| Position: | Right Wing |
| Shoots: | Right |
| Height Ft: | 6 |
| Height In: | 1 |
| Weight Lb: | 200 |
| Played For: | Toronto Maple Leafs Nürnberg Ice Tigers Revier Löwen Oberhausen Nottingham Panthers Cardiff Devils |
| Birth Date: | November 23, 1971 |
| Birth Place: | Richmond, Virginia, United States |
| Draft: | Undrafted |
| Career Start: | 1991 |
| Career End: | 2005 |
John Craighead (born November 23, 1971) is a retired professional ice hockey right winger and enforcer. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs during 1996–97 season, and for various minor league teams in North America and Europe from 1997 to 2005.[1] [2] He holds the Deutsche Eishockey Liga record for penalty minutes for the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers.
On September 24, 2015, as Head Coach and part-owner of the then-Langley Knights, a Junior B team in the PJHL, an altercation behind the opposing Mission City Outlaws bench resulted in Craighead being suspended for six years by governing body BC Hockey.[3] Hockey Canada later reduced Craighead's suspension to two years as owner, and three years as coach. During the incident, Craighead entered the Mission City Outlaws bench to confront its coach during a bench-clearing brawl. Craighead claimed that he was attempting to de-escalate the situation. A Mission City Outlaws player claimed that he was assaulted by Craighead while trying to separate the coaches.[4] The Mission City Outlaws coach was issued a ten-game suspension and his team was fined . Players on both teams received multi-game suspensions.[5]
Craighead returned as Head Coach in the 2018-2019 season after Hockey Canada reduced his suspension to three years.[6] Following the decision from Hockey Canada, the PJHL initiated proceedings to expel the Craighead's team from the league. Craighead successfully petitioned the BC Supreme Court to order PJHL to cease its disciplinary proceedings and take no further action against the team and its owners.[7] The decision was later upheld by the Court of Appeal.[8]
On March 3, 2023, Craighead was involved in an altercation with a referee while playing beer league hockey. The referee alleged that Craighead assaulted him; first as he was attempting to break up a fight between Craighead and another player, then Craighead allegedly followed the referee to his dressing room where he punched him in the face and pulled his jersey over his head. Craighead stated that these claims were “a defamation of character, propaganda, and are being made because of his race.” [9]