Bill McCreary is in his second season as general manager of the Danbury Hat Tricks. A native of Southampton, Ontario, McCreary is a 9-year (2006-2015) Minor League Hockey veteran as both a player & coach. He won the 2019-20 FPHL Coach of the Year Award as head coach of the Hat Tricks.
Bill’s playing resume includes time spent with the Trenton Titans (ECHL), Huntsville Havoc (SPHL), New Mexico Scorpions (CHL) and the New Jersey Outlaws (FHL). He was part of championship teams in both Hunstville (2010) and New Jersey (2012), where he served a dual role as player-coach. Collegiately, McCreary played for Providence College (Hockey East) and Curry College (ECAC-NE).
Prior to joining Danbury, Bill served as the Hockey Director for the New Jersey Colonials youth program out of Mennen Arena. Bill’s other coaching stops include the Watertown Wolves (FHL), East Coast Selects-Q, Portland Junior Pirates (USPHL), North Jersey Avalanche, Seacoast Spartans and the ISS Kings.
At the youth level, Bill won National, State and International Championships. He played for Shattuck-St. Mary’s Prep in Minnesota where he was linemates with current Minnesota Wild forward Zach Parise. He played junior hockey for the Texas Tornado (NAHL) and amassed 45 goals and 71 assists in 98 games. He was named to the All-Rookie team and a First Team All-Star that season.
McCreary has a long family history of hockey players, coaches, and General Managers. His grandfather Bill McCreary Sr., great uncle Keith McCreary, father Bill McCreary Jr. and relatives Ron and Bob Attwell played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also related to Bill McCreary, a Hall of Fame inductee as an on-ice official in the NHL, as well as his son Mike McCreary, who officiates minor league hockey.
As an added note, Bill also works as Hockey & Coaching Director of the Western Colonials Youth Hockey program and as head coach of the Danbury Jr. Hat Tricks (NAHL).