Hal Gill

Harold Priestley Gill III[1] (born April 6, 1975) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who played 16 NHL seasons with six different teams, winning the Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2009.[2]

Hal Gill
Gill with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2008
Born	April 6, 1975 Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.
Height	6 ft 7 in (201 cm)
Weight	250 lb (113 kg; 17 st 12 lb)
Position	Defense
Shot	Left
Played for	Boston Bruins Toronto Maple Leafs Pittsburgh Penguins Montreal Canadiens Nashville Predators Philadelphia Flyers Lukko
National team	United States
NHL Draft	207th overall, 1993 Boston Bruins
Playing career	1997–2014

He also played for the Boston Bruins, Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, Nashville Predators and Philadelphia Flyers. Gill was formerly manager of player development for the Florida Panthers.

He is currently the radio color commentator for the Predators on the Nashville Predators Radio Network.

Playing career

Before college, Gill was a notable quarterback at Nashoba Regional High School in Bolton, Massachusetts.[3]

Gill was selected in the eighth round, 207th overall, by the Boston Bruins in the 1993 NHL Entry Draft. Following the draft, he spent four seasons at Providence College. The team won the 1996 Hockey East Men's Ice Hockey Tournament. Gill captained the 1997 team, recording a collegiate career-high 21 points in 35 games.

Gill made his NHL debut during the 1997–98 NHL season, skating in 68 games with the Bruins. He was a regular for the Bruins for the next six seasons. During the 2004–05 NHL lockout, Gill played for Lukko in the Finnish SM-liiga.

On July 1, 2006, the Toronto Maple Leafs signed Gill to a three-year contract, ending his tenure in Boston following nine seasons.[4] He appeared in 145 games for the organization over two seasons.

On February 26, 2008, the Maple Leafs traded Gill to the Pittsburgh Penguins in exchange for a 2008 second-round pick and 2009 fifth-round pick.[5] The team reached the Stanley Cup Finals, losing in six games to the Detroit Red Wings.[6] The team reached the Stanley Cup Finals the following season, this time defeating the Red Wings to win the Stanley Cup.[7]

On July 1, 2009, Gill signed a two-year, $4.5 million contract with the Montreal Canadiens.[8] The club reached the Eastern Conference Finals, falling in five games to the Philadelphia Flyers.[9] On May 31, 2011, the Canadiens signed Gill to a one-year, $2.25 million contract extension.[10]

On February 17, 2012, the Canadiens traded Gill (along with a 2013 conditional fifth-round pick) to the Nashville Predators in exchange for Blake Geoffrion, Robert Slaney and a 2012 second-round pick.[11] On June 29, 2012, the Predators re-signed Gill to a two-year, $4 million contract extension.[12] As the 2012–13 NHL lockout shortened the eventual season, Gill went scoreless in 30 games. On July 5, 2013, Gill's contract was bought out by the Predators after passing through unconditional waivers.[13][14]

On September 7, 2013, the Philadelphia Flyers signed Gill to a professional try-out, allowing him to attend their training camp.[15] On October 1, the team signed him to a one-year, $700,000 contract.[16][17] Gill played in a mere six games for the Flyers, mainly serving as a healthy scratch.

On April 23, 2015, Gill announced his retirement from professional hockey following 16 seasons.[18]

Post-playing career

On October 16, 2015, the Florida Panthers announced they had hired Gill as their manager of player development.[19] He departed after one season.[20]

On August 23, 2017, Gill joined 102.5 The Game and the Nashville Predators Radio Network as a radio color analyst.[21]

Personal life

Gill grew up in Bolton, Massachusetts and attended Nashoba Regional High School. He is married to Anne and has three children: daughters Sophie, born in 2007,[22][23] and Isabelle, born in September 2004;[24] and son Talon, born in October 2011.[25]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Gill (right) alongside Chad Kilger, January 2008

