Bill Derlago
Encyclopedia
William Anthony Derlago, (born August 25, 1958) is a retired Canadian
professional ice hockey
player. He played in the National Hockey League
from 1978 to 1987 with the Vancouver Canucks
, Toronto Maple Leafs
, Boston Bruins
, Winnipeg Jets and Quebec Nordiques
.
, tennis
, baseball
, and hockey. It was hockey that garnered the most success and attention for the young Derlago, as he rewrote the WCJHL record books as a member of the Brandon Wheat Kings
in the 1970s. His standout junior career led to his being selected fourth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1978 NHL Entry Draft.
As a rookie with the Canucks in 1978–79, Derlago badly injured his knee and was limited to just 9 games, though he did score a respectable 8 points. Though he played well in Vancouver, he was unable to live up to the high expectations, and was traded to Toronto along with Rick Vaive
for Tiger Williams
and Jerry Butler
on February 18, 1980.
In Toronto, Derlago developed into a star playmaker, working particularly well with Vaive, who was developing into a sniper. Though successful on the ice, questions were raised about Derlago's desire and self-discipline. He avoided all of the exercise regimes and extra practices that might have raised his game.
On October 11, 1985, he was traded to the Boston Bruins for Tom Fergus
. In Boston, Derlago was relegated to third- and fourth-line duty as a defensive forward. After only 39 games in Boston, he was again traded, this time to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Wade Campbell
. Clearly on the downside of his career, Derlago lasted only a brief time with the Jets before he was sent to the Quebec Nordiques in 1987. Eighteen games later he was demoted to the Fredericton Express
of the AHL
.
Derlago would spend one additional season in Italy
before announcing his retirement in 1988.
Derlago currently resides in Concord, Ontario
, and operates a Chrysler
dealership.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
player. He played in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
from 1978 to 1987 with the Vancouver Canucks
Vancouver Canucks
The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
, Toronto Maple Leafs
Toronto Maple Leafs
The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, Winnipeg Jets and Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
.
Career
Growing up, Derlago excelled at multiple sports, including golfGolf
Golf is a precision club and ball sport, in which competing players use many types of clubs to hit balls into a series of holes on a golf course using the fewest number of strokes....
, tennis
Tennis
Tennis is a sport usually played between two players or between two teams of two players each . Each player uses a racket that is strung to strike a hollow rubber ball covered with felt over a net into the opponent's court. Tennis is an Olympic sport and is played at all levels of society at all...
, baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
, and hockey. It was hockey that garnered the most success and attention for the young Derlago, as he rewrote the WCJHL record books as a member of the Brandon Wheat Kings
Brandon Wheat Kings
The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the...
in the 1970s. His standout junior career led to his being selected fourth overall by the Vancouver Canucks in the 1978 NHL Entry Draft.
As a rookie with the Canucks in 1978–79, Derlago badly injured his knee and was limited to just 9 games, though he did score a respectable 8 points. Though he played well in Vancouver, he was unable to live up to the high expectations, and was traded to Toronto along with Rick Vaive
Rick Vaive
Richard Claude Vaive is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played in the National Hockey League from 1979 to 1992, and is best remembered as the first 50 goal scorer in Toronto Maple Leafs franchise history.-Bio:...
for Tiger Williams
Tiger Williams
David James "Tiger" Williams is a former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League from 1974–75 to 1987–88. He is the NHL's career leader in penalty minutes.-NHL career:...
and Jerry Butler
Jerry Butler (ice hockey)
Jerome Patrick Butler is a retired a Canadian ice hockey winger who spent 11 seasons in the National Hockey League...
on February 18, 1980.
In Toronto, Derlago developed into a star playmaker, working particularly well with Vaive, who was developing into a sniper. Though successful on the ice, questions were raised about Derlago's desire and self-discipline. He avoided all of the exercise regimes and extra practices that might have raised his game.
On October 11, 1985, he was traded to the Boston Bruins for Tom Fergus
Tom Fergus
Thomas Joseph Fergus is a retired professional ice hockey center who played 726 regular season games in the NHL for 12 seasons between 1981 and 1993.-Playing career:...
