1961-62 Parkhurst 27 Bill Gadsby Hockey Card (Front)
1961-62 Parkhurst 27 Bill Gadsby Hockey Card (Back)
1961-62 Parkhurst NHL Checklist
Card Notes
1961-62 marked the third stage in the National Hockey League career of Bill Gadsby. He came to the Detroit Red Wings over the summer of 1961 in a trade with the New York Rangers, in exchange for Les Hunt. The Wings had tried to get Gadsby earlier in a February 5, 1960 deal that would have seen Bill and Eddie Shack come to the Wings for Red Kelly and Billy McNeill. However, the trade was voided.
Gadsby started his NHL career with the Chicago Blackhawks in 1946-47. He spent eight plus seasons with Chicago and was traded to the Rangers on November 23, 1954 with Pete Conacher for Nick Mickoski and Allan Stanley. He would spent nearly seven full seasons with the Blue Shirts before coming to the Motor City.
In that 1961-62 NHL season, Detroit failed to reach the post season. However, possibly due to Bill’s presence, the Red Wings reached the Stanley Cup final in three of the next four seasons. Unfortunately, they weren’t able to capture the championship in any of those campaigns.
Bill Gadsby played 1,248 regular season and 67 playoff games in the National Hockey League between 1946-47 and 1965-66 with the Blackhawks, Rangers and Red Wings. He had his chances, but never won a Stanley Cup championship. Gadsby was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1970.