Billy Reay

Who was Billy Reay?

William Tulip Reay was a Canadian 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 the head coach for the Toronto Maple Leafs and the head coach for the Chicago Black Hawks. He has won the most games for a Chicago Black Hawks coach. Although he coached the Black Hawks to three Stanley Cup finals, 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 died of liver cancer in Madison, Wisconsin.