By Michael P. J. Kennedy, Ph.D.
In late October, it was announced that former NHL player, Hockey Canada, and Hockey Hall of Fame Executive, Bill Hay had passed away at age 88. His well-deserved praise was noted by various media for his playing career and his considerable contributions to hockey at the national, international, and professional levels.
Bill Hay had an eight-year career with Chicago Black Hawks from 1959-60 through 1966-67. He was Calder Cup winner as Rookie-of the-Year in 1960 and also part of the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago team of 1961. For years a linemate with Bobby Hull, the Lumsden native accumulated 386 points with 113 goals in 506 NHL contests. Hay’s later contributions to hockey, and in particular to the NHL and the Hockey Hall of Fame, saw him inducted into the Hall as a Builder in 2015. He was president of Hockey Canada and a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame Board of Directors (1995-2013), serving as chairperson from 1998-2013. He also served as president and chief operating officer for the Calgary Flames.
What appeared as a mere footnote in some reports was the 1953-54 season, before he made his mark with Colorado College in the NCAA, when he suited up for Huskies for five games, potting four goals and one assist. Known as Billy “Red” Hay during his University of Saskatchewan days, his involvement with the University team was part of what might be called a Huskie “Hockey Royalty” Tradition.
He was the son of Green and White goaltender Charlie Hay and women’s hockey netminder Florence “String” Miller, herself sister to Varsity forward Earl Miller who performed for University of Saskatchewan (1924-26), before playing for Chicago (1927-32) and Toronto (1931-32) in the NHL. Charlie Hay played for the Varsity five years in total; 1921-22 to 1924-25 when as a goalie he was captain of the team as well, and then the 1926-27 season when he concentrated on the net alone. He backstopped the team to the 1922-23 Allan Cup final, emblematic of Canadian senior hockey supremacy.
As can be seen, the late Bill Hay was part of a unique family of Huskie hockey players, but also part of a tradition that saw his father, Charlie Hay, contribute to the game off the ice as well. While playing for “The U,” the men’s team netminder also coached the women’s team in 1923-24. Later, the elder Hay would serve as president of Hockey Canada and be a major actor in setting up the historic Canada-Soviet Union Summit series in 1972. Just as his son Bill was to be years later, he was named to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1974 to the Builders category.
Bill Hay’s life was one that saw him develop as an individual who made his mark in the greater community, especially in hockey. It also was a life which continued a family tradition of contributions to the sport at University of Saskatchewan and far beyond. He was indeed part of Huskie Hockey Royalty.
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