Bill Plager legendary NHL defenceman and youngest of The Plager Brothers trio

On my walk through St. Peter’s Roman Catholic Cemetery in Peterborough, Ontario, I came across the grave of NHL defenceman Bill “Billy” Plager.

Born in Kirkland Lake, Northern Ontario, Billy made his mark early, playing his junior career with the Peterborough Petes—a team that’s launched many hockey greats.

What truly stands out, though, is the incredible story of the Plager brothers—Barclay, Bobby, and Billy—all playing together for the St. Louis Blues from 1968 to 1972. It’s a rare feat in professional sports, and one that helped define the Blues’ gritty, hard-nosed identity during those early NHL expansion years.

Billy was also part of NHL history as a member of the Minnesota North Stars during their inaugural 1967 season, helping them reach the Stanley Cup semifinals in just their second year. He later reached the Stanley Cup Finals twice with St. Louis under the legendary Scotty Bowman.

In total, the Plager brothers played 1,522 NHL games and scored 68 goals—a testament not just to their longevity, but to the legacy of family in the game of hockey.

Barclay died February 6, 1988 in Missouri. He was  48.

Bobby also died in Missouri on March 24, 2021. He was 78.

William (Bill) Plager died in Peterborough, Ontario on January 3, 2016. He was 70.

1945-2016