27 Facts About Bill Torrey

William Arthur Torrey was a Canadian hockey executive.

Bill Torrey served as a general manager in the National Hockey League for the Oakland Seals, New York Islanders, and Florida Panthers.

Bill Torrey developed the Islanders into a dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups.

Bill Torrey was often called "The Architect", or "Bow Tie Bill" for the bow tie he wore.

Bill Torrey was from Montreal, and was raised near the Montreal Forum.

Bill Torrey tried out for the Montreal Canadiens, and attended St Lawrence University on a scholarship to play hockey.

Bill Torrey lost his depth perception after he was hit in the left eye with a hockey stick, breaking his orbital bone.

Bill Torrey earned a degree in psychology, while taking business classes.

Bill Torrey then worked in Barrie, Ontario, at a radio station, and worked for NBC as a tour guide at Rockefeller Center.

Bill Torrey became general manager of the Oakland Seals, a recently created expansion team in the National Hockey League, in 1969.

Finley and Bill Torrey clashed on issues ranging from personnel moves to marketing, and Bill Torrey left the organization in 1971.

Bill Torrey was named the general manager of the expansion New York Islanders on February 15,1972 at a press conference held across the street from Roosevelt Raceway at a restaurant owned by Burt Bacharach.

Rather than trade for veteran players in hopes of winning right away, Bill Torrey was committed to building through the draft.

Bill Torrey felt that pursuing a "win now" strategy didn't make sense in the long run.

Bill Torrey drafted Denis Potvin first overall in the 1973 entry draft.

Montreal Canadiens General Manager Sam Pollock approached Bill Torrey, hoping to trade for Potvin.

Coach Al Arbour persuaded Bill Torrey to pick Bossy, figuring it was easier to teach a scorer how to check.

In 1980, after the Islanders had underachieved in the playoffs for the past few years despite success in the regular season, Torrey made the difficult decision to trade longtime and popular veterans Billy Harris and Dave Lewis to the Los Angeles Kings in return for Butch Goring.

Bill Torrey hired as head coach Al Arbour, another Hall of Famer and winner of four Cups as a player.

Bill Torrey dealt LaFontaine, Randy Wood, and Randy Hillier to the Buffalo Sabres in return for Pierre Turgeon, Benoit Hogue, Uwe Krupp and Dave McLlwain.

Bill Torrey sent captain Brent Sutter and Brad Lauer to the Chicago Blackhawks for Steve Thomas and Adam Creighton.

Bill Torrey was named president of the Florida Panthers, a new expansion team, in 1993.

Bill Torrey was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame in 1995.

Bill Torrey is honoured by the New York Islanders with a banner in UBS Arena along with Al Arbour and six of the players he drafted.

Bill Torrey's banner has the words "The Architect" and the image of a bowtie.

On October 23,2010, the Florida Panthers honoured Bill Torrey by retiring the number 93, and raising a banner in his honour to the rafters.

Bill Torrey died at his home in West Palm Beach, Florida, on the evening of May 2,2018.