John Cunniff
John Cunniff | |||
---|---|---|---|
Born |
South Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. | July 9, 1944||
Died |
May 10, 2002 Albany, New York, U.S. | (aged 57)||
Height | 5 ft 9 in (175 cm) | ||
Weight | 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb) | ||
Position | Left wing | ||
Shot | Left | ||
Played for |
New England Whalers Quebec Nordiques | ||
National team | United States | ||
Playing career | 1966–1980 |
John Paul Cunniff (July 9, 1944 – May 10, 2002) was an American NHL hockey coach and former professional player who appeared in 65 World Hockey Association regular season games between 1972 and 1976. Cunniff was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.
Amateur career
Cunniff was born in
Twice he won All-America honors, was a three-time All-East selection, and a three-time All-New England choice. He was named to the All-Time Boston Garden Beanpot Tournament Team.
Cunniff wore #2 for the Eagles from 1963 to 1966 and registered 153 points—71 goals and 82 assists—in 75 collegiate games. He earned All-America honors in 1965 and 1966.
He joined the U.S. National team in 1967 for the
Professional career
John Cunniff enjoyed a successful professional playing career with the
Coaching career
Cunniff served as a player/coach in the North American Hockey League and New England Hockey League before joining the Hartford Whalers as an assistant coach in 1981 after his playing career had ended in 1979. He was named head coach of the Binghamton Whalers the following season and coached the Hartford Whalers during the 1982–83 NHL season.
He then joined the Boston Bruins organization as assistant coach of the Bruins with Terry O'Reilly in the 1987–88 Stanley Cup appearance. He was head coach of the New Jersey Devils from 1989 to 1991, coached the Albany River Rats, and his name was engraved on the Stanley Cup with the Devils in 2000.
His involvement in 13 seasons with the Devils organization includes serving as head coach of the NHL club for two seasons (1989–90 and 1990–91). Prior to joining the Devils' organization, he was an assistant coach with the Boston Bruins for three seasons. In addition, he guided the Hartford Whalers for 13 games as head coach in 1982-83.
Cunniff's extensive experience with USA Hockey includes serving as an associate coach during the
Cunniff served as head coach of the Albany River Rats—the top minor-league affiliate of the National Hockey League's New Jersey Devils—for five seasons (1996–2001). He finished in 2000-01 as the AHL's longest-tenured head coach at the time. After posting a record of 187-169-39 as head coach with Albany, Cunniff transitioned to New Jersey's scouting staff in 2001.
Cunniff was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame in 1997; was named the 1998 Walter Yaciuk Award Winner for his outstanding contribution to USA Hockey's coaching education program and in 2002; was posthumously honored with the USA Hockey Distinguished Achievement Award.
A superb strategist, innovative trainer, and excellent coach, he was among the first U.S. hockey coaches to incorporate international (Russian/European) training and open play-making to successfully coach and mentor some of the best NHL players. He was well known for his voracious reading of military strategy, leadership, and motivational training.
He died from esophageal cancer in
He was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame and the
He was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978, and his number was retired to the rafters of the Conte Forum at Boston College.[2]
NHL Coaching record
Team | Year | Regular season | Post season | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
G | W | L | T | Pts | Finish | Result | ||
HAR | 1982-83
|
13 | 3 | 9 | 1 | (45) | 5th in Adams | Missed Playoffs |
NJ | 1989-90
|
66 | 31 | 28 | 7 | (83) | 2nd in Patrick | Lost in First Round (WSH) |
NJ | 1990-91
|
67 | 28 | 28 | 11 | (79) | 4th in Patrick | (fired) |
Total | 146 | 62 | 65 | 19 |
1 playoff appearance, 0 Stanley Cups
See also
Awards and honors
Award | Year | |
---|---|---|
All-ECAC Hockey First Team | 1964–65
|
|
AHCA East All-American | 1965–66
|
|
All-Tournament First Team
|
1965
|
|
All- All-Tournament First Team
|
1965
|
[3] |
All-ECAC Hockey Second Team | 1965–66
|
References
- ^ "Massachusetts Hockey".
- ^ http://bceagles.cstv.com/genrel/cunniff_john00.html [dead link]
- ^ "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved 2013-06-19.
External links
- Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or The Internet Hockey Database