The hockey world is mourning the passing of longtime Calgary resident Bill Hay, a difference-maker in the sport for a span of several decades — from his days as a Calder Trophy winner and Stanley Cup champion as a player to his stints as a top executive for the Flames and for Hockey Canada.
Hay was also a past chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame and was himself enshrined in the builder category.
He died Friday at the age of 88.
“Bill Hay was born into a hockey family, won the Stanley Cup as a player and then devoted his post-playing career to growing the game at all levels and honouring its brightest stars,” said NHL commissioner Gary Bettman. “A native of Saskatchewan, his impact transcended borders. He led Colorado College to the 1957 NCAA title as a First Team All-America forward. He became a trailblazer for U.S. collegians playing in the NHL when he joined the Chicago Blackhawks, with whom he played eight seasons, won the Calder Trophy in 1960 and centred a line with Bobby Hull on the Cup-winning 1960-61 team. Upon retirement, he served as president and CEO of the Calgary Flames, COO of Hockey Canada and, for 15 years, as chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame.
“Bill Hay lived a remarkable hockey life that reflected the very best of our sport. The National Hockey League family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to his family and many friends throughout the hockey world.”
Originally from Saskatoon, Hay was fiercely proud to be a pioneer for Canadian-born players choosing the NCAA route and to be proof that road could ultimately lead to the NHL.
He also skated for one winter with the Calgary Stampeders of the WHL and became an immediate star in the Windy City, skating between Hull and Murray Balfour on the Blackhawks’ top line. He had an ‘A’ stitched on his jersey in his second season, which ended with a Stanley Cup celebration.
Hay totalled 113 goals and 386 points in 506 regular-season games with the Blackhawks before hanging up his gear to pursue a career in business.
He later served as president of Hockey Canada, just like his father Charles had done, and was chairman of the Hockey Hall of Fame from 1998-2013.
In recent years, he was a mentor to a family friend and rising-star defenceman named Cale Makar. He was delighted when Makar followed in his footsteps as a Calder Trophy recipient.
“Every aspect of the game, both nationally and internationally, he touched and had a major impact on,” said former Flames general manager Al Coates, who counted Hay as a close friend. “And not just on the game, but on all the people that were in and around the game.”
Hay’s stint as president of the Flames spanned from 1991-95.
“Mr. Hay will always be remembered as a dedicated family man, a wonderful husband and father,” the organization said in a statement. “While family was his priority, he made tremendous contributions to the game of hockey in Alberta and across Canada. A Stanley Cup champion on the ice, he also enjoyed great success in hockey’s boardrooms. A great believer in grassroots development for hockey, he left an indelible mark on our sport through his leadership roles with Hockey Canada, the Hockey Hall of Fame and the Calgary Flames. Today we remember Mr. Hay and the legacy he left behind.”
Hay was inducted to the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and the Colorado College Athletics Hall of Fame.
He was humbled to be honoured by the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2015, saying that day: “I think as a builder, I leave something behind to be proud of.”