Bill Fairbairn facts for kids

William John "Bulldog" Fairbairn (born January 7, 1947) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played as a right wing, which means he played on the right side of the ice, helping to score goals and defend. Bill played for 10 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL), which is the top professional ice hockey league in North America.

Fairbairn spent most of his career with the New York Rangers. He also played for the Minnesota North Stars and St. Louis Blues. He retired early in the 1978-79 NHL season, having scored 162 goals during his time in the NHL.

Bill's Hockey Journey

Bill Fairbairn's hockey adventure started in his hometown with the Brandon Wheat Kings. This team was part of the Manitoba Junior Hockey League (MJHL), a league for younger players. It was here that he earned his famous nickname, "Bulldog," because he played with a lot of determination and never gave up.

He played a few games in the 1963-64 season and also in the playoffs for the 1964 Memorial Cup. The Memorial Cup is a big championship for junior hockey teams in Canada. Over the next three seasons in Brandon, Bill scored an amazing 315 points. In the 1966-67 season, he scored 60 goals and earned "all-star" honors, meaning he was one of the best players in the league.

The New York Rangers signed Bill in 1964. Before joining the Rangers full-time, he played a few games with their minor league team, the Omaha Knights. This team was in the Central Professional Hockey League (CPHL). In 1967, Bill also played for the Port Arthur Marrs in the 1967 Memorial Cup. He then spent two more seasons with the Omaha Knights, becoming a Second Team all-star in 1968-69.

Making it to the NHL

Bill Fairbairn officially joined the New York Rangers as a rookie (a first-year player) in the 1969-70 season. He had a fantastic first year, scoring 23 goals. He finished second in the voting for the Calder Memorial Trophy, which is given to the best rookie in the NHL.

Bill took the place of an injured player, Bob Nevin, and joined a line with left wing Dave Balon and center Walt Tkaczuk. This group of three players became known as the "Bulldog Line." They were incredibly successful, scoring a combined 203 points that season. They even outscored the Rangers' famous "GAG Line"!

After a very successful November, where the "Bulldog Line" scored 4 goals and 10 points in one game against Boston, the Rangers' general manager decided to keep them together. Bill went on to play eight seasons in New York. When Dave Balon was traded, a new rookie, Steve Vickers, joined the line. Playing with Tkaczuk and Vickers, Bill had his best professional season, scoring a career-high 30 goals. He also led the Rangers in scoring during the playoffs that year.

Bill remained a strong player for the Rangers until he was traded to the Minnesota North Stars in November 1976. He then split his final three seasons between the North Stars and the St. Louis Blues, retiring from hockey in November 1979.

Former Rangers goalie Gilles Villemure remembers Bill Fairbairn as a very hard-working player. He was known as a "defensive forward" who was great at killing penalties. This means he was skilled at preventing the other team from scoring when his own team had a player in the penalty box. Ranger legend Rod Gilbert once said that Bill Fairbairn and Walt Tkaczuk were "the best penalty-killers in hockey."

Awards and Achievements

• MJHL Second All-Star Team (1967)
• CHL Second All-Star Team (1969)
• Inducted into the Manitoba Sports Hall of Fame and Museum in 2007
• "Honoured Member" of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame