Bill White, a standout defenceman about whom we might have known little if it weren’t for NHL expansion in 1967, passed away Sunday.

A Toronto native, White played junior with the local Marlies and then was buried in the AHL, first with Rochester and later Springfield. But when the NHL expanded from six to 12 teams in 1967, the Los Angeles Kings acquired his rights, and, at age 28, he made his NHL debut.

It became clear almost immediately that he was a first-class defenceman. Tall, angular, and physical, he was a towering presence on the blue line of the Kings, so much so that he led the team in scoring his first two years with the Kings.

Midway through his third year, the team traded him to Chicago. It was there he played the rest of his career, paired mostly with Pat Stapleton, a defender of exactly opposite size and character. “Whitey” Stapleton was small and quick, but the two worked in perfect tandem.

Their reputations were such that when Team Canada was being formed for the 1972 Summit Series, they were both selected to the team. It was the defence that had the hardest time learning and adjusting to the Soviets’ style of play, but in the end Canada prevailed and White forever considered this series the highlight of his career.

A neck injury forced White to retire in 1976 at age 36, and after his playing days he became a coach for the Blackhawks and later the Marlies. After his coaching days, he returned to Toronto where he operated a successful plumbing business.

White played in six straight NHL All-Star Games (1968-74), and played in 604 regular-season games. His Hawks went to the Stanley Cup finals twice, in 1971 and 1973, losing to Montreal on both occasions.

ANDREW PODNIEKS