Bill Goldsworthy
A high-scoring winger whose exuberant goal celebration became a beloved trademark for the Minnesota North Stars.
1944–1996 (age 52)·Canadian ice hockey player·Birthday: August 24·The Silent Generation
Biography
Bill Goldsworthy brought a shooter's touch and a showman's flair to the early days of the Minnesota North Stars. With a powerful shot and a nose for the net, he was a consistent offensive force, becoming the first player in franchise history to score 30 goals in a season and holding the team's career goals record for years. But his impact transcended statistics. After every goal, Goldsworthy would skate toward the boards, leap into the air, and slam his body against the glass in a move dubbed the 'Goldy Shuffle.' This uninhibited celebration electrified the Metropolitan Sports Center and made him a fan favorite, embodying the joy and physicality of 1970s hockey. His career, which included stops in Boston and New York, was ultimately defined by his tenure in Minnesota, where he helped build the identity of a new franchise and left an indelible mark on its culture.
The Silent Generation
1928–1945
Born between the Depression and the end of WWII. Too young to fight, old enough to remember. They became the conformist middle managers of the 1950s — and the civil rights leaders who quietly dismantled Jim Crow.
Bill was born in 1944, placing them squarely in The Silent Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Bill Was Born
The biggest hits of 1944
#1 Movie
Going My Way
Best Picture
Going My Way
Bill's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1944Born
D-Day: Allied forces land at Normandy
Gas: $0.21/galHome: $3,400Min wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Swinging on a Star" — Bing CrosbyBest Picture: Going My Way
1949Started school
NATO founded; Mao proclaims the People's Republic of China
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Riders in the Sky" — Vaughn MonroeBest Picture: All the King's Men
1957Became a teenager
Sputnik launches the Space Age
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $10,550Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"All Shook Up" — Elvis PresleyBest Picture: The Bridge on the River Kwai
1960Could drive
Kennedy-Nixon debates become first televised presidential debates
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,900Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Theme from A Summer Place" — Percy FaithBest Picture: The Apartment
1962Could vote
Cuban Missile Crisis brings the world to the brink
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,800Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Stranger on the Shore" — Acker BilkBest Picture: Lawrence of Arabia
1965Turned 21
US sends combat troops to Vietnam
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $13,600Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"(I Can't Get No) Satisfaction" — The Rolling StonesBest Picture: The Sound of Music
1974Turned 30
Nixon resigns the presidency
Gas: $0.53/galHome: $22,600Min wage: $2.00/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"The Way We Were" — Barbra StreisandBest Picture: The Godfather Part II
1984Turned 40
Apple Macintosh introduced
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $59,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"When Doves Cry" — PrinceBest Picture: Amadeus
1994Turned 50
Nelson Mandela elected president of South Africa
Gas: $1.11/galHome: $90,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"The Sign" — Ace of BaseBest Picture: Forrest Gump
1996Died at 52
Dolly the sheep cloned
Gas: $1.23/galHome: $99,700Min wage: $4.75/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Macarena" — Los del RioBest Picture: The English Patient
Key Achievements
- Was the first Minnesota North Star to score 30 goals in a season, achieving the feat in 1973–74.
- Held the North Stars' franchise record for career goals (267) for over a decade.
- Represented the North Stars in four NHL All-Star Games (1970, 1973, 1974, 1976).
- Scored a career-high 48 goals and 83 points during the 1973–74 NHL season.
Did You Know?
His famous goal celebration, the 'Goldy Shuffle,' is credited as one of the first signature goal celebrations in NHL history.
He was originally drafted by the Boston Bruins but played only 18 games for them before being selected by Minnesota in the 1967 expansion draft.
After retirement, he served as a color commentator for North Stars television broadcasts.
He was posthumously inducted into the Minnesota Sports Hall of Fame in 2007.
“You have to go to the net to score; the pretty plays don't always work.”
