Bill Goldsworthy

William Alfred Goldsworthy (August 24, 1944 in Waterloo, Ontario – March 29, 1996 in Minneapolis, Minnesota) was a professional right winger who played in the National Hockey League for 14 seasons between 1964 and 1978, most notably for the Minnesota North Stars. 
==Playing Career==
Signed by the Boston Bruins of the NHL as a teenager, Goldsworthy played his junior days with the Bruins' Ontario Hockey Association affiliate Niagara Falls Flyers. Playing on a very strong squad, Goldsworthy finished second and third in team scoring his final two seasons with the club, en route to a Memorial Cup finals appearance in 1963 and winning it outright in 1965 in a series marked by brawls and suspensions. The latter season saw Goldsworthy's NHL debut, playing two scoreless games with the Bruins.
With big league jobs tight in the days of the Original Six, Goldsworthy served a minor league apprenticeship the next two seasons, playing with the Oklahoma City Blazers of the Central Hockey League and the Buffalo Bisons of the American Hockey League between occasional callups to Boston.
As with many other players, league expansion in 1967 gave Goldsworthy his chance. Drafted in the midrounds by the Minnesota North Stars, he became an immediate starter, showing his promise in the playoffs in Minnesota's 1968 debut season, scoring eight goals and fifteen points in fourteen games as the North Stars came within a game of reaching the Stanley Cup finals. His true breakout season came in 1970, when he scored 36 goals to begin a stretch where, teamed with skilled playmakers such as Dennis Hextall and Jude Drouin, he scored thirty or more goals in five of the next six seasons to become the North Stars' first great scoring star.
His best offensive season was the 1974 season, when he set career highs in goals with 48 and points with 74, which saw him just missing a nomination to the Second All-Star Team at right wing. He cemented his popularity with Minnesota fans with the "Goldy Shuffle," a celebration Goldsworthy performed after each goal at home. Named team captain in 1975 after Ted Harris' trade, Goldsworthy served in that capacity for two seasons.
By 1976, the North Stars were in a rebuilding mode, having failed to make the playoffs in three years. In a decline due to an alcoholism problem which would become chronic, Goldsworthy was dealt to the New York Rangers. Early the next season, his skills in a sharp decline, he was the first NHL player traded outright to a World Hockey Association squad, the Indianapolis Racers. He was further dealt to the Edmonton Oilers for the 1979 season, where he played 17 games to finish out his playing career.
==International Play==
Goldsworthy was a part of Team Canada in the 1972 Summit Series, but played in only three games, scoring a goal and an assist.
==Retirement==
Goldsworthy played 771 career NHL games, scoring 283 goals and 258 assists for 541 points, and added 18 goals and 19 assists in 40 playoff games. The North Stars retired his jersey number 8 on February 15, 1992.
After his retirement, Goldsworthy went into coaching, most notably for the San Antonio Iguanas of the CHL.
Bill Goldsworthy died in 1996 of complications from AIDS, the first professional hockey player publicly known to have the disease. 
Goldsworthy is survived by daughter, Tammy Lynn (b. ~1969), and son, William Sean (b. ~1972).
==Awards and Achievements==
*Played in four NHL All-Star Games (1970, 1972, 1974, 1976).
*Retired as the leading goal and point scorer for the North Stars franchise.
*Was the first player for an expansion team to score 200 and 250 goals. 
*Currently eighth in career points for the Minnesota/Dallas franchise and fifth in career goals.
==Career Statistics==
  	  	  	 	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
1963–64 	Niagara Falls Flyers 	OHA 	 	56 	21 	47 	68 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1964–65 	Niagara Falls Flyers 	OHA 	 	54 	28 	27 	55 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1963–65 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	2 	0 	0 	0 	0 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1965–66 	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL 	 	22 	2 	5 	7 	65 	 	2 	1 	0 	1 	4
1965–66 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	13 	3 	1 	4 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1966–67 	Oklahoma City Blazers	CPHL 	 	11 	4 	1 	5 	14 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1966–67 	Buffalo Bisons 	AHL 	 	22 	9 	11 	20 	42 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1966–67 	Boston Bruins 	NHL 	 	18 	3 	5 	8 	21 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1967–68 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	68 	14 	19 	33 	68 	 	14 	8 	7 	15 	12
1968–69 	Memphis South Stars 	CHL 	 	6 	4 	0 	4 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1968–69 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	68 	14 	10 	24 	110 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1969–70 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	75 	36 	29 	65 	89 	 	6 	4 	3 	7 	6
1970–71 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	77 	34 	31 	65 	85 	 	7 	2 	4 	6 	6
1971–72 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	78 	31 	31 	62 	59 	 	7 	2 	3 	5 	6
1972–73 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	75 	27 	33 	60 	97 	 	6 	2 	2 	4 	0
1973–74 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	74 	48 	26 	74 	73 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1974–75 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	71 	37 	35 	72 	77 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	68 	24 	22 	46 	47 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1976–77 	Minnesota North Stars	NHL 	 	16 	2 	3 	5 	6 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1976–77 	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	61 	10 	12 	22 	43 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1977–78 	New York Rangers 	NHL 	 	7 	0 	1 	1 	12 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1977–78 	New Haven Nighthawks 	AHL 	 	4 	1 	2 	3 	4 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1977–78 	Indianapolis Racers 	WHA 	 	32 	8 	10 	18 	10 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1978–79 	Edmonton Oilers 	WHA 	 	17 	4 	2 	6 	14 	 	4 	1 	1 	2 	11
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	771 	283 	258 	541 	793 	 	40 	18 	19 	37 	30
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==Gallery==
1967-Oct11-Goldsworthy-Hodge.jpg|Bill Goldsworthy scores the first goal at the Met Center, October 21, 1967.
1969-Nov8-Goldsworthy goal.gif|The second goal of Bill Goldsworthy's first hat trick, November 8, 1969.
1969-Dec10-Goldy goal.gif|Bill Goldsworthy's game winner, December 10, 1969.
==External Links==
*Goldsworthy's statistics at hockeydb.com
Category:1972 Team Canada players
Category:Boston Bruins players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Edmonton Oilers (WHA) players
Category:Minnesota North Stars players
Category:National Hockey League players with retired numbers
Category:New York Rangers players
Category:Niagara Falls Flyers alumni
Category:Oklahoma City Blazers (1965-1977) players
Category:Buffalo Bisons players
Category:Retired in 1979
Category:New Haven Nighthawks players