On January 13, 1968, Harris, playing with the Oakland Seals against the Minnesota North Stars, was involved in the accident that caused the death of Bill Masterton. Harris is still plagued with memories of the incident to this day and has conducted only one interview on this subject, with the St. Paul Pioneer Press in 2003, in which he stated, "It bothers you the rest of your life. It wasn't dirty and it wasn't meant to happen that way. Still, it's very hard because I made the play. It's always in the back of my mind."
After Harris retired from the NHL, he began getting involved in other areas of the game, coaching the Windsor Spitfires and Spokane Flyers at the major junior level, and later working as an assistant coach for the Quebec Nordiques in the NHL.
The California Golden Seals were a professional ice hockey club that competed in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1967 to 1976. Based in Oakland, California, they played their home games at the Oakland–Alameda County Coliseum Arena. The Seals were one of six teams added to the league as part of the 1967 NHL expansion. Initially named the California Seals, the team was renamed the Oakland Seals during the 1967–68 season and then the Bay Area Seals in 1970 before becoming the California Golden Seals the same year.
Lawrence Emmett Regan, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and hockey executive. He played for the Boston Bruins and Toronto Maple Leafs after a long senior-hockey career, winning the Allan Cup in 1948. He later managed and coached the Los Angeles Kings of the NHL and was president of the NHL Alumni Association.
The San Francisco Seals were a minor league hockey team which played in the Western Hockey League from 1961 to 1967.
Gary Edward Smith is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Gary is a son of Des Smith and brother of Brian Smith, both former National Hockey League (NHL) players. Smith played for numerous clubs, including the Chicago Black Hawks, Oakland/California Seals, Toronto Maple Leafs, Vancouver Canucks, Washington Capitals and Winnipeg Jets. He was the co-winner of the Vezina Trophy in the 1971–72 NHL season.
Henry Vernon Howell was a Canadian professional hockey player and longtime star for the New York Rangers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He played in the NHL and then the World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1952 and 1976. After his playing career Howell briefly worked as a coach in both leagues, as well as the general manager of the Cleveland Barons in the NHL during the 1977–78 season. He was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1979.
William Lawrence Hicke was a Canadian professional ice hockey right winger. A native of Regina, Saskatchewan, Hicke played 14 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers, Oakland Seals/California Golden Seals and Pittsburgh Penguins, winning the Stanley Cup with Montreal in 1959 and 1960. Hicke's younger brother is Ernie Hicke.
The 1967–68 NHL season was the 51st season of the National Hockey League. The league expanded to 12 teams, putting the new six in the newly created West Division, while the "Original Six" were all placed in the newly created East Division. The regular season schedule was expanded to 74 games per team and featured the first time all twelve teams played games on the same day on October 18, 1967. The Montreal Canadiens won the Stanley Cup against the new St. Louis Blues, in four games.
William Masterton was a Canadian American professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Minnesota North Stars in 1967–68. He is the only player in NHL history to die as a direct result of injuries suffered during a game, the result of massive head injuries suffered following a hit during a January 13, 1968 contest against the Oakland Seals.
William Edward "Hinky" Harris was a Canadian professional ice hockey player in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1955 to 1969.
Carol Marcel Vadnais was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who played 17 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1966–67 until 1982–83. Vadnais won the Stanley Cup twice during his career, in 1968 with the Montreal Canadiens and again in 1972 with the Boston Bruins.
William Arthur Torrey was a Canadian hockey executive. He served as a general manager in the National Hockey League for the Oakland Seals, New York Islanders, and Florida Panthers. He developed the Islanders into a dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups. He was often called "The Architect", or "Bow Tie Bill" for the bow tie he wore.
Edward George Hampson is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre, who played in the National Hockey League and World Hockey Association during the 1960s and 70s. Ted is the father of Gord Hampson.
Albert Leroy "Moose" Marshall is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman who played in the National Hockey League for the Detroit Red Wings, Oakland Seals/California Golden Seals, New York Rangers and New York Islanders.
François Lacombe is a Canadian former professional ice hockey defenceman, who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) and World Hockey Association (WHA) between 1968 and 1980. He spent parts of three seasons in the NHL with the Oakland Seals and Buffalo Sabres before moving to the WHA and playing for the Quebec Nordiques and Calgary Cowboys, playing briefly for the Nordiques again when they joined the NHL.
Ernest Allan Hicke is a Canadian former professional ice hockey forward who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Oakland Seals, Atlanta Flames, New York Islanders, Minnesota North Stars and Los Angeles Kings.
Charles Frederick Burns was an American-born Canadian professional ice hockey forward who played 749 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings, Boston Bruins, Oakland Seals, Pittsburgh Penguins, and Minnesota North Stars between 1958 and 1973. He later worked as the head coach of Minnesota in both 1970 and 1974–75. Burns was mainly known for being an excellent skater, playmaker and defensive player who performed checking and penalty-killing. His trademark was the heavily padded helmet that he was forced to wear after suffering a serious head injury while playing junior hockey in 1954–55.
Michael Frederick Laughton is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who played 189 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) and 203 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA). He played for the NHL Oakland Seals and California Golden Seals, as well as the WHA New York Raiders, New York Golden Blades, Jersey Knights, and San Diego Mariners.
The 1967–68 Oakland Seals season was their first season in the National Hockey League (NHL). It began inauspiciously, with the firing of General Manager Rudy Pilous before the expansion draft. The Seals started their inaugural season with Hall of Famer Bert Olmstead as both coach and general manager, assisted by Gord Fashoway.
The 1968–69 Oakland Seals season was the Seals' second season in the National Hockey League. For the first time in their history they qualified for the Stanley Cup playoffs after finishing second in the West Division, with a record of 26-36-11. They were upset in the playoffs, losing their quarter-finals series to the fourth-place Los Angeles Kings in seven games.
Frederick Austin Glover was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. He played 92 games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Black Hawks between 1949 and 1952, though most of his career, which lasted from 1947 to 1968, was with the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League (AHL). After his playing career he coached the Barons for several years, and coached in the NHL with the Oakland Seals/California Golden Seals and Los Angeles Kings between 1968 and 1974, also serving as general manager of the Golden Seals on two occasions during that time. He was the brother of Howie Glover, who also played in the NHL.
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