| Billy Reay | |
|---|---|
| Born | August 21, 1918 Winnipeg, MB, CAN |
| Died | September 23, 2004 (aged 86) Madison, WI, USA |
| Height | 5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) |
| Weight | 155 lb (70 kg; 11 st 1 lb) |
| Position | Centre |
| Shot | Left |
| Played for | Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens |
| Playing career | 1943–1953 |
William Tulip Reay (August 21, 1918 – September 23, 2004) was a Canadian National Hockey League hockey player and coach.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, he played in the NHL for 10 seasons with the Montreal Canadiens and the Detroit Red Wings. In 479 games, he scored 105 goals and 267 points and in 63 playoff games, he scored 13 goals and 29 points. He won two Stanley Cups in 1946 and 1953, both with the Montreal Canadiens. He was the head coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1957–1959) and the head coach for the Chicago Black Hawks (1963–1977). He has won the most games for a Chicago Black Hawks coach. Although he coached the Black Hawks to three Stanley Cup finals (1965, 1971, and 1973), he was never able to win.
For his service to the Wirtz family, owners of the Black Hawks, Reay was fired with a note under his office door shortly before Christmas, 1976.
Billy Reay has been credited as the first person to raise his arms and stick in celebration after scoring a goal.
He died of liver cancer in Madison, Wisconsin.
| Team | Year | Regular Season | Post Season | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| G | W | L | T | OTL | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
| TOR | 1957–58 | 70 | 21 | 38 | 11 | - | 53 | 6th in NHL | Did Not Qualify |
| TOR | 1958–59 | 20 | 5 | 12 | 3 | - | (65) | 4th in NHL | (fired) |
| CHI | 1963–64 | 70 | 36 | 22 | 12 | - | 84 | 2nd in NHL | Lost in first round |
| CHI | 1964–65 | 70 | 34 | 28 | 8 | - | 76 | 3rd in NHL | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals |
| CHI | 1965–66 | 70 | 37 | 25 | 8 | - | 82 | 2nd in NHL | Lost in first round |
| CHI | 1966–67 | 70 | 41 | 17 | 12 | - | 94 | 1st in NHL | Lost in first round |
| CHI | 1967–68 | 74 | 32 | 26 | 16 | - | 80 | 4th in East | Lost in second round |
| CHI | 1968–69 | 76 | 34 | 33 | 9 | - | 77 | 6th in East | Did Not Qualify |
| CHI | 1969–70 | 76 | 45 | 22 | 9 | - | 99 | 1st in East | Lost in second round |
| CHI | 1970–71 | 78 | 49 | 20 | 9 | - | 107 | 1st in West | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals |
| CHI | 1971–72 | 78 | 46 | 17 | 15 | - | 107 | 1st in West | Lost in second round |
| CHI | 1972–73 | 78 | 42 | 27 | 9 | - | 93 | 1st in West | Lost in Stanley Cup Finals |
| CHI | 1973–74 | 78 | 41 | 14 | 23 | - | 105 | 2nd in West | Lost in second round |
| CHI | 1974–75 | 80 | 37 | 35 | 8 | - | 82 | 3rd in Smythe | Lost in second round |
| CHI | 1975–76 | 80 | 32 | 30 | 18 | - | 82 | 1st in Smythe | Lost in second round |
| CHI | 1976–77 | 34 | 10 | 19 | 5 | - | (63) | 3rd in Smythe | (fired) |
| Preceded by Howie Meeker |
Head coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1957–59 |
Succeeded by Punch Imlach |
| Preceded by Rudy Pilous |
Head coach of the Chicago Black Hawks 1963–76 |
Succeeded by Bill White |