1,248 regular season games over twenty seasons in a six team National Hockey League, yet Bill Gadsby never won a Stanley Cup championship. One of the top offensive defensemen in the era before Bobby Orr, Gadsby did find a place in the Hockey Hall of Fame. Like many that started play in the 1940’s, Bill’s rookie card appeared in the 1951-52 Parkhurst set.
Bill Gadsby – NHL Career
Gadsby played in the National Hockey League from 1946-47 to 1965-66 with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Over that time, the defenseman played 1,248 regular season games, scoring 130 goals and assisting on 433 for 568 points. In the Stanley Cup playoffs, Bill appeared in a respectable but low 67 games, contributing 27 points.
Over parts of nine seasons with Chicago, Gadsby played in just seven playoff games. In 1952-53, the Blackhawks squeeked into the post season with 69 points over 70 games, tying the Boston Bruins for fourth, just two points ahead of the fifth place Toronto Maple Leafs. After taking a 3-2 lead in their semi-final series with the Montreal Canadiens, the Habs stormed back and ousted Chicago in seven.
Bill Gadsby Collection
In 1949-50, Bill set a tone with 138 PIM, placing him fourth in the NHL. This side of Gadsby would show up from time to time throughout his 20 years in the league. He served as team captain of the Blackhawks in 1952-53 and 1953-54. In both those years, Sid Abel was player / head coach of the team. Gadsby would play for Abel with the Red Wings in his days with Detroit at the end of his playing career.
From 1954-55 to 1960-61, Gadsby played for the New York Rangers. The Rangers made the Stanley Cup playoffs three times during that era but did not win a single series. In 1955-56, Bill was third in the NHL with 42 assists, behind Bert Olmstead of the Montreal Canadiens and Andy Bathgate of the New York Rangers. His 51 points placed him tied for ninth in the NHL with Dave Creighton of the Rangers and Alex Delvecchio of the Red Wings.
The following year, Bill finished seventh in the NHL with 37 assists. Two years later in 1958-59, Gadsby tied for third in the NHL with Gordie Howe of the Red Wings and Jean Beliveau of the Candiens, all with 46 assists apiece. At the time, the 46 assists was a National Hockey League record for the most assists by a defenseman.
Gadsby played with the Red Wings from 1961-62 until he retired after the 1965-66 season. This is the era when he finally got a legitimate shot at the Stanley Cup. In 1962-63, the Wings lost in the finals to the Maple Leafs in five games. Gadsby placed fifth in the NHL with 116 PIM.
The following year, Detroit fell to the Maple Leafs in the finals again, this time the series went the full seven games. In fact, each of the NHL’s three playoff showdowns went the full seven in 1963-64. In 1965-66, Detroit once again fell in the finals, this time in six games to the Montreal Canadiens.
Bill Gadsby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970, along with Babe Dye and Tom Johnson.
Bill Gadsby – Head Coach
Gadsby’s coaching career lasted just a full season and two games. He took over the role as head coach with the Detroit Red Wings for the 1968-69 season. Over 76 games, Detroit won 33 games and totalled 78 points. That was good for just fifth in the six team East Division and did not qualify the Red Wings for the post season. In the unbalanced NHL, their 78 points would have placed Detroit second in the West Division.
Bill coached, and won, the first two games of the 1969-70 season but was replaced behind the bench by General Manager Sid Abel.
Bill Gadsby – Rookie Card
The Bill Gadsby rookie card appears as number 37 in the 1951-52 Parkhurst set. The card is valued at more than twice that of a common card. Gadsby is shown as a member of the Chicago Blackhawks.
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1946-47 | Kansas City Pla-Mors | USHL | 12 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 8 |
| 1946-47 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 48 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 31 |
| 1947-48 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 60 | 6 | 10 | 16 | 66 |
| 1948-49 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 50 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 85 |
| 1949-50 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 10 | 25 | 35 | 138 |
| 1950-51 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 25 | 3 | 7 | 10 | 32 |
| 1951-52 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 59 | 7 | 15 | 22 | 87 |
| 1952-53 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 68 | 2 | 20 | 22 | 84 |
| 1953-54 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 108 |
| 1954-55 | Chicago Blackhawks | 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 |
| 1956-57 | New York Rangers | NHL | 70 | 4 | 37 | 41 | 72 |
| 1957-58 | New York Rangers | NHL | 65 | 14 | 32 | 46 | 48 |
| 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 |
| 1963-64 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 64 | 2 | 16 | 18 | 80 |
| 1964-65 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 61 | 0 | 12 | 12 | 122 |
| 1965-66 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 58 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 72 |
| NHL Totals | 1248 | 130 | 438 | 568 | 1539 |