Hay was a member of the Million Dollar Line with the Chicago Blackhawks, along with Bobby Hull and Murray Balfour. At one point, he was the only player in the National Hockey League developed in the U.S. college system. He could have been on the roster for the St. Louis Blues in their inaugural 1967-68 NHL season, but decided on retirement instead.
Junior / University / Minor Pro Career
NHL Career
Hockey Card Collection
Rookie Card
Career Stats
Bill Hay – Junior / University / Minor Pro
Bill Hay played his junior hockey with the Regina Pats in the WCJHL. He played in 1952-53 and 1954-55 with the season in between spent with the University of Saskatchewan.
In the first season with the Pats, the team finished second in the seven team league, behind just the Edmonton Oil Kings. The two teams met in the semi-finals with Edmonton coming out on top.
In 1954-55, Regina finished first in the five team WCJHL. They were champs, beating the Lethbridge Native Sons in the finals. In the Abbott Cup finals, the Pats came out on top, beating the Winnipeg Monarchs. In the Memorial Cup, the Toronto Marlboros took out Regina in five games. Hay was teamed with Murray Balfour and Bill Hicke and contributed 23 points in 15 games over the Memorial Cup run.
From 1955-56 to 1957-58, Bill was with the Colorado College Tigers. He earned a Geology Degree at the institute and was inducted into the Colorado College Hall of Fame in 1995. Hay excelled in both of his final two seasons with the Tigers but it was the 1956-57 season that stands out.
Playing in the Western Intercollegiate Hockey League, Colorado College was first of seven teams in 1956-57. The Tigers then went on to win the national championship, beating the University of Michigan Wolverines in the final. That game was won by a score of 13-6. That remains the most combined goals in any Frozen 4 tournament game.
That season, Bill was named a WIHL First Team All-Star and a NCAA First Team All-American. He was a First Team All-Star in the championship tournament. During the regular season, his 73 points on 28 goals and 45 assists over 30 games tied him for the league scoring lead.
1957-58 saw Hay again selected as a First Team All-Star and a NCAA West First Team All-American. He was the WIHL scoring leader with 80 points on 32 goals and 48 assists over 30 games.
Bill Hay’s minor league career was short but sweet. He spent 1958-59 in the WHL with the Calgary Stampeders. In 53 games, he scored 24 and assisted on 30 for 54 points in his professional debut. Calgary finished first overall in the nine team league and lost in the finals to the Seattle Totems. Hay contributed eight points in eight playoff games.
Bill Hay – NHL
Between 1959-60 and 1966-67, Bill Hay played in 506 regular season National Hockey League games, all with the Chicago Blackhawks. Over that time, he scored 113 goals and assisted on 273 for 386 points.
Bill Hay Collection
Originally, he was property of the Montreal Canadiens and was purchased by the Blackhawks. In his rookie season, Hay took home the Calder Trophy as the NHL’s top first year player. He scored 18 and assisted on 37 for 55 points while playing the full 70 game schedule for Chicago.
There was no sophomore jinx for this Calder Trophy winner. Hay tied for fourth with 48 assists in 1960-61, equaling Andy Bathgate of the New York Rangers. The Blackhawks captured the Stanley Cup championship that year, beating the Detroit Red Wings in the finals.
Playing alongside Bobby Hull certainly helped his stats. In 1961-62, Bill tied for second in the NHL with 52 assists. He equaled teammate Stan Mikita and both were just four assists behind league leader Andy Bathgate. Hay also finished ninth in the race for the Art Ross Trophy with 63 points.
Always a setup man, Bill could also score goals. A two time 20 goal scorer, Hay topped out in 1963-64 with 23, just outside the NHL’s top ten.
Along with the 1960-61 championship, Hay and the Blackhawks played in two more Stanley Cup finals during his career. In 1961-62, Chicago lost to the Toronto Maple Leafs. In 1964-65, they fell to the Montreal Canadiens.
Hay could have been a member of the St. Louis Blues in their inaugural 1967-68 National Hockey League season. He was taken in the eleventh round of the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, 66th overall. Instead, he decided on retirement.
In 1991, he became president and CEO of the Calgary Flames. Hay would spend time as the president and COO of Hockey Canada and 15 years as chairman and CEO of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Bill Hay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015 in the Builder Category. His father, Charlie Hay, entered the Hall the same way, inducted in 1974.
Bill Hay – Rookie Card
Hay’s 1961-62 Topps hockey card notes that he is the first Calder Trophy winner to come out of the United States college system. It also notes his membership in the Million Dollar Line, along with Bobby Hull and Murray Balfour.
His 1963-64 Topps hockey card states that he is the only American college grad in the National Hockey League.
Bill Hay Career Stats
| Season | Team | Lge | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1952-53 | Regina Pats | WCJHL | 29 | 14 | 17 | 31 | 22 |
| 1953-54 | Univ. Of Sask | WCIAA | 5 | 4 | 1 | 5 | 4 |
| 1954-55 | Regina Pats | WCJHL | 33 | 16 | 31 | 47 | 58 |
| 1955-56 | Colorado College | NCAA | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1956-57 | Colorado College | NCAA | 30 | 28 | 45 | 73 | 0 |
| 1957-58 | Colorado College | NCAA | 30 | 32 | 48 | 80 | 23 |
| 1958-59 | Calgary Stampeders | WHL | 53 | 24 | 30 | 54 | 27 |
| 1959-60 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 18 | 37 | 55 | 31 |
| 1960-61 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 69 | 11 | 48 | 59 | 45 |
| 1961-62 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 60 | 11 | 52 | 63 | 34 |
| 1962-63 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 64 | 12 | 33 | 45 | 36 |
| 1963-64 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 70 | 23 | 33 | 56 | 30 |
| 1964-65 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 69 | 11 | 26 | 37 | 36 |
| 1965-66 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 68 | 20 | 31 | 51 | 20 |
| 1966-67 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 36 | 7 | 13 | 20 | 12 |
| NHL Totals | 506 | 113 | 273 | 386 | 244 |