Bill Mikkelson

Bill Mikkelson
Mikkelson in 1972
Born	(1948-05-21) May 21, 1948 (age 69) Neepawa, MB, CAN
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb)
Position	Defence
Shot	Left
Played for	Los Angeles Kings New York Islanders Washington Capitals
NHL Draft	Undrafted
Playing career	1970–1977

William Robert Mikkelson (born May 21, 1948) is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League during the 1970s. Mikkelson is best known for posting the worst plus/minus rating in single-season NHL history at -82 for the Washington Capitals in 1974–75.

Born in Neepawa, Manitoba, Mikkelson played his junior hockey for the Brandon Wheat Kings and Winnipeg Jets, and was signed as a free agent by the Los Angeles Kings in 1970. He spent two years in the minors in LA's system, earning a 15-game callup to their NHL squad in 1971–72.

In the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, Mikkelson was exposed by the Kings and claimed by the New York Islanders. In their inaugural season of 1972–73, Mikkelson emerged as one of the icetime leaders on the blueline for the Islanders, and posted 1 goal and 10 assists for 11 points in 72 games. In a sign of things to come, he also posted a plus/minus rating of -54, the third-worst mark ever recorded at the time since the NHL had begun recording the stat in 1967. For the 1973–74 season, Mikkelson lost his spot on the Islanders with the arrival of rookies Denis Potvin and Dave Lewis, and ended up spending the entire season in the American Hockey League with the Baltimore Clippers.