Murray Hall (ice hockey)

Murray Winston Hall (born November 24, 1940) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association during the 1960s and 1970s.

Murray Hall
Born	(1940-11-24) November 24, 1940 Kirkland Lake, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	Chicago Black Hawks Detroit Red Wings Minnesota North Stars Vancouver Canucks Houston Aeros (WHA)
Playing career	1961–1976

Playing career

A talented offensive winger, Hall was signed by the Chicago Black Hawks as a teenager and came up through their junior system, turning pro in 1961. In 1961–62, he scored 21 goals as the youngest player on the AHL Buffalo Bisons, Chicago's top minor-league affiliate, and appeared in his first two NHL games. Hall also received a surprising opportunity to play in the NHL All-Star Game, which at the time was between the defending Stanley Cup champions (Chicago won in 1961), and a team of all-stars from the rest of the league. Chicago took the opportunity to give Hall and Chico Maki, two of their top prospects, some valuable experience.

Over the next two seasons, Hall established himself as an elite minor-league scorer (playing on a line with and outscoring Phil Esposito in the EPHL in 1962–63), but struggled to take the next step to the NHL. In 1963–64, he scored just 2 points in 23 games in Chicago, and following the season was selected by the Detroit Red Wings in the intra-league draft. In Detroit, his fortunes would be much the same. He would lead easily lead the Wings' AHL affiliate in scoring over the next two years, but see only a few games of NHL action in Detroit. In 1966–67, he finally produced in NHL action, scoring 4 goals and 7 points in a 12-game stint in Detroit.

Selected by the Minnesota North Stars in the 1967 NHL Expansion Draft, Hall was expected to be a key part of their first-year squad, but struggled scoring just 3 points in 17 games, and his rights were dealt to the Toronto Maple Leafs. He was assigned to the Vancouver Canucks in 1968, and spent the following two seasons there.

In 1970, the owners of the Canucks were granted an NHL expansion franchise of the same name, and Hall was one of several players who stayed with the organization. This time, he would take advantage of his opportunity, scoring 21 goals and 38 assists for 59 points, good for 4th on the team in scoring and 2nd in assists. However, his scoring touch wouldn't last as he slumped to just 6 goals and 12 points in 32 games in 1971–72, and found himself back in the AHL.

Hall jumped to the upstart World Hockey Association for 1972–73, one of four Canucks (along with Ted Taylor, Poul Popiel, and John Schella) to sign with the Houston Aeros. He would rediscover his scoring touch in the WHA, scoring 70 points in his first year in Houston. With the arrival of Gordie Howe in 1973, Houston would dominate the WHA over the next two seasons, and Hall was a key component of teams which won back-to-back Avco Cup championships in 1974 and 1975, scoring an impressive 16 goals in 27 playoff games over those two years. Hall would spend one more season with Houston in 1975–76, and had a brief stint in the CHL before retiring in 1977.

In 164 NHL games, Hall recorded 35 goals and 48 assists for 83 points, along with 46 penalty minutes. In an additional 312 WHA contests, he netted 96 goals and added 125 assists for a total of 221 points, along with 155 penalty minutes.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1959–60	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA		48	17	15	32	22		17	2	7	9	6
1960–61	St. Catharines Teepees	OHA		48	35	41	76	60		6	3	1	4	2
1960–61	Sault Thunderbirds	EPHL		—	—	—	—	—		8	0	2	2	2
1961–62	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1961–62	Buffalo Bisons	AHL		68	20	21	41	41		11	3	1	4	4
1962–63	St. Louis Braves	EPHL		71	29	69	98	41		—	—	—	—	—
1962–63	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		—	—	—	—	—		4	0	0	0	0
1963–64	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		23	2	0	2	4		—	—	—	—	—
1963–64	St. Louis Braves	CHL		28	17	40	57	35		6	2	4	6	0
1964–65	Pittsburgh Hornets	AHL		72	29	33	62	29		4	0	0	0	4
1964–65	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		—	—	—	—	—		1	0	0	0	0
1965–66	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		1	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	0	0
1965–66	Pittsburgh Hornets	AHL		70	28	45	73	102		3	0	3	3	0
1966–67	Detroit Red Wings	NHL		12	4	3	7	4		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Pittsburgh Hornets	AHL		12	5	11	16	10		—	—	—	—	—
1966–67	Los Angeles Blades	WHL		43	18	28	46	28		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		17	2	1	3	10		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Memphis South Stars	CHL		12	3	8	11	23		—	—	—	—	—
1967–68	Rochester Americans	AHL		38	17	14	31	19		11	5	9	14	2
1968–69	Vancouver Canucks	WHL		69	28	37	65	34		8	2	3	5	0
1969–70	Vancouver Canucks	WHL		72	27	55	82	42		11	10	11	21	10
1970–71	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		77	21	38	59	22		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		32	6	6	12	6		—	—	—	—	—
1971–72	Rochester Americans	AHL		37	10	32	42	70		—	—	—	—	—
1972–73	Houston Aeros	WHA		76	28	42	70	84		10	4	4	8	18
1973–74	Houston Aeros	WHA		78	30	28	58	25		14	9	6	15	6
1974–75	Houston Aeros	WHA		78	18	29	47	28		13	7	3	10	8
1975–76	Houston Aeros	WHA		80	20	26	46	18		17	1	4	5	0
1976–77	Oklahoma City Blazers	CHL		30	8	13	21	2		—	—	—	—	—
WHA totals				312	96	125	221	155		54	21	17	38	32
NHL totals				164	35	48	83	46		6	0	0	0	0

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database