. In Boston, Derlago was relegated to third- and fourth-line duty as a defensive forward. After only 39 games in Boston, he was again traded, this time to the Winnipeg Jets in exchange for Wade Campbell
Wade Campbell
Wade Allan Campbell is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Winnipeg Jets and the Boston Bruins between 1982 and 1988...
. Clearly on the downside of his career, Derlago lasted only a brief time with the Jets before he was sent to the Quebec Nordiques in 1987. Eighteen games later he was demoted to the Fredericton Express
Fredericton Express
The Fredericton Express were a professional ice hockey team based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. They played in the American Hockey League between 1981 and 1988. The Express were affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League...
of the AHL
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
.
Derlago would spend one additional season in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
before announcing his retirement in 1988.
Derlago currently resides in Concord, Ontario
Concord, Ontario
Concord is an unincorporated suburban industrial community in the City of Vaughan in York Region, located north of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. According to the 2001 Census, the community has 8,255 residents ....
, and operates a Chrysler
Chrysler
Chrysler Group LLC is a multinational automaker headquartered in Auburn Hills, Michigan, USA. Chrysler was first organized as the Chrysler Corporation in 1925....
dealership.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1974–75 | Brandon Travellers | MJHL | 45 | 38 | 21 | 59 | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | Brandon Wheat Kings Brandon Wheat Kings The Brandon Wheat Kings are a Canadian junior ice hockey team based in Brandon, Manitoba. They compete in the Western Hockey League, and joined the league in the 1967–68 season. Prior to that they played in the Manitoba Junior Hockey League and were known as the Brandon Elks for a short time in the... |
WCHL Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada... |
17 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1975–76 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCHL | 68 | 49 | 54 | 103 | 43 | 5 | 3 | 3 | 6 | 0 | ||
| 1976–77 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCHL | 72 | 96 | 82 | 178 | 63 | 16 | 14 | 16 | 30 | 31 | ||
| 1977–78 | Brandon Wheat Kings | WCHL | 52 | 89 | 63 | 152 | 105 | 8 | 9 | 13 | 22 | 10 | ||
| 1978–79 | Dallas Black Hawks Dallas Black Hawks The Dallas Black Hawks were a minor-league professional ice hockey team in Dallas, Texas. They were a member of the Central Hockey League and played home games at State Fair Coliseum.... |
CHL | 11 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 9 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Vancouver Canucks Vancouver Canucks The Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,... |
NHL | 9 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Vancouver Canucks | NHL | 54 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Toronto Maple Leafs Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 23 | 5 | 12 | 17 | 13 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | ||
| 1980–81 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 80 | 35 | 39 | 74 | 26 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 2 | ||
| 1981–82 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 75 | 34 | 50 | 84 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 58 | 13 | 24 | 37 | 27 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1983–84 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 79 | 40 | 20 | 60 | 50 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 62 | 31 | 31 | 62 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Boston Bruins Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the... |
NHL | 39 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1985–86 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 27 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 6 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | ||
| 1986–87 1986–87 AHL season The 1986–87 AHL season was the 51st season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The league institutes awarding one point in the standings, for an overtime loss... |
Fredericton Express Fredericton Express The Fredericton Express were a professional ice hockey team based in Fredericton, New Brunswick. They played in the American Hockey League between 1981 and 1988. The Express were affiliated with the Quebec Nordiques and Vancouver Canucks of the National Hockey League... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
16 | 7 | 8 | 15 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Quebec Nordiques Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 30 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 18 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 6 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 555 | 189 | 227 | 416 | 247 | 13 | 5 | 0 | 5 | 8 | ||||
Awards and achievements
- 1977: WCHLWestern Hockey LeagueThe Western Hockey League is a major junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitute the Canadian Hockey League as the highest level of junior hockey in Canada...
Scoring Champion - 1977: WCHL First All-Star Team
- 1977: WCHL Goals Leader
- 1978: WCHL Goals Leader
- 1978: WCHL Second All-Star Team
- “Honoured Member” of the Manitoba Hockey Hall of FameManitoba Hockey Hall of FameThe Manitoba Hockey Hall of Fame and Museum was established in 1985 when the first honoured members were named and plaques were erected in their honour. The first group of inductees was large in order to recognize the accomplishments of Manitoba players, coaches, builders and teams at the...