Billy Reay

Billy Reay
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Height Weight	5 ft 7 in (1.70 m) 155 lb (70 kg)
Teams	Detroit Red Wings Montreal Canadiens
Nationality	Canadian
Born	August 21, 1918, Winnipeg, MB, CAN
Died	September 21, 2004, Madison, WI, USA
Pro Career	1943 – 1953

William "Billy" Reay (August 21, 1918 - September 23, 2004) was a 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 an assistant coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1957–1959) and a 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 was one of the first hockey players to win the Memorial Cup, Allan Cup, and Stanley Cup.

He died of liver cancer in Madison, Wisconsin.

Coaching Record

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)

Awards & Achievements

• Turnbull Cup MJHL Championship (1938)
• Memorial Cup Championship (1938)
• Allan Cup Championship (1944)
• Byng of Vimy Trophy (1945)
• Stanley Cup Championships (1946 & 1953)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1952)
• Calder Cup (AHL) Championship (1963)
• Selected Manitoba's All-Century Second Team Coach
• Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

Preceded by Howie Meeker	Head Coaches of the Toronto Maple Leafs 1957–1959	Succeeded by Punch Imlach
Preceded by Rudy Pilous	Head Coaches of the Chicago Black Hawks 1964-1977	Succeeded by Bill White