Hal Gill, Montreal Canadiens, January 2012

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1992–93	Nashoba Regional High School	HS-MA		20	25	25	50	—		—	—	—	—	—
1993–94	Providence College	HE		31	1	2	3	26		—	—	—	—	—
1994–95	Providence College	HE		26	1	3	4	22		—	—	—	—	—
1995–96	Providence College	HE		39	5	12	17	54		—	—	—	—	—
1996–97	Providence College	HE		35	5	16	21	52		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Providence Bruins	AHL		4	1	0	1	23		—	—	—	—	—
1997–98	Boston Bruins	NHL		68	2	4	6	47		6	0	0	0	4
1998–99	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	3	7	10	63		12	0	0	0	14
1999–00	Boston Bruins	NHL		81	3	9	12	120		—	—	—	—	—
2000–01	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	1	10	11	71		—	—	—	—	—
2001–02	Boston Bruins	NHL		79	4	18	22	77		6	0	1	1	2
2002–03	Boston Bruins	NHL		76	4	13	17	13		5	0	0	0	4
2003–04	Boston Bruins	NHL		82	2	7	9	99		7	0	1	1	4
2004–05	Lukko	SM-liiga		31	2	8	10	110		8	0	0	0	57
2005–06	Boston Bruins	NHL		80	1	9	10	124		—	—	—	—	—
2006–07	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		82	6	14	20	91		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Toronto Maple Leafs	NHL		63	2	18	20	52		—	—	—	—	—
2007–08	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		18	1	3	4	16		20	0	1	1	12
2008–09	Pittsburgh Penguins	NHL		62	2	8	10	53		24	0	2	2	6
2009–10	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		68	2	9	11	68		18	0	1	1	20
2010–11	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		75	2	7	9	43		7	0	0	0	2
2011–12	Montreal Canadiens	NHL		53	1	7	8	29		—	—	—	—	—
2011–12	Nashville Predators	NHL		23	0	5	5	8		5	0	0	0	0
2012–13	Nashville Predators	NHL		32	0	0	0	12		—	—	—	—	—
2013–14	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		6	0	0	0	2		1	0	0	0	0
NHL totals				1108	36	148	184	962		111	0	6	6	68

International

Medal record
Representing United States
Ice hockey
World Championships
	2004 Prague

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
2000	United States	WC		7	0	0	0	14
2001	United States	WC		9	0	0	0	4
2004	United States	WC		9	0	2	2	12
2005	United States	WC		7	0	0	0	6
2006	United States	WC		7	0	0	0	14
Senior totals				39	0	2	2	50

See also

• List of NHL players with 1000 games played

References

1. Fischler, Stan (2000-01-01). Boston Bruins: Greatest Moments & Players. Sports Publishing LLC. p. 235. ISBN 1-58261-063-0.
2. Defenseman Gill retires after 16 NHL seasons. "NHL". NHL.com. National Hockey League. Retrieved 23 April 2015.
3. "Hal Gill profile". legendsofhockey.net. 2008-04-27. Retrieved 2008-09-29.
4. "Leafs Add Gill To Blueline". Toronto Maple Leafs. Retrieved July 1, 2006.
5. "Leafs deal away Chad Kilger, Hal Gill". CBC. Retrieved February 26, 2008.
6. "Detroit Red Wings win Stanley Cup". CBC. Retrieved June 4, 2008.
7. "Penguins clip Red Wings to win Stanley Cup". CBC. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
8. "Hal Gill heading to Montreal". Montreal Canadiens. Retrieved July 1, 2009.
9. Gordon, Sean. "Flyers eliminate Habs to move on to Stanley Cup final". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
10. McKenzie, Bob. "I can confirm the earlier RDS report: Hal Gill has agreed to terms on a one-year, $2.25M contract with MTL". Twitter. Retrieved May 31, 2011.
11. "Predators acquire Hal Gill". ESPN. Retrieved February 17, 2012.
12. "Preds Sign Defenseman Hal Gill To A Two-Year Contract". Nashville Predators. Retrieved June 28, 2012.
13. McKenzie, Bob. "Hal Gill (NSH), Johan Hedberg (NJ) and Greg Zanon (COL) also on unconditional waivers, presumably for buyout purposes". Twitter. Retrieved July 4, 2013.
14. Cooper, Josh. "Also Hal Gill contract officially bought out. Sergei Kostitsyn's contract was terminated". Twitter. Retrieved July 5, 2013.
15. "Flyers invite (D) Hal Gill to Camp". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved September 7, 2013.
16. "Flyers sign defenseman Hal Gill". Philadelphia Flyers. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
17. McKenzie, Bob. "PHI signs Hal Gill to 1 year deal with an AAV of $700K". Twitter. Retrieved October 1, 2013.
18. "Defenseman Gill retires after 16 NHL seasons". National Hockey League. Retrieved April 23, 2015.
19. "Hal Gill Named Florida Panthers Manager of Player Development". Florida Panthers. Retrieved October 16, 2015.
20. Garven, Rich. "Hal Gill setting into retirement after 1,108-game NHL career". The Providence Journal. Retrieved April 1, 2017.
21. Bratten, Brooks. "Mason, Gill Excited for New Challenge with Preds Broadcast Team". Nashville Predators. Retrieved August 23, 2017.
22. "Global Hockey Consultants". Globalhockey.net. 2009-10-02. Archived from the original on 2011-07-23. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
23. "Stanley Cup Journal - Hal Gill and Mark Eaton - Pittsburgh Penguins - Features". Penguins.nhl.com. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
24. Jaci on December 2, 2004 1:25 PM. "Wicked Bruins Fan Archives: December 2004 Archives". Wickedbruinsfan.com. Retrieved 2011-10-23.
25. Stubbs, Dave (2011-10-18). "Gill closing in on milestone". The Gazette. Archived from the original on 2013-10-29. Retrieved 2013-01-01.

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database
• National Hockey League Players' Associate bio
• Hal Gill on Twitter