Joe Contini

Joseph Mario Contini (born January 29, 1957) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey forward who played 68 games in the National Hockey League for the Colorado Rockies and Minnesota North Stars.

Junior career Born in Galt, Ontario, Contini made an immediate impact during his rookie season as a member of the Hamilton Fincups of the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). Contini helped the Fincups to a 37–24–9 record in the 1974/75 season, amassing 90 points in the process. Contini continued his strong OHL career during the 1975/76 season earning 80 points his sophomore season. He was a key contributor on a very good Fincups team that won the 1976 Memorial Cup. Contini had an outstanding Memorial Cup, setting the record for fastest two goals during a Memorial Cup game (2 in 8 seconds) and fastest 3 goals (3 in 72 seconds) during their game on May 12, 1976 vs New Westminster. He is also tied for the most points ever in a single Memorial Cup game with 6 (May 12, 1976 vs New Westminster – 3 G, 3 A) in an 8–4 Hamilton victory.

Contini's third and final OHL season was cut short due to injury, he played only 28 games, but amassed 46 points on 17 goals and 29 assists. Fortunately, Contini was able to play for Canada men's national junior ice hockey team in the 1977 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. Contini finished third on the squad in points, with 4 goals and 6 assists in 7 games, and helped his country earn a silver medal.

Pro career Contini was drafted by the Colorado Rockies in the eighth round, 126th overall, in the 1977 NHL amateur draft. Contini played 37 games for the Rockies in the 1977/78 season, scoring 12 goals and adding 9 assists for 21 points. Contini followed up his rookie season with 5 goals and 12 assists in 30 games for the Rockies. Contini split the 1979/80 season between the Fort Worth Texans, scoring goal and adding two assists for three points in 8 games, and the Oklahoma City Stars, where he played 58 games, scoring 19 goals and adding 43 assists for 63 points.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM 1973–74 Guelph Biltmore Mad Hatters SOJHL — — — — — — — — — — 1974–75 Hamilton Fincups OMJHL 68 27 63 90 152 17 4 19 23 27 1975–76 Hamilton Fincups OMJHL 54 28 52 80 105 14 9 20 29 50 1975–76 Hamilton Fincups M-Cup — — — — — 3 4 4 8 6 1976–77 St. Catharines Fincups OMJHL 28 17 29 46 61 6 0 0 0 0 1977–78 Colorado Rockies NHL 37 12 9 21 28 2 0 0 0 0 1977–78 Flint Generals IHL 31 17 28 45 25 — — — — — 1977–78 Phoenix Roadrunners CHL 2 0 0 0 2 — — — — — 1978–79 Colorado Rockies NHL 30 5 12 17 6 — — — — — 1978–79 Philadelphia Firebirds AHL 36 8 9 17 45 — — — — — 1979–80 Fort Worth Texans CHL 8 1 2 3 13 — — — — — 1979–80 Oklahoma City Stars CHL 58 19 43 62 56 — — — — — 1980–81 Minnesota North Stars NHL 1 0 0 0 0 — — — — — 1980–81 Oklahoma City Stars CHL 77 32 63 95 28 3 0 1 1 2 1981–82 Hershey Bears AHL 56 20 37 57 68 5 1 5 6 6 1981–82 Muskegon Mohawks IHL 17 9 7 16 4 — — — — — NHL totals 68 17 21 38 34 2 0 0 0 0

International Year Team Event GP G A Pts PIM 1977 Canada WJC 7 4 5 9 32 Junior totals 7 4 5 9 32