John Cunniff

John Paul Cunniff (July 9, 1944 – May 10, 2002) was an American ice hockey coach and former professional player who appeared in 65 World Hockey Association regular season games between 1972 and 1976. After his playing career he worked as a coach, including in the National Hockey League with the Hartford Whalers in 1983 and the New Jersey Devils from 1989 to 1991. Cunniff was inducted into the United States Hockey Hall of Fame in 2003.

Amateur career Cunniff was born in South Boston, Massachusetts 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 were the 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 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 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament in Vienna and also played for the U.S. at the 1968 Olympics in Grenoble.

Professional career

John Cunniff enjoyed a successful professional playing career with the Detroit Red Wings, 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.

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 1994 Winter Olympic Games in Lillehammer, Norway, as an assistant coach for the 1998 U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team in Nagano, Japan, and as an 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.

He died from esophageal cancer in Albany, New York and is buried at Cedar Grove Cemetery in Dorchester, Massachusetts.

He was inducted into the Massachusetts Hockey Hall of Fame and the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

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.

Career statistics Regular season and playoffs Regular seasonPlayoffs Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM1963–64 Boston College ECAC 28 27 25 52 0 — — — — — 1964–65 Boston College ECAC 27 29 34 63 0 — — — — — 1965–66 Boston College ECAC 15 13 21 34 8 — — — — — 1966–67 U.S. Nationals USHL 22 17 13 30 29 — — — — — 1966–67 U.S. National Team Intl Statistics Unavailable 1967–68 U.S. Olympic Team IntlStatistics Unavailable 1967–68 Fort Worth Wings CPHL 8 2 1 3 9 — — — — — 1968–69 Fort Worth Wings CHL 69 16 26 42 30 — — — — — 1969–70 Cleveland Barons AHL 63 26 17 43 36 — — — — — 1970–71 Baltimore Clippers AHL 67 31 25 56 33 6 0 0 0 01971–72 Rochester Americans AHL 66 16 29 45 57 — — — — — 1972–73 New England Whalers WHA 33 3 5 8 16 13 1 1 2 21973–74 Jacksonville Barons AHL 52 18 20 38 18 — — — — — 1973–74 New England Whalers WHA 30 7 5 12 14 5 1 1 2 01974–75 Cape Codders NAHL 70 46 44 90 18 3 3 0 3 141975–76 Cape Codders NAHL 50 24 35 59 25 — — — — — 1975–76 Maine Nordiques NAHL 14 6 23 29 0 4 2 2 4 91975–76 Quebec Nordiques WHA 2 0 0 0 5 — — — — — 1976–77 Maine Nordiques NAHL 74 29 65 94 23 12 10 7 17 91978–79 New Hampshire/Cape Cod Freedoms NEHL 67 40 78 118 17 — — — — — 1979–80 Springfield Indians AHL 11 2 2 4 5 — — — — — 1979–80 Richmond Rifles EHL — — — — — 2 0 2 2 0 WHA totals 65 10 10 20 35 18 2 2 4 2 Head coaching record Team Year Regular season Postseason G W L T Pts Finish W L Win % ResultHFD1982–83 1339175th in Adams— — — Missed playoffsNJD1989–906631287692nd in Patrick2 4 .333 Lost in First RoundNJD1990–916728281168(fired)— — — —Total 146626519 2 4 .333 1 playoff appearance