Billy Harris (ice hockey, born 1935)

For the ice hockey player who played in the NHL from 1972 to 1984, see Billy Harris (ice hockey, born 1952).

William Edward "Hinky" Harris (July 29, 1935 – September 20, 2001) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) 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
Coached for	Ottawa Nationals Toronto Toros
Playing career	1955–1969
Coaching career	1971–1984

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 - AHL 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 and playoffs

				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		2	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1951–52	Weston Dukes	B10 Jr. B		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1951–52	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		3	0	1	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1952–53	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		56	20	31	51	4		7	2	1	3	4
1953–54	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		59	25	39	64	27		15	4	6	10	20
1954–55	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		47	37	29	66	26		13	10	18	28	11
1954–55	Toronto Marlboros	M-Cip		—	—	—	—	—		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

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 division semi-finals (1-4 vs. NE)
Toronto Toros	1973–74	78	41	33	4	86	2nd in WHA East	Won in division semi-finals (4-1 vs. CLE) Lost in division finals (3-4 vs. CHI)
Toronto Toros	1974–75	41	23	17	1	(47)	2nd in WHA Canadian	Fired
WHA totals	1972-1975	197	99	89	9	207		8-9 (0.471)

Death

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

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database