Bill Hay obit

Former Blackhawks All-Star, Hall of Fame hockey executive Bill Hay dead at 88

 

He was not on the list.

CALGARY — Former Chicago Blackhawks star and Hall of Fame hockey executive Bill Hay has died. He was 88.

Hockey Canada, where Hay was president and chief operating officer from 1990-1995, confirmed Hay's death in a release Saturday. A cause of death was not provided.

“Bill Hay lived a remarkable hockey life that reflected the very best of our sport," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "The National Hockey League family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to his family and many friends throughout the hockey world.”

Hay played eight NHL seasons with the Blackhawks and was named the league's rookie of the year in the 1959-60 season when he had 24 goals and 30 assists in 70 games.

The centre from Saskatoon had 11 goals and 48 assists in the following regular season and added two goals and five assists in 12 playoff games while anchoring a line with Bobby Hull to help the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup.

Hay had 113 goals and 273 assists over 506 career NHL games and was a two-time all-star before retiring in 1967.

He continued in the game post-retirement, serving as president and chief executive officer of the Calgary Flames from 1991-95 alongside his role with Hockey Canada.

He was instrumental in the merger of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in the mid-1990s.

He was also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee from 1980-97 and a member of the hall's board of directors from 1995 until his retirement in 2013, including 15 years as chairman.

Hay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2015 and invested into the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2021.

His father, Charles Hay, helped organize the 1972 Summit Series and is also enshriend in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder.

Hay started his junior career with the Regina Pats in the Western Canadian Junior Hockey League in 1952–53. He would then move on to play for the Saskatchewan Huskies in 1953–54 before returning to the Pats in 1954–55. Hay and the Pats would make it to the Memorial Cup that year where they would lose in 5 games to the Toronto Marlboros.

In 1955–56, Hay moved to Colorado to play with the Colorado College Tigers. He received many awards during his stay in Colorado which saw him being named to the WCHA First All-Star Team twice, the NCAA First All-Star Team twice, and a berth to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team in 1956–57.

In 1958–59, Hay started his pro career with the Calgary Stampeders. In 53 games he recorded 24 goals and 54 points. In 1959–60, Hay made his first National Hockey League appearance with the Chicago Black Hawks. In his rookie season he put up a total of 55 points and was awarded the Calder Memorial Trophy and a spot on the 1960 NHL All-Star Game roster. In 1960–61, Hay and the Black Hawks made a trip to the Stanley Cup Finals. Paired on a line with Bobby Hull and Murray Balfour, the trio helped the Black Hawks claim their first Stanley Cup since 1937–38. Hay would play 6 more seasons, all with the Black Hawks, before retiring.

He is the son of Hockey Hall of Fame member Charles Hay and the nephew of Earl Miller.

 

Awards and honours

Selected to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team in 1957.

Calder Memorial Trophy winner in 1960.

Played in 1960 and 1961 NHL All-Star Games.

Stanley Cup champion in 1961.

Inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame in the Builder Category, 2015.

On February 26, 2021, Hay was named to the Order of Hockey in Canada by Hockey Canada, in recognition of his career and contributions to the game in Canada.