John Tonelli
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| Position | Center |
| Shot | Left |
| Nickname | The Greasy Jet |
| Height Weight |
6 ft 1 in (1.85 m) 195 lb (89 kg) |
| Pro Clubs | New York Islanders Calgary Flames Los Angeles Kings Chicago Blackhawks Quebec Nordiques |
| Nationality |  Canada |
| Born | March 23, 1957, Hamilton, Ontario |
| NHL Draft | Round 2, 33rd overall, 1977 New York Islanders |
| Pro Career | 1978 – 1992 |
John A. Tonelli (born March 23, 1957 in Hamilton, Ontario)[1] was a National Hockey League center. He played with the New York Islanders, the Calgary Flames, and the Los Angeles Kings. He concluded his career playing briefly for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Quebec Nordiques
In 1982 and 1985, Tonelli was a second team All-Star left wing for the Islanders. He played in the Stanley Cup finals in 1980,1981,1982,1983, and 1984 with the Islanders, winning four championships in the process, and made an additional appearance as runner-up in the Cup finals in 1986 with the Flames.
Tonelli was a gritty forward with a never-say-die attitude for The New York Islanders who won four straight Stanley Cups. Tonelli, who was affectionately dubbed "The Greasy Jet" by his teammates, is remembered for scoring important "clutch goals" in the Islanders' run of four straight Stanley Cups and five straight finals appearances, particularly during the 1981-82 season. During the playoffs that year, The Islanders were five minutes away from being eliminated by a much weaker Pittsburgh Penguin team, trailing 3-1 in the deciding game. John Tonelli had an assist on a Mike McEwen goal that closed the champions within one, and tied the game himself with ninety seconds to play. For an encore, it was John Tonelli that scored in overtime to win the game for the Islanders, thus extending their long reign as Stanley Cup champions.
Tonelli also scored the winning goal in a February 20, 1982 game against the Colorado Rockies, beating former teammate Chico Resch with just 47 seconds to play to allow the Islanders to set an NHL record (since broken) with their fifteenth consecutive victory.
He was known for being virtually unbeatable in digging out the puck in the corners of the rink; however, Tonelli also had an excellent shot, was a good passer, and had excellent timing both offensively and defensively. Tonelli was also very versatile. During his eight seasons with the Islanders, coach Al Arbour used Tonelli on the famed "Banana Line" with Wayne Merrick and Bob Nystrom, on the top line with Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy, and later he played flank for Brent Sutter and Patrick Flatley.
Although Tonelli played a key role in the four Cup victories the team won from 1980 to 1983, in some ways his career culminated in the fall of 1984 when he played for Canada in the Canada Cup, an invitation he almost turned down. He was the 1984 Canada Cup MVP winner.
He not only made the team, he had nine points, including a key assist on Mike Bossy's goal in overtime of the semifinal. Canada won the championship and Tonelli was named the tournament's best player. He then rejoined the Islanders and had his best season ever, scoring 42 goals and 100 points in 1984-1985 before being traded to The Calgary Flames during the 85-86 season. The Calgary Flames, with Tonelli's experience, reached The Stanley Cup finals for the first time.
Tonelli, who began his professional career with the Houston Aeros of the WHA, finished his 1028-game NHL career with 325 goals and 511 assists for 836 points.
A retrospective look at John Tonelli's career cannot be complete without acknowledging, briefly, that every team he played for, in his first fourteen seasons as a professional, won more than they lost. His team play and raw emotion lifted his teammates around him, and that is Tonelli's true legacy as a player in the National Hockey League.
[edit] Awards
- OMJHL First All-Star Team (1975)
- Most valuable player of the 1984 Canada Cup tournament.
- 1982 and 1985 NHL second all-star (left wing)
[edit] External links
[edit] References
- ^ Cole, Stephen (2006). The Canadian Hockey Atlas. Doubleday Canada. ISBN 978-0-385-66093-8 (0-385-66093-6).
Categories: 1957 births | People from Hamilton, Ontario | New York Islanders draft picks | Calgary Flames players | Canadian ice hockey players | Chicago Blackhawks players | Houston Aeros (WHA) players | Living people | Los Angeles Kings players | New York Islanders players | National Hockey League 100-point seasons | Quebec Nordiques players | Stanley Cup champions | Toronto Marlboros alumni
