Billy Harris

William Edward "Hinky" Harris (July 29, 1935 – 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 1961–62 – Stanley Cup Champion – Toronto Maple Leafs 1962–63 – Stanley Cup Champion – Toronto Maple Leafs 1963–64 – Stanley Cup Champion – Toronto Maple Leafs 1966-67 - AHL Champion – Pittsburgh Hornets

Transactions May 20, 1965 – Traded by the Toronto Maple Leafs with Andy Bathgate and Gary Jarrett to the Detroit Red Wings for Larry Jeffrey, Eddie Joyal, Lowell MacDonald, Marcel Pronovost and Aut Erickson June 6, 1967 – Claimed by the Oakland Seals from the Detroit Red Wings in NHL expansion draft November 28, 1968 – Traded by the Oakland Seals to the Pittsburgh Penguins for Bob Dillabough

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1950–51 Weston Dukes B10 Jr. B 18 6 14 20 2 12 8 9 17 4 1950–51 Toronto Marlboros OHA 2 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 1951–52 Weston Dukes B10 Jr. B — — — — — — — — — — 1951–52 Toronto Marlboros OHA 3 0 1 1 0 — — — — — 1952–53 Toronto Marlboros OHA 56 20 31 51 4 7 2 1 3 4 1953–54 Toronto Marlboros OHA 59 25 39 64 27 15 4 6 10 20 1954–55 Toronto Marlboros OHA 47 37 29 66 26 13 10 18 28 11 1954–55 Toronto Marlboros M-Cip — — — — — 11 5 6 11 0 1955–56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 9 13 22 8 5 1 0 1 4 1956–57 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 23 4 6 10 6 — — — — — 1956–57 Rochester Americans AHL 43 5 20 25 15 2 0 0 0 4 1957–58 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 68 16 28 44 32 — — — — — 1958–59 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 22 30 52 29 12 3 4 7 16 1959–60 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70 13 25 38 29 9 0 3 3 4 1960–61 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 66 12 27 39 30 5 1 0 1 0 1961–62 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 67 15 10 25 14 12 2 1 3 2 1962–63 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 65 8 24 32 22 10 0 1 1 0 1963–64 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 63 6 12 18 17 9 1 1 2 4 1964–65 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 48 1 6 7 0 — — — — — 1964–65 Rochester Americans AHL 11 4 10 14 6 10 5 12 17 10 1965–66 Detroit Red Wings NHL 24 1 4 5 6 — — — — — 1965–66 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 42 15 22 37 2 3 0 0 0 2 1966–67 Pittsburgh HornetsAHL 70 34 36 70 29 9 2 6 8 6 1967–68 Oakland Seals NHL 62 12 17 29 2 — — — — — 1968–69 Oakland Seals NHL 19 0 4 4 2 — — — — — 1968–69 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 54 7 13 20 8 — — — — — NHL totals 769 126 219 345 205 62 8 10 18 30

Coaching record

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