Larry Hillman, youngest player to have his name on Stanley Cup, dead at 85

Former Toronto Maple Leaf Larry Hillman pulls Bobby Hull onto the ice at the NHL Heroes team practice as part of NHL All-Star weekend festivities in Toronto on Friday Feb. 4, 2000. Hillman, who was part of six Stanley Cup-winning teams over a lengthy and well-travelled pro hockey career, has died at age 85. (Kevin Frayer/CP)

Larry Hillman, who was part of six Stanley Cup-winning teams over a lengthy and well-travelled pro hockey career, has died at age 85.

The Toronto Maple Leafs, where Hillman spent eight seasons and won four of his Cups (1962, ’63, ’64, ’67), confirmed his death on social media on Saturday. A cause of death was not given.

Hillman, from Kirkland Lake, Ont., broke into the NHL with Detroit in the 1954-55 season. He played in six regular-season games and three playoff games as the Red Wings won the Stanley Cup.

He became the youngest player to have his name engraved on the Cup at 18 years two months nine days. The record cannot be broken under current NHL regulations, as a player must be 18 years old by Sept. 15 to be eligible to play in his rookie NHL season.

He also won a Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1969.

Hillman had 36 goals and 196 assists over 790 career NHL regular-season games between 1954-55 and 1972-73 with Detroit, Boston, Toronto, Minnesota, Montreal, Philadelphia, Los Angeles and Buffalo.

After the 1972-73 NHL season, Hillman played two seasons in the World Hockey Association with the Cleveland Crusaders and another with the Winnipeg Jets before retiring in 1976.

Hillman was named the Jets’ head coach for the 1977-78 WHA season, where he led the team to an Avco Cup title.

He was fired 61 games into the 1978-79 campaign with Winnipeg posting a middling 28-27-6 record.

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