Larry Hillman 1961-62 Parkhurst #14

1960-61 was Larry Hillman's first season with the Toronto Maple Leafs after stints with the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins. He played nearly a full season on the blue line in 1960-61 but in 1961-62, Hillman played just five games for the Maple Leafs.

Larry would rise again with the Maple Leafs but not without time spent in the minors. He saw playoff action with four Stanley Cup championship teams over his career, also winning a Calder Cup in the American Hockey League and an Avco World Trophy championship in the World Hockey Assocation.

Larry Hillman - 1961-62 Parkhurst 14

Appearing on his first Parkhurst card, the stats showed he played 62 regular season games in 1960-61 for the Maple Leafs, scoring three and setting up ten for 13 points. Larry appeared in all Toronto's five Stanley Cup playoff games that season. It was his first year with the Maple Leafs, appearing in just two games with the Boston Bruins in 1959-60.

In 1961-62, Hillman played just five regular season games with Toronto. He was not around for the playoffs with Toronto taking the Stanley Cup for the first of three consecutive seasons. Larry did play 26 games in the AHL with the Rochester Americans.

Larry Hillman – Junior and Minor Pro

Hillman played three years of major junior in the OHA between 1952-53 and 1954-55. His first year was spent with the original Windsor Spitfires. He moved with the franchise to Hamilton the following season and spent his final two years with the Hamilton Tiger Cubs. The franchise exists today as the Erie Otters.

Larry saw his first pro action during his final year of junior. In 1954-55, Hillman was called up to the Detroit Red Wings for seven regular season games. He also appeared in three playoff games with the Red Wings winning the Stanley Cup over the Montreal Canadiens in the finals.

1959-60 was an outstanding year for Hillman. Playing the full 70 game AHL schedule for the Providence Reds, Larry scored 12 and assisted on 31 for 43 points. He was the recipient of the Eddie Shore Award as the league's top defenseman. His 159 penalty minutes placed him sixth in the league.

Dropped back down to the minors for the 1964-65 season, Larry and the Rochester Americans made the most of it. The Amerks met the Hershey Bears in the Calder Cup finals and came out victorious.

Larry Hillman – NHL and WHA

Between 1954-55 and 1972-73, Hillman played in 791 regular season National Hockey League games. Over that time, he scored 36 and assisted on 196 for 232 points while sitting a squeeky clean (for a defenseman) 579 minutes in the penalty box. He also played 74 games in the Stanley Cup playoffs, adding eleven points. Along with the Red Wings, Bruins and Maple Leafs, Hillman also played for the Montreal Canadiens, Minnesota North Stars, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings and Buffalo Sabres.

His three playoff games with Detroit in 1954-55 got Hillman his first Stanley Cup. He saw action with the champion Maple Leafs in 1963-64 and again in 1966-67. In 1968-69, Larry played a single playoff game for the Stanley Cup champion Montreal Canadiens.

After the 1972-73 season, Hillman jumped to the WHA. He played in the Rebel League for three years from 1973-74 to 1975-76. His first two years were spent with the Cleveland Crusaders and his final year was with the Winnipeg Jets. Larry played 192 regular season games in the WHA, scoring six and assisting on 49 for 55 points. He played another 17 in the playoffs, adding six points.

With the 1975-76 Jets, he helped the team to an Avco World Trophy win over the Houston Aeros in the finals. As head coach of the Jets in 1977-78, Hillman would once again hoist the cup as Winnipeg took out the New England Whalers in the finals.