Tom Cavanagh (ice hockey)
Encyclopedia
Thomas Garrett Cavanagh (March 24, 1982 – January 6, 2011) was an American professional ice hockey
center
who most recently played with the Springfield Falcons
of the American Hockey League
. He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks
in the sixth round, 182nd overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
. After playing four seasons at Harvard University
, he was signed to a professional contract by the Sharks organization.
Cavanagh made his National Hockey League
debut with San Jose near the end of the 2007–08 season and recorded an assist on his first shift. His shift to open the game was alongside Jeremy Roenick
and Joe Thornton
. The following season, he scored his lone NHL goal March 28, 2009, a backhand shot past Phoenix Coyotes
goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov
.
Cavanagh is the Worcester Sharks' all-time scoring leader with 138 points in 202 games.
Cavanagh holds the San Jose Sharks franchise record for quickest point by a rookie for an assist on a goal by Joe Thornton that came 36 seconds into Cavanagh's first game in the NHL.
parking garage on January 6, 2011. The cause of death was identified as multiple traumatic injuries due to blunt force impact. Police have stated that they believe the death to be a suicide. Cavanagh had been diagnosed with schizophrenia
, and was institutionalized several times in the last months of his life. Cavanagh had been released from his contract with the Falcons on November 9, 2010.
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...
center
Centre (ice hockey)
The centre in ice hockey is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play is the middle of the ice, away from the side boards. Centres have more flexibility in their positioning and are expected to cover more ice surface than any other player...
who most recently played with the Springfield Falcons
Springfield Falcons
The Springfield Falcons are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center and are the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The Falcons' two main rivals are the Connecticut Whale and the...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. He was drafted by the San Jose Sharks
San Jose Sharks
The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the sixth round, 182nd overall, of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft
2001 NHL Entry Draft
The 2001 NHL Entry Draft was held on June 23–24, 2001 at the National Car Rental Center in Sunrise, Florida.-Round one:-Round two:-Round three:-Round four:-Round five:-Round six:-Round seven:-Round eight:-Round nine:...
. After playing four seasons at Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
, he was signed to a professional contract by the Sharks organization.
Cavanagh made his National Hockey League
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...
debut with San Jose near the end of the 2007–08 season and recorded an assist on his first shift. His shift to open the game was alongside Jeremy Roenick
Jeremy Roenick
Jeremy Shaffer "J.R." Roenick is a former American professional ice hockey player who played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League . He played for the Chicago Blackhawks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Los Angeles Kings, and San Jose Sharks over the course of his 18 NHL...
and Joe Thornton
Joe Thornton
Joseph Eric Thornton is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and captain of the San Jose Sharks of the National Hockey League . He was selected first overall by the Boston Bruins in the 1997 NHL Entry Draft and went on to play seven seasons with the club, five as its Captain. During the...
. The following season, he scored his lone NHL goal March 28, 2009, a backhand shot past Phoenix Coyotes
Phoenix Coyotes
The Phoenix Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in Glendale, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They play their home games at Jobing.com Arena....
goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Bryzgalov
Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Philadelphia Flyers of the National Hockey League after being acquired by the team on June 7, 2011. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim.In...
.
Playing career
Cavanagh was the first player to play every single one of the Harvard’s games during his collegiate career. Cavanagh made his 138th consecutive appearance in a Crimson jersey in Harvard's final game of the 2005 NCAA Tournament.Cavanagh is the Worcester Sharks' all-time scoring leader with 138 points in 202 games.
Cavanagh holds the San Jose Sharks franchise record for quickest point by a rookie for an assist on a goal by Joe Thornton that came 36 seconds into Cavanagh's first game in the NHL.
