Billy McNeill (ice hockey)
| Billy McNeill | |||
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Billy McNeill, North Vancouver, BC, standing over Gordie Howe c. 1965
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| Born |
January 26, 1936 Edmonton, AB, CAN |
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| Died | August 31, 2007 (aged 71) Surrey, BC, CAN |
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| Height | 5 ft 10 in (178 cm) | ||
| Weight | 185 lb (84 kg; 13 st 3 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for |
AHL Pittsburgh Hornets Rochester Americans IHL Grand Rapids Rockets NHL Detroit Red Wings OHA Hamilton Tiger Cubs WHL Edmonton Flyers Salt Lake Golden Eagles San Diego Gulls Vancouver Canucks |
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| Playing career | 1955–1971 | ||
William Ronald McNeill (January 26, 1936 – August 31, 2007) was a professional ice hockey player in the NHL, WHL and AHL.
McNeill broke in with the local junior team, the Edmonton Oil Kings in 1951. He also played 49 games in 1954-'55 with the Hamilton Tiger Cubs of the Ontario Hockey Association junior league.
In 1955 McNeill turned pro with the local Edmonton Flyers of the WHL, who played their games in the old Edmonton Gardens. In 1956 McNeill was called up to the Detroit Red Wings in the NHL following serious injuries to Alex Delvecchio and Bill Dineen. During the next eight seasons, he was called up from the Flyers six times, playing 257 games in the NHL.
On February 5, 1960, McNeill was to be traded to the New York Rangers with Red Kelly for Bill Gadsby and Eddie Shack, but Kelly and McNeill refused to report and the transaction was cancelled. As a result, Kelly temporarily retired and McNeill was suspended for the rest of the season. New York then picked him up in an intra-league draft in June of that year, only to trade him back to Detroit in January 1961, who in turn assigned him back to the Flyers in Edmonton.
In the six seasons he played for Detroit, he wore sweater numbers 19 and 15.
In January 1964, McNeill was traded by Detroit to the Vancouver Canucks (of the WHL) for Barrie Ross and future considerations. In Vancouver he began six seasons with the Canucks wearing sweater number 16. He became an enduring star player and perennial fan favourite in the PNE Forum arena, winning the Leader Cup as MVP of the WHL two years' running, in 1965 and 1966. He was also selected to the WHL's First All-Star team both those years. He was known for his short stick with a rounded bottom to the blade.
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