Bill Burega, who played four games (January 14-15-18-19, 1956) with the Toronto Maple Leafs, passed away on August 23, 2020, in Kingston, Ontario. He was born on March 13, 1932.
At the time of his call-up as an emergency replacement for defenceman Jim Morrison, Burega was a member of the WHL Winnipeg Warriors.
Burega's lone point, an assist, came when the Leafs faced New York on January 15. After he took a shot on goal, the rebound was deposited past Rangers' goalie Gump Worsley by Earl Balfour.
During his stint with the Leafs, Burega made a positive impression on Toronto coach King Clancy. "He kept lugging the puck out of his own zone and was hitting hard," said Clancy.
His final NHL game was against the Montreal Canadiens. Dink Carroll, writing in the Gazette, noted of Burega, "His chief distinction last night was that he is the first player in the league to wear a helmet since Johnny Crawford quit playing for the Boston Bruins."
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