Wayne Hillman was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played as a defenseman in the National Hockey League (NHL) for 14 seasons. He was born on January 5, 1938, in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada. Hillman started his hockey career in the Ontario Hockey Association (OHA) with the St. Michael's Majors in 1955. He played for the Majors for three seasons before moving to the Kitchener-Waterloo Dutchmen in 1958.
In 1960, Hillman signed with the Chicago Blackhawks of the NHL and made his debut in the league in the same year. He played for the Blackhawks for five seasons and was part of the team that won the Stanley Cup in 1961. Hillman was known for his defensive skills and was a reliable player on the ice. He was also a good penalty killer and was often used in that role by his coaches.
In 1965, Hillman was traded to the Boston Bruins, where he played for three seasons. He was then traded to the Philadelphia Flyers in 1968 and played for the team for four seasons. Hillman was part of the Flyers team that reached the Stanley Cup Finals in 1974 but lost to the Bruins in six games.
In 1972, Hillman was selected to represent Canada in the Summit Series against the Soviet Union. He played in four of the eight games and was part of the team that won the series for Canada. Hillman retired from professional hockey in 1975 after playing for the New York Rangers for one season.
Throughout his career, Hillman played in 742 NHL games and scored 28 goals and 129 assists for a total of 157 points. He was a solid defenseman who was respected by his teammates and opponents alike. After retiring from hockey, Hillman worked as a scout for the Rangers and later for the Los Angeles Kings. He passed away on November 24, 2019, at the age of 81.
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