Bill Stewart (ice hockey)

Bill Donald Stewart (born October 6, 1957 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired Canadian ice hockey defenceman.

Stewart started his National Hockey League career with the Buffalo Sabres in 1977. He also played for the St. Louis Blues, Toronto Maple Leafs, and Minnesota North Stars. He left the NHL after the 1986 season, and played in Europe. He retired as a player in 1995.

In 1998–1999 Stewart was the head coach for the New York Islanders. He then moved on for one tumultuous season as the head coach of the Barrie Colts in the Ontario Hockey League. The roster that year included the 4 Brampton Boys including Ryan Barnes, who was charged with assault with a weapon after a stick-swinging incident during a game in October. Later in the season, 3 of the team's other players were charged with sexual assault. Finally, Stewart himself made headlines and was banned from entering the United States for twice smuggling a Ukrainian-born player over the Canada-US border in the baggage compartment of the team bus. After that, Stewart moved on to coach in Germany.

External links

*legendsofhockey|14449|Bill Stewart
* [http://www.sabresalumni.com/2001/05_stewart_bill.php Stewart's profile on the Buffalo Sabres alumni site]
*hockeydb|5185|Bill Stewart
* [http://www.ukrweekly.com/Archive/2000/120032.shtml Ukrainian Weekly article on the player smuggling incidents]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/05/27/memorialcup000527.html CBC Sports article mentioning the team scandals]
* [http://www.cbc.ca/sports/story/2000/05/02/colts000502.html CBC article on the player smuggling icidents]
* [http://www.chl.ca/MemorialCup00/may29_bur.html CHL article on the Barrie Colts run for the Memorial Cup and the team controversies]
* [http://www.chl.ca/MemorialCup00/may28_gra.html CHL article on the end of the Barrie Colts season, numerous suspensions, and controversies]