Bill Ezinicki
# Bill Ezinicki

William "Wild Bill" Ezinicki (March 11, 1924 – October 11, 2012) was a Canadian professional ice hockey forward for the Toronto Maple Leafs (1944–1950), the Boston Bruins (1950–1952), and the New York Rangers (1954–1955) of the NHL.

## Playing career

Ezinicki was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba. He was best known as a gritty hard-hitting player. He won the Stanley Cup three times with the Toronto Maple Leafs, in 1947, 1948 and 1949.

## Later life

Ezinicki became a professional golfer after retiring from hockey. He was head professional at The International in Bolton, Massachusetts. He won several tournaments in the New England region including four state opens in 1960. He was elected to the New England section of the PGA Hall of Fame in 1997.

Ezinicki, a long-time resident of Bolton, Massachusetts, died at the age of 88 on October 11, 2012.

## Career statistics

### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1941–42 | Winnipeg Rangers | MJHL | 2 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1942–43 | Oshawa Generals | OHA | 16 | 21 | 10 | 31 | 21 | 10 | 13 | 10 | 23 | 26 |
| 1942–43 | Oshawa Generals | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 17 | 6 | 23 | 33 |
| 1943–44 | Oshawa Generals | OHA | 25 | 38 | 25 | 63 | 33 | 11 | 13 | 3 | 16 | 49 |
| 1943–44 | Oshawa Generals | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 10 | 12 | 11 | 23 | 34 |
| 1944–45 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 8 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1944–45 | Toronto Army Shamrocks | TIHL | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1945–46 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 24 | 4 | 8 | 12 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1945–46 | Pittsburgh Hornets | AHL | 27 | 9 | 12 | 21 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1946–47 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 60 | 17 | 20 | 37 | 93 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 30 |
| 1947–48 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 60 | 11 | 20 | 31 | 97 | 9 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 6 |
| 1948–49 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 52 | 13 | 15 | 28 | 145 | 9 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 20 |
| 1949–50 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 67 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 144 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 13 |
| 1950–51 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 53 | 16 | 19 | 35 | 119 | 6 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 18 |
| 1950–51 | Pittsburgh Hornets | AHL | 13 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 24 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951–52 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 28 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951–52 | Pittsburgh Hornets | AHL | 16 | 4 | 9 | 13 | 53 | 11 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 67 |
| 1952–53 | Pittsburgh Hornets | AHL | 41 | 15 | 13 | 28 | 115 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 8 |
| 1954–55 | Ottawa Senators | QHL | 18 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1954–55 | Vancouver Canucks | WHL | 15 | 5 | 2 | 7 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1954–55 | New York Rangers | NHL | 16 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1956–57 | Sudbury Wolves | NOHA | 19 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 32 | 12 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 29 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 368 | 79 | 105 | 184 | 713 | 40 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 87 |

## Achievements and awards

* Memorial Cup Championship (1944)
* Stanley Cup Championships (1947, 1948, & 1949)
* Honoured Member of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame

## Golf tournament wins

this list may be incomplete

* 1956 New England PGA Championship
* 1958 New England PGA Championship, Rhode Island Open, New Hampshire Open
* 1959 Rhode Island Open
* 1960 Massachusetts Open, Rhode Island Open, New Hampshire Open, Maine Open
* 1964 Massachusetts Open
* 1965 Maritime Open
* 1969 Newfoundland Open
