Bill Sweeney (ice hockey)

William Sweeney (January 30, 1937 – March 21, 1991), was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played 4 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers during the 1959–60 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1957 to 1970, was mainly spent with the Springfield Indians of the American Hockey League (AHL), for whom he played nine seasons and is the all-time career leading scorer for the franchise.^[1]

Bill Sweeney
Born	(1937-01-30)January 30, 1937 Guelph, Ontario, Canada
Died	March 21, 1991(1991-03-21) (aged 54)
Height	5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Left
Played for	New York Rangers
Playing career	1957–1970

Playing career

Sweeney led the Ontario Hockey Association in scoring while playing for the Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters in 1956–57, and followed that up by winning the 1958 AHL rookie of the year award playing for the Providence Reds. Sweeney later won three consecutive Calder Cup championships with the Springfield Indians, also leading the league in scoring three consecutive seasons.

Sweeney's career was impacted by alcoholism and by the time league expansion opened up the NHL in 1967 to promising minor-league scorers, Sweeney's skills were in decline. He remained in the minors, and his rights were sold by Springfield to the Vancouver Canucks of the Western Hockey League early in the 1968 season; he played only 26 more professional hockey games in his career. His final professional action was in the following season with the Rochester Americans of the AHL, in which he played ten games without a point. Sweeney's final organized hockey match was in 1970 with the Ontario senior league Oakville Oaks.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1953–54	Guelph Biltmores	OHA		14	4	3	7	0		3	0	1	1	2
1954–55	Guelph Biltmores	OHA		47	18	37	55	25		6	5	5	10	7
1955–56	Guelph Biltmores	OHA		48	29	38	67	16		3	0	1	1	2
1956–57	Guelph Biltmores	OHA		52	49	57	106	20		10	19	7	26	11
1956–57	Guelph Biltmores	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		6	2	3	5	0
1957–58	Providence Reds	AHL		70	31	46	77	24		5	1	1	2	2
1958–59	Buffalo Bisons	AHL		70	31	44	75	12		11	4	5	9	4
1959–60	New York Rangers	NHL		4	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—
1959–60	Springfield Indians	AHL		67	37	59	96	14		10	7	7	14	0
1960–61	Springfield Indians	AHL		70	40	68	108	26		8	4	5	9	2
1961–62	Springfield Indians	AHL		70	40	61	101	14		11	5	5	10	0
1962–63	Springfield Indians	AHL		69	38	65	103	16		—	—	—	—	—
1963–64	Springfield Indians	AHL		72	25	48	73	18		—	—	—	—	—
1964–65	Springfield Indians	AHL		51	13	31	44	26		—	—	—	—	—
1965–66	Springfield Indians	AHL		72	22	37	59	10		6	2	3	5	0
1966–67	Springfield Indians	AHL		65	16	50	66	12		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Springfield Kings	AHL		9	1	1	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Vancouver Canucks	WHL		15	3	5	8	2		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Memphis South Stars	CPHL		1	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1968–69	Rochester Americans	AHL		10	0	0	0	2		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Oakville Oaks	OHA Sr		11	2	10	12	0		—	—	—	—	—
AHL totals				695	294	510	804	174		51	23	26	49	8
NHL totals				4	1	0	1	0		—	—	—	—	—

Awards

At the time of Sweeney's retirement, he was in the top ten in AHL history in goals (10th), assists (4th) and points (4th). He is, as of 2013, 11th in points, 22nd in goals and 9th in assists.

In the history of the Springfield Indians' franchise, Sweeney is third in goals behind Jim Anderson and Harry Pidhirny, second in points behind Anderson, and first in assists.

• 1956–57 - Eddie Powers Memorial Trophy
• 1957–58 - Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award
• 1960–61 - John B. Sollenberger Trophy
• 1961–62 - John B. Sollenberger Trophy
• 1962–63 - John B. Sollenberger Trophy

Sweeney was also named to the AHL's First All-Star Team in 1960 and 1962, and to the Second All-Star Team in 1961.