claimed by the incoming Atlanta Flames. The following season Heindl joined the World Hockey Association's Cleveland Crusaders, who had acquired his WHA rights from the Winnipeg Jets.

His father was Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum Honoured Member Bill Heindl Sr., who also played for – and won – the Memorial Cup in 1941 with the Winnipeg Rangers.

Personal life Heindl's coaching career was ended by a car accident in which he suffered a serious back injury. Coupled with the death of his father and a failed marriage, he fell into alcoholism and depression. He attempted suicide in 1980 by jumping off a bridge in Winnipeg. Heindl survived, but was left a paraplegic. The game, played April 25, 1980, was played between former professional players and former members of the Canadian National Team and was attended by over 15,000 people at the Winnipeg Arena. Over $85,000 was raised for Heindl's recovery. Among the players to join Orr was Wayne Gretzky, and the event marked the only time the two NHL superstars played in the same game.

Heindl's outlook improved, and he became an administrative assistant with the Canadian Paraplegic Association. He encouraged his friends and associates to help raise money for spinal cord research, the result of which became an annual golf tournament in Winnipeg which had raised over $200,000 in its first nine years. The event, called "The Will To Win" helped fund Winnipeg's Spinal Cord Research Centre.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1963–64 Winnipeg Braves MJHL 26 7 7 14 18 — — — — — 1963–64 Victoriaville Bruins M-Cup — — — — — 11 3 4 7 10 1964–65 Winnipeg Braves MJHL 45 27 33 60 22 15 5 5 10 10 1965–66 Oshawa Generals OHA 48 15 26 41 46 17 4 5 9 10 1965–66 Oshawa Generals M-Cup — — — — — 14 13 8 21 8 1966–67 Clinton Comets EHL 72 17 20 37 7 9 3 2 5 13 1967–68 Clinton Comets EHL 72 52 53 105 20 14 10 5 15 7 1968–69 Canadian National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — 1969–70 Canadian National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — 1970–71 Minnesota North Stars NHL 12 1 1 2 0 — — — — — 1970–71 Cleveland Barons AHL 60 25 11 36 22 8 3 5 8 0 1971–72 Cleveland Barons AHL 70 22 25 47 19 6 0 3 3 2 1972–73 New York Rangers NHL 4 1 0 1 0 — — — — — 1972–73 Providence Reds AHL 66 21 43 64 10 4 1 0 1 2 1973–74 Cleveland Crusaders WHA 67 4 14 18 4 5 0 1 1 2 1973–74 Jacksonville Barons AHL 9 3 2 5 0 — — — — — 1974–75 Cape Codders NAHL 74 23 36 59 8 — — — — — 1975–76 BK Backen SWE-2 20 16 16 32 48 — — — — — 1976–77 BK Backen SWE-2 33 14 3 17 — — — — — — 1977–78 Augsburger EV GER-2 — — — — — — — — — — WHA totals 67 4 14 18 4 5 0 1 1 2 NHL totals 18 2 1 3 0 — — — — —

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1969 Canada WC 9 4 1 5 2 Senior totals 9 4 1 5 2 Source: Legends Of Hockey (HHOF)

Awards and achievements MJHL Second All-Star Team (1965) Turnbull Cup MJHL Championship (1965)