Tony Currie (ice hockey)

Tony Currie
Born	(1957-11-12) November 12, 1957 Sydney Mines, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height	5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight	170 lb (77 kg; 12 st 2 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Right
Played for	St. Louis Blues Vancouver Canucks Hartford Whalers
NHL Draft	63rd overall, 1977 St. Louis Blues
Playing career	1977–1990

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.

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 season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1972–73	Penticton Broncos	BCJHL		—	—	—	—	—		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Edmonton Oil Kings	WCHL		22	0	1	1	2		—	—	—	—	—
1973–74	Spruce Grove Mets	AJHL		29	20	16	36	35		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Edmonton Oil Kings	WCHL		39	28	17	45	12		—	—	—	—	—
1974–75	Spruce Grove Mets	AJHL		39	36	44	80	73		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Edmonton Oil Kings	WCHL		71	41	40	81	56		—	—	—	—	—
1976–77	Portland Winter Hawks	WCHL		72	73	52	125	50		10	4	7	11	14
1977–78	St. Louis Blues	NHL		22	4	5	9	4		—	—	—	—	—
1977–78	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL		53	33	17	50	17		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	St. Louis Blues	NHL		36	4	15	19	0		—	—	—	—	—
1978–79	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL		28	22	12	34	6		—	—	—	—	—
1979–80	St. Louis Blues	NHL		40	19	14	33	4		2	0	0	0	0
1979–80	Salt Lake Golden Eagles	CHL		33	24	23	47	17		—	—	—	—	—
1980–81	St. Louis Blues	NHL		61	23	32	55	38		11	4	12	16	4
1981–82	St. Louis Blues	NHL		48	18	22	40	17		—	—	—	—	—
1981–82	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		12	5	3	8	2		3	0	0	0	10
1982–83	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		8	1	1	2	0		—	—	—	—	—
1982–83	Fredericton Express	AHL		68	47	48	95	16		12	5	7	12	6
1983–84	Vancouver Canucks	NHL		18	3	3	6	2		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Fredericton Express	AHL		12	6	11	17	16		—	—	—	—	—
1983–84	Hartford Whalers	NHL		32	12	16	28	4		—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Hartford Whalers	NHL		13	3	8	11	2		—	—	—	—	—
1984–85	Nova Scotia Oilers	AHL		53	16	31	47	8		6	1	3	4	0
1985–86	Fredericton Express	AHL		75	35	40	75	23		6	5	2	7	4
1986–87	Schwenninger ERC	GER		37	28	32	60	86		—	—	—	—	—
1986–87	EHC Kloten	NLA		3	4	3	7	2		8	6	2	8	4
1987–88	Schwenninger ERC	GER		40	19	44	63	65		—	—	—	—	—
1988–89	AS Varese	ITA		49	39	44	83	36		—	—	—	—	—
1989–90	AS Varese	ITA		33	24	31	55	17		6	1	6	7	4
NHL totals				290	92	119	211	73		16	4	12	16	14

External links

• Biographical information and career statistics from NHL.com, or Eliteprospects.com, or Hockey-Reference.com, or The Internet Hockey Database