Introduction
William Alexander "Bill" Gadsby (August 8, 1927 – March 10, 2016) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played for the Chicago Black Hawks, New York Rangers, and Detroit Red Wings in the National Hockey League.
Playing career
Gadsby was a First Team All-Star three times and a Second Team All-Star four times. In 1958–59, he set a record for assists by a defenceman, with 46.
Despite a long (20 season) NHL hockey career, Gadsby never won the Stanley Cup. He came closest to winning the Cup in 1964, when the Detroit Red Wings lost a 7-game final series to the Toronto Maple Leafs.
When he retired he was the leading career scorer among defensemen with 568 points.
Gadsby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970. In 1998, he was ranked number 99 on The Hockey News' list of the 100 Greatest Hockey Players. He was ranked No. 63 on the all-time list of New York Rangers in the book 100 Ranger Greats (John Wiley & Sons, 2009).
Retirement and death
Gadsby was an "Honored Member" of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association, and was active in its efforts to raise money for children's charities in Metro Detroit. He died at the age of 88 on March 10, 2016 in Farmington Hills, Michigan following a period of failing health.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1943–44 | Calgary Grills | AHA-B | 9 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1944–45 | Edmonton Canadians | AJHL | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | Edmonton Canadians | AJHL | — | 14 | 12 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1945–46 | Edmonton Canadians | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 14 | 12 | 5 | 17 | 22 | ||
| 1946–47 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 48 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1946–47 | Kansas City Pla-Mors | USHL | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1947–48 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 60 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 66 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1948–49 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 50 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 85 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1949–50 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 138 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1950–51 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 25 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1951–52 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 59 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1952–53 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 68 | 2 | 20 | 22 | 84 | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | ||
| 1953–54 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 70 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 108 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1954–55 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 18 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1954–55 | New York Rangers | NHL | 52 | 8 | 8 | 16 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1955–56 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 9 | 42 | 51 | 84 | 5 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 4 | ||
| 1956–57 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 4 | 37 | 41 | 72 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1957–58 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 14 | 32 | 46 | 48 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1958–59 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 5 | 46 | 51 | 56 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1959–60 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 9 | 22 | 31 | 60 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1960–61 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 9 | 26 | 35 | 49 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1961–62 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 70 | 7 | 30 | 37 | 88 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1962–63 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 70 | 4 | 24 | 28 | 116 | 11 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 36 | ||
| 1963–64 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 64 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 80 | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 22 | ||
| 1964–65 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 61 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 122 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 | ||
| 1965–66 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 58 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 72 | 12 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 12 | ||
| NHL totals | 1248 | 130 | 438 | 568 | 1539 | 67 | 4 | 23 | 27 | 92 | ||||
NHL coaching record
| Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
| Detroit Red Wings | 1968–69 | 76 | 33 | 31 | 12 | 78 | 5th in East | Missed playoffs |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1969–70 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | (2) | 3rd in East | (resigned) |