Reputation as a player
Cavanagh was a highly regarded player by coaches and teammates throughout his hockey career. Harvard Hockey coach Ted Donato described Cavanagh with the following statement: “He was one of my favorite players I have ever been around in any facet of hockey, whether playing or coaching. He was just a very unselfish, hard-working team guy who played his best in big games.”Death
Cavanagh was found dead in the Providence Place MallProvidence Place
Providence Place is an urban shopping mall in the central part of Providence, Rhode Island. Opened on August 20, 1999, it is located near the Rhode Island State House and Providence Station. It compromises three main floors and is connected to the nearby Westin Hotel via skyway. It also features...
parking garage on January 6, 2011. The cause of death was identified as multiple traumatic injuries due to blunt force impact. Police have stated that they believe the death to be a suicide. Cavanagh had been diagnosed with schizophrenia
Schizophrenia
Schizophrenia is a mental disorder characterized by a disintegration of thought processes and of emotional responsiveness. It most commonly manifests itself as auditory hallucinations, paranoid or bizarre delusions, or disorganized speech and thinking, and it is accompanied by significant social...
, and was institutionalized several times in the last months of his life. Cavanagh had been released from his contract with the Falcons on November 9, 2010.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 2001–02 | Harvard University Harvard University Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country... |
NCAA | 34 | 8 | 17 | 25 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2002–03 | Harvard University | NCAA | 34 | 14 | 13 | 27 | 31 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2003–04 | Harvard University | NCAA | 36 | 16 | 20 | 36 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2004–05 | Harvard University | NCAA | 34 | 10 | 19 | 29 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2005–06 2005–06 AHL season The 2005–06 AHL season was the 70th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears won the Calder Cup, defeating the Milwaukee Admirals in the finals.... |
Cleveland Barons | AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
62 | 10 | 11 | 21 | 36 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2006–07 2006–07 AHL season The 2006–07 AHL season was the 71st season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-seven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hamilton Bulldogs won their first Calder Cup, defeating the defending champions, the Hershey Bears in the finals.... |
Worcester Sharks Worcester Sharks The Worcester Sharks are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . The franchise is located in Worcester, Massachusetts and play their home games at the DCU Center in Downtown Worcester. The Sharks and the city of Worcester hosted the 2009 AHL All-Star Classic.-History:On... |
AHL | 74 | 12 | 32 | 44 | 56 | 6 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 2007–08 2007–08 AHL season The 2007–08 AHL season is the 72nd season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Chicago Wolves won their second Calder Cup, defeating the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins in the Calder Cup Final.-Team changes:... |
Worcester Sharks | AHL | 77 | 19 | 36 | 55 | 55 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2007–08 | San Jose Sharks San Jose Sharks The San Jose Sharks are a professional ice hockey team based in San Jose, California, United States. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 AHL season The 2008–09 AHL season is the 73rd season of the American Hockey League. 29 teams each played 80 games in the regular season, which ran from October 8 until April 12.-Team and NHL affiliation changes:... |
Worcester Sharks | AHL | 51 | 15 | 24 | 39 | 37 | 12 | 3 | 2 | 5 | 8 | ||
| 2008–09 2008–09 NHL season The 2008–09 NHL season was the 92nd season of operation of the National Hockey League . It was the first season since prior to the 2004–05 lockout in which every team played each other at least once during the season, following three seasons where teams only played against two divisions in the... |
San Jose Sharks | NHL | 17 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2009–10 2009–10 AHL season The 2009–10 AHL season was the 74th season of the American Hockey League. Twenty-nine teams played 80 regular-season games each from October 2 to April 11... |
Manchester Monarchs Manchester Monarchs The Manchester Monarchs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Manchester, New Hampshire at the Verizon Wireless Arena. They have been the AHL affiliate of the Los Angeles Kings since 2001.-History:... |
AHL | 17 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2010–11 2010–11 AHL season The 2010–11 AHL season is the 75th season of the American Hockey League. An all-time high of thirty teams will play 80 games each during the regular season schedule, which started on October 8, 2010 and ended on April 10, 2011... |
Springfield Falcons Springfield Falcons The Springfield Falcons are an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League . They play in Springfield, Massachusetts, at the MassMutual Center and are the top affiliate of the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League. The Falcons' two main rivals are the Connecticut Whale and the... |
AHL | 5 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 18 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||