During his debut season of 1974-75, Gillies distinguished himself as one of the hardest players in the National Hockey League (NHL), pummeling Philadelphia Flyers enforcer Dave Schultz in the playoffs. At 6'3", 215 pounds, Gillies was a formidable opponent who played a physical game and did not shy away from fighting. In fact, he enjoyed it so much that he fought four times in one game against the New York Rangers during the 1975 playoffs.
Gillies's toughness earned him the nickname "The Man Who Skates for Dollars". He owned several restaurants after retirement and also ran a hockey school out of his home in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Gillies suffered a career-ending injury in a playoff game against the Boston Bruins on May 11, 1980. As he brought the puck up the ice, Gilles tripped over a cable and fell heavily into the boards, breaking both legs. The injury ended his career before it really got started. He finished with 21 goals and 63 points in 79 games that year.
After retiring, Gillies worked as a coach for several teams in the NHL and World Hockey Association (WHA). He also served as an assistant coach for Canada at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Montreal. Gillies was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1996.
He also played for the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, the Nashville Predators, and the Philadelphia Flyers. Gill formerly worked as the Florida Panthers' player development manager.
He also played for the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, the Nashville Predators, and the Philadelphia Flyers. Gill formerly worked as the Florida Panthers' player development manager.
Harold Priestley Gill III (born April 6, 1975) is a retired professional ice hockey defenseman from the United States. He played 16 NHL seasons with six different teams, winning the Stanley Cup in 2009 with the Pittsburgh Penguins. He also played for the Boston Bruins, the Toronto Maple Leafs, the Montreal Canadiens, the Nashville Predators, and the Philadelphia Flyers. Gill has been referred to as "The Heart and Soul of the Penguins" by ESPN's Pierre LeBrun.
He joined the team as an undrafted free agent in 1997 after playing four years at Yale University. Gill made an immediate impact by scoring 14 goals his first season, finishing second on the team in points with 56. He also won the Bill Masterton Trophy for his dedication to mental health awareness.
In 2001-02, he became only the third American born player (the others being Andy Bathgate and Cam Neely) to score 50 or more points in a season. The following year, he led all defensemen in scoring with 76 points.
Gill is a two-time Olympian who has represented the United States at three Ice Hockey World Championships. He also played for America at the 1994 Winter Games in Norway and 1998 Winter Games in Japan. Gill was part of the U.S. team that finished fourth at those games.
He has been named to the USA Hockey All-Star Game five times, most recently in 2015.
Mr. Hal Gill Navigate to the next page. Harold Priestley Gill, III (born April 6, 1975) is a former American professional ice hockey defenceman who played 16 NHL seasons for six different teams, earning one Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009. He also won a gold medal at the 1998 Winter Olympics with the United States national ice hockey team.
Gill was born in Scranton, Pennsylvania and raised in Wilton-by-the-Sea, New York. He played major junior hockey for the Guelph Storm of the OHL before turning pro with the Buffalo Sabres. In his first season, he helped lead the team to its first ever President's Trophy win. The following year, he was named to the First All-Star Team.
After eight more seasons with Buffalo, Gill signed as a free agent with the Vancouver Canucks on July 1, 2006. He spent three years with the Canucks before being traded to the Chicago Blackhawks in February 2009. Later that month, he won his only Stanley Cup with Pittsburgh. Gill retired after nine seasons with the Montreal Canadiens. He finished his career with 552 points in 1501 games.
Gill won the Lester B. Pearson Award in 2001 as the best defensive player in the NHL. He also won the Frank J. Selke Trophy once, awarded to the best defensive player in the league.
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