Hockey Nova Scotia is creating two awards to honour the achievements of former NHL player and trailblazer Bill Riley. The Bill Riley Award and the Bill Riley Scholarship are named for Amherst native William “Bill” Riley; the first African Nova Scotian to play in the NHL. Riley made his debut with the Washington Capitals in December, 1974.
Riley would spend parts of five seasons in the NHL with Washington and the Winnipeg Jets, scoring 31 goals and adding 30 assists in 139 career games. He also captained the American Hockey League’s New Brunsiwck Hawks to a Calder Cup Championship in 1982; and was captain of the AHL’s Nova Scotia Voyageurs.
The Bill Riley Award will be presented annually to an African Nova Scotian player who embodies the characteristics and traits Riley demonstrated during his hockey career including a tenacious work ethic, and passion for the sport. The Bill Riley Scholarship, is a $2,000 prize that will be awarded to an African Nova Scotian player who plans to pursue a post-secondary education after high school. The recipient should be a a driven, hard-working students who is passionate about hockey.