Bill Nyrop

Bill Nyrop
Born	(1952-07-23)July 23, 1952 Washington, D.C., USA
Died	Minneapolis, MN, USA
Height	6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight	205 lb (93 kg; 14 st 9 lb)
Position	Defense
Shot	Left
Played for	Montreal Canadiens Minnesota North Stars
NHL Draft	66th overall, 1972 Montreal Canadiens
Playing career	1974–1983

William Donald Nyrop (July 23, 1952 – December 31, 1995) was a professional ice hockey player who won three Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens in 1976, 1977, and 1978.

Early life

Born in Washington, D.C., his father, Donald Nyrop, served as U.S. Administrator of Civil Aeronautics (now the Federal Aviation Administration) and Chairman of the U.S. Civil Aeronautics Board (now National Transportation Safety Board) under President Harry S. Truman in the early 1950s. Donald Nyrop moved his family to Edina, Minnesota, where he served as president, CEO and chairman of the board of Northwest Airlines from 1954–1976. As a boy, Nyrop attended Edina High School, where he was an all-star athlete, playing quarterback for an undefeated football team and leading the hockey team to the state title in 1969.

After graduation from high school in 1970, Nyrop attended the University of Notre Dame. He tried out for the Notre Dame football team in 1971 and won a spot on the roster as the backup quarterback. However, he was injured in practice and never played for the team, instead playing hockey during his four years in college. After his sophomore year with the Fighting Irish in 1971–1972, Nyrop was selected 66th overall by the Montreal Canadiens at the Amateur Draft. He attended his first pro training camp in September 1972, and in 1973 he was voted on to the WCHA first all-star team and the NCAA west first all-American team. The next year he represented the United States at the "B" Pool Ice Hockey World Championship where he was named to the tournament All-Star team as the best defenseman.

Pro career

During his first pro season with the American Hockey League's Nova Scotia Voyageurs in 1974–1975, Nyrop played with the stability of a seasoned veteran. He made his National Hockey League (NHL) debut the next year on February 22, 1976 with the Montreal Canadiens, suiting up for 19 games and became a regular on defense in the playoffs as the Canadiens won the Stanley Cup. Later that year Nyrop scored two points in five games and was stalwart on the defense as team captain for the United States team at the inaugural 1976 Canada Cup. Nyrop spent two years on the Montreal defense and helped the team win the Stanley Cup in 1977 and 1978. After the 1977–1978 season, Nyrop stepped away from the game to study law. His rights were traded by the Canadiens to the Minnesota North Stars in September 1980 and he returned to the NHL a year later. He dressed for 42 regular season games with the Stars and two post-season contests in which his team was upset by Chicago in the first round. Nyrop also played briefly for Kölner Haie of the German league in 1982–1983 before retiring for good.

Post career

After retirement, he attended Gonzaga University School of Law in Spokane, Washington, earning his Juris Doctor (J.D.) in 1986. He set up his law practice, but then returned to hockey as the coach of the Knoxville (TN) Cherokees (ECHL) in 1991-92. The following season he became owner and coach of the Sunshine Hockey League's West Palm Beach Blaze. After guiding the club to three straight league championships, he sold his interest in the club due to failing health. In September 1995 he was diagnosed with inoperable colon cancer (that spread to his liver and lungs) and died three months later in his father's home in Minneapolis at age 43.

Career statistics

Source:

Season	Club	League	REGULAR SEASON						SEASON PLAYOFFS
			GP	G	A	TP	PIM	+/-	GP	G	A	TP	PIM
1967–1970	Edina Hornets (Edina High School)	Minnesota High School League
1970–1971	University of Notre Dame	WCHA	30	2	4	6	40
1971–1972	University of Notre Dame	WCHA	31	3	18	21	44
1972–1973	University of Notre Dame	WCHA	38	3	21	24	46
1973–1974	University of Notre Dame	WCHA	33	9	29	38	44
1974–1975	Nova Scotia Voyageurs	AHL	75	2	22	24	76		6	0	5	5	0
1975–1976	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	19	0	3	3	8	+21	13	0	3	3	12
1975–1976	Nova Scotia Voyageurs	AHL	52	3	25	28	30
1976–1977	United States	Canada Cup	5	1	1	2	0
1976–1977	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	74	3	19	22	21	+42	8	1	0	1	4
1977–1978	Montreal Canadiens	NHL	72	5	21	26	37	+56	12	0	4	4	6
1978–1979
1979–1980
1980–1981	Minnesota North Stars	DN-Cup	3	2	1	3	0
1981–1982	Minnesota North Stars	NHL	42	4	8	12	35	+14	2	0	0	0	0
1982–1983	Kölner Haie	German league	19	3	2	5	8
NHL Totals			207	12	51	63	101		35	1	7	8	22

Awards and achievements

• Stanley Cup champion in 1976, 1977 and 1978
• All-WCHA Second Team in 1972–73
• AHCA West All-American in 1972–73
• WEC-B All-Star Team in 1974

External links

• Bill Nyrop's career statistics at The Internet Hockey Database