Tony Licari Explained

Position:Right Wing
Shoots:Right
Height Ft:5
Height In:7
Weight Lb:154
Played For:Detroit Red Wings
Harringay Racers
Birth Date:April 9, 1921
Birth Place:Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Death Place:Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Career Start:1941
Career End:1955

Anthony Licari (April 9, 1921 – July 4, 2013) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played nine games in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Detroit Red Wings during the 1946–47 season. The rest of his career lasted from 1941 to 1955 and was mainly spent in various minor leagues.

Playing career

Born in Ottawa, Licari played high school hockey for Ottawa Technical School before joining the Perth Blue Wings junior team of the Ottawa City Hockey League. In 1940, he joined the Guelph Biltmores of the Ontario Hockey Association for one season. Licari turned professional in 1941 with the Dallas Texans of the American Hockey Association. World War II interrupted his professional career and he enlisted in the RCAF. While in the RCAF, he was able to continue playing senior hockey, playing for the Ottawa RCAF, Vancouver RCAF, and Ottawa Equipment Depot teams.

After the war, he played exhibition matches with the Wembley Lions in England. In 1946, Licari joined the Indianapolis Capitals of the American Hockey League (AHL). His play earned him a call-up to the NHL Red Wings where he played for nine games, scoring one assist. After the nine games, Licari returned to the minors. After two further seasons with Indianapolis, he was traded by Detroit to Chicago, where he played with their AHL affiliate St. Louis Flyers for one season in 1948–49. He left the AHL ranks and returned to senior hockey with the Ottawa RCAF Flyers for two seasons. He also played with the Ottawa Senators of the Quebec Senior Hockey League (QSHL) in 1950.

In 1951, he moved to England to join the Harringay Racers where he played professionally for three seasons. Licari was a member of the Racers' Autumn Cup winners in 1952. He returned to Canada and played one more season of senior hockey for the Pembroke Lumber Kings of the Northern Ontario Hockey Association before hanging them up.

Licari died on July 4, 2013, at a hospital in Ottawa.[1] [2]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular seasonPlayoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGP PIMGP G A Pts PIM
1938–39Glebe CollegiateHS-CA
1939–40Perth Blue WingsOVHL9 13 12 25 04 6 6 12 4
1939–40Perth Blue WingsM-Cup8 9 6 15 2
1940–41Guelph BiltmoresOHA12 10 16 26 45 8 4 12 2
1941–42Dallas TexansAHA49 15 18 33 10
1942–43Ottawa RCAF FlyersOCHL19 19 17 36 08 6 6 12 4
1942–43Ottawa RCAF FlyersAl-Cup7 5 5 10 0
1943–44Vancouver RCAFNNDHL14 16 7 23 93 4 1 5 0
1944–45Ottawa Depot #17OCHL7 13 22 35 2
1946–47Detroit Red WingsNHL9 0 1 1 0
1946–47Indianapolis CapitalsAHL52 21 28 49 6
1947–48Indianapolis CapitalsAHL65 20 39 59 10
1948–49St. Louis FlyersAHL68 22 52 74 87 1 4 5 2
1949–50Ottawa RCAF FlyersOCHL40 28 29 57 225 4 3 7 4
1950–51Ottawa SenatorsQSHL2 1 0 1 0
1950–51Ottawa RCAF FlyersOCHL40 23 28 51 147 9 5 14 6
1951–52Harringay RacersENL30 15 28 43 20
1952–53Harringay RacersENL21 20 26 46 6
1953–54Harringay RacersENL24 17 31 48 16
1954–55Pembroke Lumber KingsNOHA1 0 0 0 0
AHL totals185 63 119 182 247 1 4 5 2
NHL totals9 0 1 1 0

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Anthony LICARI Obituary: View Anthony LICARI's Obituary by Ottawa Citizen . Legacy.com . September 8, 2013.
  2. Web site: Kelly Funeral Home Barrhaven - Anthony "Tony" Licari . Kellyfhbarrhaven.sharingmemories.ca . September 8, 2013.