John Cunniff
Encyclopedia
John Paul Cunniff 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.
and attended Boston College
, where he was a two-time All-American left wing, and was the 1964 Rookie of the Year, and was the first hockey player ever to be named the Beanpot MVP twice ('64 & '65); a record that lasted for 39 years. He was a dominant scorer, his 71 goals and 82 assists in just 75 games established a Boston College career point record. His 67 points in 1966–67 was best in the nation, and helped the Eagles reach the NCAA Championship finals.
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 1963–66 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 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Vienna
and also played for the U.S. at the Olympics
in 1968 in Grenoble
.
, Boston Bruins
, and Quebec Nordiques
organizations, and as a member of the New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association
in 1972–74. Cunniff played on the New England Whalers team that won the WHA's inaugural championship. He returned to the U.S. national team for the 1975 hockey world championship tournament.
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 associate coach during the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway, assistant coach for the 1998 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team in Nagano, Japan, and assistant coach for the 2002 U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cunniff was named assistant coach for the United States team that captured the championship in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He was an assistant coach for four U.S. National Teams (1982, 1991, 1992 and 1993) at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men's World Championships, and was an assistant on two U.S. National Junior Teams (1992 and 1993) at the IIHF World Junior Championships. In addition, Cunniff was an assistant coach for Team USA in the 1981 Canada Cup tournament.
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 of cancer and is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester, Massachusetts
.
He was inducted to the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. http://www.masshockey.com/Hall/Cunniff/
He was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978, and his number was retired to the rafters of Conte Forum at BC. http://bceagles.cstv.com/genrel/cunniff_john00.html
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
NHL
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
coach and former professional player who appeared in 65 World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
regular season games between 1972 and 1976. Cunniff was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame
United States Hockey Hall of Fame
The United States Hockey Hall of Fame was established in 1973 with the goal of preserving the rich history of the game in the United States while recognizing the extraordinary contributions of select players, coaches, administrators, officials and teams....
in 2003.
Amateur career
Cunniff was born in South Boston, MassachusettsSouth Boston, Massachusetts
South Boston is a densely populated neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, located south and east of the Fort Point Channel and abutting Dorchester Bay. One of America's oldest and most historic neighborhoods, South Boston was formerly known as Dorchester Neck, and today is called "Southie" by...
and attended Boston College
Boston College
Boston College is a private Jesuit research university located in the village of Chestnut Hill, Massachusetts, USA. The main campus is bisected by the border between the cities of Boston and Newton. It has 9,200 full-time undergraduates and 4,000 graduate students. Its name reflects its early...
, where he was a two-time All-American left wing, and was the 1964 Rookie of the Year, and was the first hockey player ever to be named the Beanpot MVP twice ('64 & '65); a record that lasted for 39 years. He was a dominant scorer, his 71 goals and 82 assists in just 75 games established a Boston College career point record. His 67 points in 1966–67 was best in the nation, and helped the Eagles reach the NCAA Championship finals.
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 1963–66 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 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
and also played for the U.S. at the Olympics
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
in 1968 in Grenoble
Grenoble
Grenoble is a city in southeastern France, at the foot of the French Alps where the river Drac joins the Isère. Located in the Rhône-Alpes region, Grenoble is the capital of the department of Isère...
.
Professional career
John Cunniff enjoyed a successful professional playing career with the Detroit Red WingsDetroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
, Boston Bruins
Boston Bruins
The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston, Massachusetts, USA. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The team has been in existence since 1924, and is the league's third-oldest team and its oldest in the...
, and Quebec Nordiques
Quebec Nordiques
The Quebec Nordiques were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The Nordiques played in the World Hockey Association and the National Hockey League...
organizations, and as a member of the New England Whalers in the World Hockey Association
World Hockey Association
The World Hockey Association was a professional ice hockey league that operated in North America from 1972 to 1979. It was the first major competition for the National Hockey League since the collapse of the Western Hockey League in 1926...
in 1972–74. Cunniff played on the New England Whalers team that won the WHA's inaugural championship. He returned to the U.S. national team for the 1975 hockey world championship tournament.
Coaching career
Cunniff served as a player/coach in the North American Hockey LeagueNorth American Hockey League
The North American Hockey League is one of the top junior hockey leagues in the United States and is enterting its 36th season in 2011-12. It is currently the only Junior A Tier II league, sanctioned by USA Hockey. The NAHL currently acts as an alternative to the United States Hockey League...
and New England Hockey League before joining the Hartford Whalers
Hartford Whalers
The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97...
as an assistant coach in 1981 after his playing career had ended in 1979. He was named head coach of the Binghamton Whalers
Binghamton Whalers
The Binghamton Whalers was an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. It played in Binghamton, New York, USA, at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena.-History:...
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
New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey, United States. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
from 1989 to 1991, coached the Albany River Rats
Albany River Rats
The Albany River Rats were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Albany, New York at the Times Union Center.- Founding to 2010 :...
, 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 associate coach during the 1994 Olympic Winter Games in Lillehammer, Norway, assistant coach for the 1998 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team in Nagano, Japan, and assistant coach for the 2002 U.S. Olympic Men's Hockey Team in Salt Lake City, Utah. Cunniff was named assistant coach for the United States team that captured the championship in the 1996 World Cup of Hockey. He was an assistant coach for four U.S. National Teams (1982, 1991, 1992 and 1993) at the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) Men's World Championships, and was an assistant on two U.S. National Junior Teams (1992 and 1993) at the IIHF World Junior Championships. In addition, Cunniff was an assistant coach for Team USA in the 1981 Canada Cup tournament.
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 of cancer and is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester, Massachusetts
Dorchester is a dissolved municipality and current neighborhood of Boston, Massachusetts, United States. It is named after the town of Dorchester in the English county of Dorset, from which Puritans emigrated and is today endearingly nicknamed "Dot" by its residents. Dorchester, including a large...
.
He was inducted to the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame. http://www.masshockey.com/Hall/Cunniff/
He was inducted into the Boston College Varsity Club Athletic Hall of Fame in 1978, and his number was retired to the rafters of Conte Forum at BC. http://bceagles.cstv.com/genrel/cunniff_john00.html