Billy MacMillan

William Stewart MacMillan (March 7, 1943 – July 14, 2023) was a Canadian hockey coach and player. MacMillan played and later coached in the National Hockey League (NHL). After several years with the Canada national team, including playing at two World Championships and the 1968 Winter Olympics, winning a bronze medal, MacMillan made his NHL debut in 1970 with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He played for Toronto, the Atlanta Flames, and New York Islanders between 1970 and 1977, and retired from playing in 1978. He became a coach during his final year, spent in the minor CHL and moved to the NHL in 1979 when he became an assistant coach for the Islanders. He was named the head coach of the Colorado Rockies in 1980, also serving as general manager the next season. MacMillan stayed with the team as they relocated in 1982 to become the New Jersey Devils, and was let go early in the 1983–84 season. Billy is the brother of Bob MacMillan.

Early career MacMillan was born on March 7, 1943, in Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island (PEI),

He spent most of the years from 1965 to 1970 playing for the Canadian national team. With the national team MacMillan played in several Ice Hockey World Championships, winning the bronze medal in 1966 and 1967, and at the 1968 Winter Olympics, also winning a bronze.

NHL career

A powerful body checker and solid defensive forward, MacMillan made his NHL debut on October 11, 1970, with the Toronto Maple Leafs, aged 27, becoming only the fifth player from Prince Edward Island to make an NHL roster. After one more season in the CHL, he was promoted to become an assistant coach by Al Arbour with the New York Islanders, the Texans' parent club in the NHL, for the 1979–80 season, and he helped lead this franchise to its first Stanley Cup championship.

The following season, he was hired by the Colorado Rockies to serve a dual role as general manager and head coach. After one season, he was relieved of his coaching duties, but after the team moved and became the New Jersey Devils in 1982, he returned to a capacity behind the bench. He then returned home in Prince Edward Island and coached the UPEI Panthers for many years; in 1991, he guided the team to a conference title and a berth in the CIAU University Cup Final Four.

Accolades In 1985, MacMillan was inducted into the PEI Sports Hall of Fame.

Death MacMillan died on July 14, 2023, at the age of 80 in Charlottetown.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1959–60 St. Michael's Buzzers OHA-B — — — — — — — — — — 1959–60 St. Michael's Majors OHA 2 0 0 0 0 5 0 1 1 0 1960–61 St. Michael's Majors OHA 46 7 12 19 31 7 1 1 2 4 1960–61 St. Michael's Majors M-Cup — — — — — 4 2 1 3 0 1961–62 St. Michael's Majors OHA 32 14 15 29 0 9 12 2 14 41 1961–62 St. Michael's Majors M-Cup — — — — — 5 1 0 1 7 1962–63 Sudbury Wolves EPHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1962–63 Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons MTJHL 32 25 12 37 11 10 9 11 20 9 1962–63 Toronto Neil McNeil Maroons M-Cup — — — — — 6 1 4 5 18 1963–64 St. Dunstan's University MIAU 11 25 11 36 17 — — — — — 1964–65 St. Dunstan's University AUAA 20 25 — 25 12 — — — — — 1965–66 Canada National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — 1966–67 Canada National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — 1967–68 Ottawa Nationals OHA Sr 20 13 8 21 20 — — — — — 1967–68 Canada National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — 1968–69 Canada National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — 1969–70 Tulsa Oilers CHL 3 1 6 7 0 — — — — — 1969–70 Canada National Team Intl — — — — — — — — — — 1970–71 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 76 22 19 41 42 6 0 3 3 2 1971–72 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 61 10 7 17 39 5 0 0 0 0 1972–73 Atlanta Flames NHL 78 10 15 25 52 — — — — — 1973–74 New York Islanders NHL 55 4 9 13 16 — — — — — 1974–75 New York Islanders NHL 69 13 12 25 12 17 0 1 1 23 1975–76 New York Islanders NHL 64 9 7 16 10 13 4 2 6 8 1976–77 Fort Worth Texans CHL 12 1 7 8 2 — — — — — 1976–77 Rhode Island Reds AHL 2 1 1 2 4 — — — — — 1976–77 New York Islanders NHL 43 6 8 14 13 12 2 0 2 7 1977–78 Fort Worth Texans CHL 59 5 13 18 26 14 2 2 4 2 NHL totals 446 74 77 151 184 53 6 6 12 40 Source:

Coaching record Team Year Regular season Post season G W L T Pts Finish Result Fort Worth Texans 1977–78 76 44 29 3 91 1st Won Championship Fort Worth Texans 1978–79 76 33 39 4 70 4th Lost in round 1 Colorado Rockies 1980–81 80 22 45 13 57 5th in Smythe Missed playoffs New Jersey Devils 1982–83 80 17 49 14 48 5th in Patrick Missed playoffs New Jersey Devils 1983–84 20 2 18 0 4 5th in Patrick (fired in reg. season)Total 180 41 112 27 Source: