Tom Williams (ice hockey, born 1940)
American ice hockey player, first regular American in NHL during 1960s.
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Thomas Mark Williams, nicknamed "Tommy, The Bomber," was an American professional hockey player known for his skating and shooting. He got his nickname after a 1970s joke about a bomb in his bag to Toronto customs, which earned him a one-game NHL suspension. For much of the 1960s, he was the only American regularly playing in the league.
Professional career
Williams began his NHL career with the Boston Bruins in the 1961–62 season. After eight seasons with the Bruins, including a serious injury in 1968, he moved to the Minnesota North Stars. There he scored a career-high 67 points in 1969-70 while playing on the top line with Bill Goldsworthy and Jean-Paul Parise. He was traded to the California Golden Seals after a season and a half with Minnesota.
Following two seasons with the Seals, he jumped to the WHA to play for the New England Whalers, who won the first Avco World Trophy in the 1973 WHA playoffs; Williams contributed six goals and eleven assists in those playoffs. He later joined the expansion Washington Capitals, leading the team in scoring with 22 goals and 36 assists, and was awarded the franchise's first penalty shot on December 5, 1974. He retired during the 1975–76 NHL season.
Personal life
Tom Williams faced heavy personal losses that derailed his hockey career. His wife was discovered dead in a car in November 1970, with the cause never confirmed as accident or suicide. Once known as a carefree player, he grew irritable and clashed with North Stars general manager Jack Gordon, leading to a suspension and trade to the Seals.
After retiring, he remarried and started a new profession. In 1987, his 23-year-old son Bobby, a Boston Bruins prospect, died. Williams suffered a fatal heart attack in Hudson, Massachusetts on February 8, 1992, at age 51.
Career statistics and honours
Medals
- Gold 1960 Squaw Valley Ice hockey
Regular season and playoffs
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1957–58 | Central High School | HS-MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1958–59 | United States National Team | Intl | 50 | 21 | 12 | 33 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1959–60 | United States National Team | Intl | — | 21 | 17 | 38 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1960–61 | Kingston Frontenacs | EPHL | 51 | 16 | 26 | 42 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 |
| 1961–62 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 26 | 6 | 6 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1961–62 | Kingston Frontenacs | EPHL | 36 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 35 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962–63 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 69 | 23 | 20 | 43 | 11 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1963–64 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 37 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–65 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 65 | 13 | 21 | 34 | 28 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1965–66 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 70 | 16 | 22 | 38 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 29 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 68 | 18 | 32 | 50 | 14 | 4 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 |
| 1968–69 | Boston Bruins | NHL | 26 | 4 | 7 | 11 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 75 | 15 | 52 | 67 | 18 | 6 | 1 | 5 | 6 | 0 |
| 1970–71 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 41 | 10 | 13 | 23 | 16 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1970–71 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 18 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | California Golden Seals | NHL | 33 | 3 | 9 | 12 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Boston Braves | AHL | 31 | 8 | 15 | 23 | 8 | 9 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 6 |
| 1972–73 | New England Whalers | WHA | 69 | 10 | 21 | 31 | 14 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 2 |
| 1973–74 | New England Whalers | WHA | 70 | 21 | 37 | 58 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 |
| 1974–75 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 73 | 22 | 36 | 58 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 34 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 20 | 4 | 16 | 20 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| WHA totals | 139 | 31 | 58 | 89 | 20 | 19 | 6 | 14 | 20 | 12 | ||
| NHL totals | 663 | 161 | 269 | 430 | 177 | 10 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 2 | ||
International
| Year | Team | Event | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1959 | United States | WC | 8 | 7 | 2 | 9 | — |
| 1960 | United States | OLY | 7 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 2 |
| Totals | 15 | 11 | 8 | 19 | — | ||
Tables copied from the source article, totals included as the source gives them: Wikipedia: Tom Williams (ice hockey, born 1940) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Wide tables scroll sideways.
Did You Know?
- He and his younger brother Butch Williams were the first American brothers to play in the NHL.
Frequently Asked Questions
When and where was Tom Williams (ice hockey, born 1940) born?
Tom Williams was born on 17 April 1940 in Duluth, Minnesota, U.S.
What position did Tom Williams (ice hockey, born 1940) play?
Tom Williams's position is listed as Right wing.
More in California Golden Seals Players
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Tom Williams (ice hockey, born 1940) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Statistics, medals and awards: the tables of the source article.
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