1954-55 Topps 20 Bill Gadsby Hockey Card (Front)
1954-55 Topps 20 Bill Gadsby Hockey Card (Back)
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Card Notes
Regarded as one of the toughest defensemen to fool, Bill has been a regular in the National Hockey League since he was 19. He turned pro in 1946 with the Black Hawks and after a few weeks on their Kansas City farm team he returned to the Hawks to stay. His great play the past 2 seasons earned him berths on the NHL All-Star Second Teams.
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Bill Gadsby was a Second Team All-Star on defense in 1952-53 and 1953-54 playing for the Chicago Blackhawks. Over the rest of his NHL career, Gadsby would be selected First Team three times and Second Team twice more.
Never a Norris Trophy winner as the league’s top defenseman, Bill was runner-up three times. Each time he finished second, it was as a member of the New York Rangers. Twice, he finished behind Doug Harvey and once behind Tom Johnson.
1954-55 was a year of change for Gadsby. He started the year with the Blackhawks, appearing in 18 games. On November 23, 1954, he was traded, along with Pete Conacher, to the Rangers for Nick Mickoski, Allan Stanley and Rich Lamoureux. The following year, 1955-56, his first full season with the Rangers, Bill put up a career high 51 points (equaled in 1958-59).
After going to the Rangers, Gadsby went without a point in his first seven games with the club. Ironically, his first as a Ranger came in his first game against the Blackhawks. Bill scored the only goal in a 2-1 loss, assisted by Dean Prentice and Don Raleigh, scored on Al Rollins.
Gadsby was involved in one of the greatest trades never to happen. On February 5, 1960, the Rangers sent Bill and Eddie Shack to the Detroit Red Wings for Red Kelly and Billy McNeill. Two days later, the trade was voided when both Kelly and McNeill refused to report to the Rangers. The following year, Gadsby would again get traded to Detroit and this time it stuck.
Between 1946-47 and 1965-66, Bill Gadsby played 1,248 regular season and 67 playoff games in the National Hockey League with the Chicago Blackhawks, New York Rangers and Detroit Red Wings. Gadsby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970 and should be considered among the top players in NHL history to not win a Stanley Cup.
NHL Hockey Trivia: Bill Gadsby
1. Bill Gadsby played the majority of his NHL career at which position?
2. Which NHL team originally signed Bill Gadsby, leading to his league debut in 1946-47?
3. Despite a long and distinguished career, Bill Gadsby famously never won which major achievement?
4. Bill Gadsby later coached which NHL team during the 1968-69 and 1969-70 seasons?
5. Gadsby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in which year?