Former Chicago Black Hawks participant Invoice “Crimson” Hay has died at the age of 88. Hay performed via eight seasons within the NHL earlier than pursuing a profession because the Calgary Flames’ chief government officer, then Hockey Canada’s President and chief working officer. He was inducted into the Hockey Corridor of Fame as a builder in 2015 and honored within the ’Order of Hockey in Canada’ in 2021. He was born right into a wealthy hockey household — the son of Charles Hay, who additionally served as Hockey Canada’s president at one level. Hay’s uncle Earl Miller was additionally a prolific hockey professional, taking part in six seasons within the IHL and 5 seasons within the NHL, together with a tenure with the Black Hawks 20 years earlier than his nephew would be a part of the staff.
Crimson Hay jumped into hockey prominence properly forward of his professional profession. He performed junior hockey with the Regina Pats in 1952 and 1954 — interrupted by a short 5 video games on the College of Saskatchewan. He recorded 78 factors in 62 WJHL video games with Regina and supported the staff to a runner-up end for the 1955 Memorial Cup, the place his tournament-leading 23 factors in 15 video games weren’t sufficient to high a Toronto Marlboros roster led by Mike Nykoluk. With a hardy juniors profession out of the way in which, Hay moved to Colorado Faculty in 1955 and joined their hockey staff in 1956. He’d proceed to have two legendary seasons with the Tigers program, totaling 153 factors in 69 video games with the varsity and main them to an NCAA Match Championship in 1957. That stands as the newest championship in Colorado Faculty’s males’s hockey historical past, although the staff continues to play at a high stage right now.
Hay would transfer to the senior WHL for a 12 months with the Calgary Stampeders in 1958, then kick off a profession with the NHL’s Black Hawks in 1959. He was a direct sensation, recording 55 factors in 70 video games as a rookie — sufficient to beat out Murray Oliver, Ken Schinkel and 19-year-old Stan Mikita for the 1960 Calder Trophy. Hay’s manufacturing grew via the subsequent two seasons, even supporting Chicago to a Stanley Cup win in 1961. That season motivated Hay to a career-year in 1961-62 — when he tallied 63 factors in 60 video games — although he’d finally lose out in a return to the Cup Finals, getting trumped by a Maple Leafs program spearheaded by Frank Mahovlich and Dave Keon. Hay’s success continued past the disappointing finish, and he’d finally complete 386 factors in 506 video games throughout eight seasons, with Chicago. His taking part in profession got here to an in depth in 1967, when a 31-year-old Hay was chosen by the St. Louis Blues within the 1967 Growth Draft – and opted to pursue a managerial profession fairly than play for his franchise’s new rival. He was named Calgary’s CEO and Hockey Canada’s president within the early Nineteen Nineties, serving as an instrumental piece of the merge between Hockey Canada and the Canadian Newbie Hockey Affiliation years later.
Hay was born right into a profitable hockey household and correctly carried the torch via over 40 years in high-end roles. His affect carries on via the success of Colorado Faculty, the Calgary Flames and Hockey Canada as a complete. Professional Hockey Rumors sends our condolences to his mates, households and all these impacted by his half-century profession influencing high hockey.
