'Just an amazing man': Former Calgary Flames president and CEO Bill Hay, a Hockey Canada builder, dead at 88

Bill Hay, who was President and CEO of the Calgary Flames between 1991 and 1995, has died. (Photo: X@CalgaryFlames)

Former Chicago Blackhawks star and Hall of Fame hockey executive Bill Hay, who was also a past president and CEO of the Calgary Flames, has died. He was 88.

Hockey Canada, where Hay was president and chief operating officer from 1990-1995, confirmed Hay's death in a release Saturday. A cause of death was not provided.

“Bill Hay lived a remarkable hockey life that reflected the very best of our sport," NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said in a statement. "The National Hockey League family mourns his passing and sends our deepest condolences to his family and many friends throughout the hockey world.”

Hay played eight NHL seasons with the Blackhawks and was named the league's rookie of the year in the 1959-60 season when he had 24 goals and 30 assists in 70 games.

The centre from Saskatoon had 11 goals and 48 assists in the following regular season and added two goals and five assists in 12 playoff games while anchoring a line with Bobby Hull to help the Blackhawks win the Stanley Cup.

Hay had 113 goals and 273 assists over 506 career NHL games and was a two-time all-star before retiring in 1967.

Former Chicago Blackhawk players, from left, Eric Nesterenko, Bill "Red" Hay, Stan Mikita and Glenn Hall sing the national anthem after being honored for the 50th anniversary of the 1961 Stanley Cup champions, before the Chicago Blackhawks beat the New York Islanders 5-0 in an NHL hockey game in Chicago on Sunday, Jan. 9, 2011. Hay, a past president and CEO of the Calgary Flames, has died. He was 88. THE CANADIAN PRESS/AP-Charles Cherney

He continued in the game post-retirement, serving as president and chief executive officer of the Calgary Flames from 1991-95 alongside his role with Hockey Canada.

He was instrumental in the merger of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in the mid-1990s.

Hockey Canada legend

Saturday, Hockey Canada issued a statement paying tribute to Hay, who was also a member of the Alberta Hockey Hall of Fame, Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame and Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame.

"Bill's leadership, along with the late Murray Costello, was instrumental in the merger of Hockey Canada and the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association in the mid-1990s and created the Hockey Canada we all know today," said Hockey Canada president and CEO Katherine Henderson.

"Through his generosity, the Bill Hay Future Leaders Program also provided recent university of college graduates the opportunity to gain work experience in sport, which positively impacted the lives of all those who participated inthe program and their colleagues.

"We send our condolences to Bill's family and friends, and everyone who has benefited from his significant contributions to the game."

'Just an amazing man'

The Calgary Flames also paid tribute to Hay on social media Saturday morning.

"Just an amazing man, a great friend and mentor, an advocate for everything that was good in life," they said. "The Flames mourn the passing of former President and CEO, Bill Hay. Our thoughts and prayers are with the Hay family."

He was also a member of the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee from 1980-97 and a member of the hall's board of directors from 1995 until his retirement in 2013, including 15 years as chairman.

Hay was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 2015 and invested into the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2021.

His father, Charles Hay, helped organize the 1972 Summit Series and is also enshriend in the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder.

With files from The Canadian Press