Billy Harris
Quick Facts
LeoBiography
William Edward "Hinky" Harris (July 29, 1935 – September 20, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League 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.
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 – Calder Cup 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 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 | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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-Jr. | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1951–52 | Weston Dukes | B10 Jr. B | ||||||||||||
| 1951–52 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA-Jr. | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA-Jr. | 56 | 20 | 31 | 51 | 4 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1953–54 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA-Jr. | 59 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 27 | 15 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 20 | ||
| 1954–55 | Toronto Marlboros | OHA-Jr. | 47 | 37 | 29 | 66 | 26 | 13 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 11 | ||
| 1954–55 | Toronto Marlboros | MC | — | — | — | — | — | 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 Hornets | AHL | 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 | ||||
| AHL totals | 166 | 58 | 88 | 146 | 52 | 24 | 7 | 18 | 25 | 22 | ||||
Coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
| Ottawa Nationals | 1972–73 | 78 | 35 | 39 | 4 | 74 | 4th in WHA East | Lost in Semi-Finals |
| Toronto Toros | 1973–74 | 78 | 41 | 33 | 4 | 86 | 2nd in WHA East | Lost in Division Finals |
| Toronto Toros | 1974–75 | 41 | 23 | 17 | 1 | (47) | 2nd in WHA Canadian | Fired |
Death
Harris died from cancer, in Toronto, on September 20, 2001.He was 66 years old.
