# Billy Dea

William Fraser Dea (born April 3, 1933) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre and head coach in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played in the NHL from 1953 to 1971, and then served as a coach during the 1981–82 season.

## Playing career

A minor league standout, Dea began his NHL career with a brief fourteen-game assignment with the New York Rangers during the 1953–54 season. On August 18, 1955, the Rangers traded the NHL rights to Dea and Aggie Kukulowicz to the Detroit Red Wings in exchange for Bronco Horvath and Dave Creighton.
In 1957, he joined the Red Wings as a starting two-way forward. The next season, he was traded mid-season to the Chicago Black Hawks. For the next nine years, Dea would play exclusively in the American Hockey League, before expansion gave him another crack at the NHL. During the 1967–68 and 1968-69 campaigns, he was a regular on the Pittsburgh Penguins. He then returned to the Red Wings for an additional two years, ending his career with 67 goals and 54 assists in 397 games. In 1975, Dea became an assistant coach with the Red Wings.

## Post-playing career

In retirement, Dea joined the Detroit front office. During the 1981–82 NHL season, he became the head coach as a mid-season replacement for Wayne Maxner. He currently serves as a scout for the Florida Panthers.
In 2017, he was inducted into the AHL Hall of Fame.
Dea earned the nickname "Hard Rock" for his punishing style of play. He is an uncle to NHL defenceman James Wisniewski.

## 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 |
| 1949–50 | Lethbridge Native Sons | WCJHL | 29 | 20 | 13 | 33 | 4 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 0 |
| 1950–51 | Lethbridge Native Sons | WCJHL | 38 | 25 | 22 | 47 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1951–52 | Lethbridge Native Sons | WCJHL | 41 | 44 | 29 | 73 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1952–53 | Saskatoon Quakers | WHL | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1952–53 | Lethbridge Native Sons | WJHL | 34 | 34 | 21 | 55 | 53 | 14 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 12 |
| 1952–53 | Lethbridge Native Sons | M-Cup | — | — | — | — | — | 11 | 11 | 4 | 15 | 6 |
| 1953–54 | New York Rangers | NHL | 14 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1953–54 | Vancouver Canucks | WHL | 53 | 21 | 13 | 34 | 8 | 12 | 6 | 5 | 11 | 4 |
| 1954–55 | Vancouver Canucks | WHL | 59 | 18 | 13 | 31 | 13 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| 1955–56 | Edmonton Flyers | WHL | 70 | 29 | 42 | 71 | 14 | 3 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 4 |
| 1956–57 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 69 | 15 | 15 | 30 | 14 | 5 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 2 |
| 1957–58 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 29 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1957–58 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | 34 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1958–59 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 70 | 25 | 45 | 70 | 19 | 11 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 4 |
| 1959–60 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 72 | 28 | 26 | 54 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1960–61 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 72 | 35 | 39 | 74 | 10 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 0 |
| 1961–62 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 70 | 30 | 22 | 52 | 17 | 11 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| 1962–63 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 72 | 20 | 12 | 32 | 25 | 13 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 0 |
| 1963–64 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 72 | 25 | 16 | 41 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–65 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 72 | 21 | 19 | 40 | 15 | 9 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 1965–66 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 70 | 32 | 23 | 55 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Buffalo Bisons | AHL | 71 | 25 | 39 | 64 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Chicago Black Hawks | NHL | — | — | — | — | — | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1967–68 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 73 | 16 | 12 | 28 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1968–69 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 66 | 10 | 8 | 18 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Baltimore Clippers | AHL | 7 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 70 | 10 | 3 | 13 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 |
| 1970–71 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 42 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970–71 | Fort Worth Wings | CHL | 26 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 10 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| 1971–72 | Tidewater Wings | AHL | 72 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| AHL totals | AHL totals | AHL totals | 720 | 248 | 249 | 497 | 182 | 48 | 11 | 16 | 27 | 6 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 397 | 67 | 54 | 121 | 44 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 6 |

## NHL coaching record

| Team | Year | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Post season |
| Team | Year | G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | Result |
| Detroit Red Wings | 1981-82 | 11 | 3 | 8 | 0 | 6 | 6th in Norris | Missed playoffs |