Former Black Hawks centre Bill Hay dies at age 88

Bill Hay (Wikimedia Commons)

According to Wes Gilbertson of the Calgary Herald on Friday, former Chicago Black Hawks centre Bill Hay of Lumsden, Saskatchewan has passed away at the age of 88. Hay spent eight seasons with the Black Hawks from 1959 to 1967, was a two-time All-Star, won the Calder Trophy in 1960, and was a Stanley Cup champion in 1961.

Hay had 113 goals and 273 assists for 386 points in 506 games. He was a +19 with 244 penalty minutes, 109 power-play points, 10 shorthanded points, 13 game-winning goals, and 1276 shots on goal.

In his award-winning rookie season of 1959-60, when Hay was also an All-Star, he had 18 goals and 37 assists for 55 points. He was a +17 with 29 penalty minutes, seven power-play points, two game-winning goals, and 149 shots on goal. Hay’s first game-winning goal came on January 6, 1960 in a 2-1 Black Hawks win over the New York Rangers. Hay scored from Ted Lindsay of Renfrew, Ontario and Ed Litzenberger of Neudorf, Saskatchewan in an all-Canadian goal to break a 1-1 tie with 29 seconds left in the second period. Hay’s second game-winning goal came on February 6, 1960 in a 5-1 Black Hawks win over the Rangers. Hay scored from defensemen Moose Vasko of Duparquet, Quebec and Pierre Pilote of Kenogami, Quebec at 15:56 of the first period in an all-Canadian goal which put the Black Hawks up 2-0 at the time.

Then in 1960-61, when Hay was an All-Star, he had 11 goals and 48 assists for 59 points. He had 45 penalty minutes, 21 power-play points, and 183 shots on goal.

When Chicago won the 1961 Stanley Cup, the Black Hawks beat the Detroit Red Wings in six games. Hay had one goal and three assists for four points.

Hay was very active in hockey after he retired. He was the president of the Calgary Flames from 1991 to 1995, president and chief operating officer of Hockey Canada from 1990 to 1995, and the chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame from 1998 to 2013. Hay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2015, and was inducted into the Alberta and Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fames.

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