Sports
Bill Gadsby
1927–2016 · ice hockey defenseman and coach
Hall of Fame defenseman who finished his career with the Red Wings, briefly coached them and spent the rest of his life in metro Detroit.
- Born
Calgary, Alberta- Died
Farmington Hills, Michigan
aged 88- Birth name
- William Alexander Gadsby
- Detroit years
- 1961–2016
- Field
- Sports
01 / The Detroit story
The Detroit story
Gadsby survived the sinking of the passenger ship Athenia in 1939 and polio in 1952 before becoming one of the NHL's best defensemen with Chicago and New York. The Rangers traded him to Detroit in 1961, and he spent his last five seasons with the Red Wings at the Olympia. He came closest to a Stanley Cup in Detroit, losing in the Final in 1963, 1964, when Toronto won Game 7, and 1966. When he retired in 1966 he was the highest-scoring defenseman in NHL history, with 568 points. He coached the Red Wings in 1968–1969 and was dismissed early the following season. Gadsby settled in the Detroit suburbs, became an honored member of the Red Wings Alumni Association and was active in raising money for children's charities in metro Detroit. He died in Farmington Hills in 2016.
Highlights
- Played for the Red Wings 1961–1966
- Retired as the NHL's top-scoring defenseman (568 points)
- Reached the Stanley Cup Final with Detroit in 1963, 1964 and 1966
- Red Wings head coach 1968–1969
- Hockey Hall of Fame, 1970
02 / Their Detroit places
Their Detroit places 1
Where they lived, worked, performed and liked to hang out. Closed and demolished places stay here too, because they are part of the city's history.
Played here · 1961–1969
Olympia Stadium
Demolished · 1927–1979
His home arena as a Red Wings player and coach; demolished in the 1980s.