Tom McCarthy

Thomas Joseph McCarthy (July 31, 1960 – April 13, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played nine seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL). He played for the Minnesota North Stars and Boston Bruins from 1979 to 1988. He featured in the 1981 Stanley Cup Finals with the North Stars and the 1988 Stanley Cup Finals with the Bruins.

After retiring as a player, he became a part-owner of the Espanola Express hockey team in the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL).

Early life McCarthy was born in Toronto, on July 31, 1960. Oshawa Generals general manager Sherwood Bassin chose McCarthy over Gretzky primarily because Gretzky had made it known prior to the draft he only intended to play one season in the OHL before signing with the World Hockey Association. McCarthy scored 69 goals in 63 games played for the Oshawa Generals during the 1978–79 season. McCarthy was drafted in the first round (tenth overall selection) of the 1979 NHL entry draft by the Minnesota North Stars. His first NHL point came in his third game against the Buffalo Sabres on October 14, 1979, and his first two NHL goals against the New York Rangers in a 7–2 win on October 27, 1979. The North Stars finished 3rd in the Adams Division with a record of 36–38–16 and qualified for the 1980 Stanley Cup playoffs. In the first round, the North Stars swept the Toronto Maple Leafs in three games with McCarthy scoring 5 points with 2 goals. In the second round, the North Stars defeated the Montreal Canadiens in 4 games to 3, and during the series, McCarthy had one goal and one assist. In the semi-finals, the North Stars were eliminated four games to one by the Philadelphia Flyers, with McCarthy scoring 4 points with 2 goals.

He was selected to play in the 1983 NHL All-Star Game and ended that year with 28 goals in a career-high 80 games played. During the 1983–84 season, he finished fifth in the NHL in game-winning goals (7), seventh in power play goals (16), and ninth in shooting percentage (23.6). In the summer of 1985, he checked into rehab in California for alcohol dependency. Later in the 1985–86 season, McCarthy had a number of injuries, missing the season opener with a knee injury, then later suffered injuries to his wrist, shoulder, thumb and contracted influenza. The trade came after a series of injuries and McCarthy arriving late for practice on multiple occasions, McCarthy also did not agree to a contract extension with the North Stars and was set to become a free agent. McCarthy did agree to a new contract with the Bruins before the trade was completed.

Former North Stars general manager Lou Nanne described McCarthy as "one of the most talented" North Star players of all time. During his playing time he earned the nickname "Jughead", and often played on a line with centre Neal Broten and Hall of Fame winger Dino Ciccarelli. As he was considered an illegal alien by U.S. authorities, he was sent to the U.S. Federal Leavenworth Penitentiary. He started a hockey program at Leavenworth, earning the respect of his fellow inmates and, eventually, a transfer to a prison in Canada to complete the final year of his full sentence.

McCarthy was named head coach of the North Bay Trappers Junior "A" Hockey Club of the Northern Ontario Junior Hockey League (NOJHL) on June 27, 2011. which lasted just one season before folding in 2015.

The NOJHL announced in May 2015 the establishment of another expansion team in Espanola called the Express. McCarthy joined the team as one of the owners and its head coach. In August of the following year, McCarthy announced he was taking a head coaching position with HSC Csíkszereda in the Romanian Hockey League but would continue to remain involved with the Express as one of the owners. He later resigned as Csíkszereda‘s coach in late November 2016. He subsequently returned to Espanola as the Express' head coach for the 2017–18 season.

Personal life and death After retiring from coaching, McCarthy resided in Chuburna, Yucatán, Mexico. He was married to Tina McCarthy at the time of his death.

McCarthy suffered a dissected aortic aneurysm and died in the hospital following surgery in Chuburna, Yucatán, Mexico, at the age of 61.