Tony Currie (ice hockey) explained

Tony Currie
Position:Right Wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:5
Height In:11
Weight Lb:170
Birth Date:November 12, 1957
Birth Place:Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada
Career Start:1977
Career End:1990
Draft:63rd overall
Draft Year:1977
Draft Team:St. Louis Blues
Played For:St. Louis Blues
Vancouver Canucks
Hartford Whalers

Anthony Currie (born November 12, 1957) is a Canadian former ice hockey forward who spent eight seasons in the National Hockey League between 1977 and 1985 with the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and Hartford Whalers. Currie also spent several years in the minor leagues, and the last several years of his career were spent in Europe, where he played in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, retiring in 1990.

Early life

Currie was born in Sydney Mines. As a youth, he played in the 1970 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with a minor ice hockey team from Oromocto.[1]

Career

Currie was a selected 63rd overall in the 1977 NHL amateur draft by the St. Louis Blues following a 73-goal season for the Portland Winter Hawks of the WHL. He played 22 games for the Blues in 1977–78. During the 1979–80 season, he posting 19 goals in 40 games once called up to St. Louis. In 1980–81, he recorded 55 points in 61 games, helping the Blues to a second place overall finish in the regular season. In the playoffs, he recorded 16 points and a then-franchise record 12 assists in 11 games.

However, Currie struggled throughout his career to maintain a consistent roster spot as coaches felt his poor defensive game and lack of size and physical play overshadowed his ability to create offense . He continued to produce well in 1981–82, notching 40 points in 48 games, before being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline. He added 5 more goals for Vancouver to finish with 23 in just 60 games to match his career high from the previous season, but appeared in only three games in the playoffs as Vancouver went on a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Finals.

Not a favourite of defensive-minded Canuck coach Roger Neilson, and despite his high level of production to that point of his career, Currie found himself back in the minors for most of the next two seasons, appearing in only 26 more games for the team. Released by Vancouver mid-way through the 1983–84 season, Currie signed with the Hartford Whalers. He posted 14 goals and 28 points in just 32 games for the Whalers. Despite posting 11 points in 13 games to start the 1984–85 campaign, he was waived by the Whalers. He spent two more seasons in the minors before moving to Europe and retiring in 1990.

Currie finished his NHL career with totals of 92 goals and 119 assists for 211 points in 290 NHL games, along with 73 penalty minutes.

Personal life

Currie has two sons.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1972–73Penticton BroncosBCJHL
1973–74Edmonton Oil KingsWCHL22 0 1 1 2
1973–74Spruce Grove MetsAJHL29 20 16 36 35
1974–75Edmonton Oil KingsWCHL39 28 17 45 12
1974–75Spruce Grove MetsAJHL39 36 44 80 73
1975–76Edmonton Oil KingsWCHL71 41 40 81 56
1976–77Portland Winter HawksWCHL72 73 52 125 5010 4 7 11 14
1977–78St. Louis BluesNHL22 4 5 9 4
1977–78Salt Lake Golden EaglesCHL53 33 17 50 17
1978–79St. Louis BluesNHL36 4 15 19 0
1978–79Salt Lake Golden EaglesCHL28 22 12 34 6
1979–80St. Louis BluesNHL40 19 14 33 42 0 0 0 0
1979–80Salt Lake Golden EaglesCHL33 24 23 47 17
1980–81St. Louis BluesNHL61 23 32 55 3811 4 12 16 4
1981–82St. Louis BluesNHL48 18 22 40 17
1981–82Vancouver CanucksNHL12 5 3 8 23 0 0 0 10
1982–83Vancouver CanucksNHL8 1 1 2 0
1982–83Fredericton ExpressAHL68 47 48 95 1612 5 7 12 6
1983–84Vancouver CanucksNHL18 3 3 6 2
1983–84Fredericton ExpressAHL12 6 11 17 16
1983–84Hartford WhalersNHL32 12 16 28 4
1984–85Hartford WhalersNHL13 3 8 11 2
1984–85Nova Scotia OilersAHL53 16 31 47 86 1 3 4 0
1985–86Fredericton ExpressAHL75 35 40 75 236 5 2 7 4
1986–87Schwenninger ERCGER37 28 32 60 86
1986–87EHC KlotenNLA3 4 3 7 28 6 2 8 4
1987–88Schwenninger ERCGER40 19 44 63 65
1988–89AS VareseITA49 39 44 83 36
1989–90AS VareseITA33 24 31 55 176 1 6 7 4
NHL totals290 92 119 211 7316 4 12 16 14

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pee-Wee players who have reached NHL or WHA. 2018. Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament. 2019-01-10.