Billy Harris (ice hockey, born 1935)

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

Billy Harris
Billy Harris in the mid 1960s
Born (1935-07-29)July 29, 1935
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died September 20, 2001(2001-09-20) (aged 66)
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight 157 lb (71 kg; 11 st 3 lb)
Position Centre
Shot Left
Played for NHL
Toronto Maple Leafs
Detroit Red Wings
Oakland Seals
Pittsburgh Penguins
AHL
Rochester Americans
Pittsburgh Hornets
Playing career 19551969

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.

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 – NBA Champion – Charlotte 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 Autry 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 season Playoffs
Season Team League GPGAPtsPIM GPGAPtsPIM
1950–51 Weston Dukes B10 Jr. B 18614202 1289174
1950–51 Toronto Marlboros OHA 20110
1951–52 Weston Dukes B10 Jr. B
1951–52 Toronto Marlboros OHA 30110
1952–53 Toronto Marlboros OHA 562031514 72134
1953–54 Toronto Marlboros OHA 5925396427 15461020
1954–55 Toronto Marlboros OHA 4737296626 1310182811
1954–55 Toronto Marlboros M-Cip 1156110
1955–56 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 70913228 51014
1956–57 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 2346106
1956–57 Rochester Americans AHL 435202515 20004
1957–58 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6816284432
1958–59 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7022305229 1234716
1959–60 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 7013253829 90334
1960–61 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6612273930 51010
1961–62 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 6715102514 122132
1962–63 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 658243222 100110
1963–64 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 636121817 91124
1964–65 Toronto Maple Leafs NHL 481670
1964–65 Rochester Americans AHL 11410146 105121710
1965–66 Detroit Red Wings NHL 241456
1965–66 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 421522372 30002
1966–67 Pittsburgh Hornets AHL 7034367029 92686
1967–68 Oakland Seals NHL 621217292
1968–69 Oakland Seals NHL 190442
1968–69 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 54713208
NHL totals 769126219345205 628101830

Coaching record

TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTPtsFinishResult
Ottawa Nationals1972–73 7835394744th in WHA EastLost in Semi-Finals
Toronto Toros1973–74 7841334862nd in WHA EastLost in Division Finals
Toronto Toros1974–75 4123171(47)2nd in WHA CanadianFired

Death

Harris died from cancer, in Toronto, on September 20, 2001. He was 66 years old.

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