Billy MacMillan Obituary – Death: former NHL Player and First Coach in New Jersey Devils History, Billy MacMillan Passes Away
Billy MacMillan Obituary news: The New York Islanders confirmed on Saturday that Billy MacMillan, the first coach in New Jersey Devils history and a former NHL player, has passed away at the age of 80.
After helping the Islanders win the Stanley Cup in 1980 as an assistant coach, MacMillan was appointed to lead the Colorado Rockies, who finished the 1980–81 season 22–45 with 13 ties. After the season, Bert Marshall took over as coach and he was elevated to general manager.
However, when the team moved to New Jersey for the 1982–83 season, MacMillan took over as head coach once more.
After starting the 1983–84 season 2–18, MacMillan was sacked as both the Devils’ coach and general manager after the team finished fifth in the Patrick Division with a record of 17–49 with 14 ties.
MacMillan, a part of Canada’s bronze-medal-winning team at the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble, was not selected and didn’t make it to the NHL until he was 27 years old.
Billy had his greatest NHL season as a rookie in 1970–71 with the Toronto Maple Leafs, tallying 22 goals and 41 points in 76 games.
In the 1972 NHL Expansion Draft, the Atlanta Flames selected MacMillan after he spent two seasons with Toronto.
Prior to being transferred to New York, where he had 68 points (32 goals, 36 assists) in 231 games over four seasons from 1973 to 1977, he earned 25 points (10 goals, 15 assists) in 78 games for Atlanta during the team’s debut season in 1972–73.
The Fort Worth Texans, the top minor league affiliate for the Islanders, hired MacMillan as a player/coach after they won the Central Hockey League title in 1978. That year, he was also voted the league’s coach of the year.
Prior to the 1979–80 season, MacMillan joined Al Arbour’s coaching staff with the Islanders, where he helped them capture their first of four consecutive Stanley Cup victories.
MacMillan led Prince Edward Island University to the AUAA championship in 1990–1991 after his experience in the NHL. In 1985, he was honored with a spot in the Prince Edward Island Sports Hall of Fame.