Billy "The Kid" Taylor played over 300 NHL games with four different clubs in the 30s and 40s. He was a fine playmaker and face off man who amassed nearly 200 career assists.
Born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Taylor played junior with the Toronto British Consols and the Oshawa Generals. In 1938-39 he led the OHA with 22 goals in 14 games then led all scorers when they won the Memorial Cup. In 1939-40, Taylor split his first pro season between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the AHL's Pittsburgh Hornets. He then spent three years as a regular on the club and led all playoff skaters in assists when the team won the Stanley Cup in 1942.
In 1942-43 Taylor finished sixth in NHL scoring with 60 points in 50 games while playing on a line with Lorne Carr and Sweeney Schriner. After spending two years in miltary service, he scored 23 goals for the Leafs in 1945-46. In September, 1946, Taylor was traded to the Detroit Red Wings for Harry Watson. He notched 63 points for the Motowners and set an NHL record with seven assists in one game versus the Chicago Black Hawks. He didn't last in Detroit and played for the Bruins and Rangers in 1947-48 before Clarence S. Campbell suspended him for gambling violations.
