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John Tonelli
John Tonelli’s
career long and illustrious John Tonelli has had an illustrious career in hockey. He has also had his share of controversy, but this Hamilton native was the consummate team player, and his exploits in the NHL were recognized with the naming of an arena after the left winger. Born in March of 1957, Tonelli played two seasons with the Toronto Marlies of the OHA, scoring 49 goals in 70 games in his 1974-75 season. At the time, the newly-formed World Hockey Association (WHA) was recruiting talent in a big way, and approached Tonelli, who was 18. The NHL would not draft players until they were 20, but the WHA did not look at drafting players that way, and, as 18 was the legal age in Canada, starting talking to junior players. Tonelli signed with the Houston Aeros of the WHA when he turned 18, and the OHA sued him for breach of contract. After a court battle, the court ruled in Tonelli’s favor as he was of legal age. “I was the guinea pig,” Tonelli said about the WHA drafting policy and court ruling. The Marlies sued him for about $160,000, and he was declared the winner in court after three years. So he went to Houston, playing the same line as Gordie and Marty Howe. “My first camp I just remember Gordie Howe,” Tonelli recalled in the mid 1980s. “I was just 18 years old and the first couple of days he was just zipping by me. Gordie at that time was 48 and he was blowing by me and said: ‘Hurry up kid, let’s get going.’” That lasted three seasons before the team folded, but Tonelli was able to develop a solid work ethic on the ice, and even though he was embroiled in controversy at the time, said the WHA helped him in his career. “I still owe something to the WHA,” he is quoted as saying. “If I had gone to the Islanders right out of junior, I probably would have had to spend some time in the minors. Because of the WHA, I had three years of pro experience when I went to New York.” Tonelli went to the NHL’s New York Islanders starting in the 1979-80 season, where he remained for eight years. The Milton resident became known for his clean, aggressive play, becoming adept at digging the puck out of corners. While he shone, so did the Islanders, winning four Stanley Cups from 1980 through 1983. His highest point year was during the 1984-85 season. He had 100 points in 80 games, with 42 goals. It was also at this time that Tonelli was a big part of the Canada Cup, and he was named the team’s most valuable player after Canada beat Sweden 6-5 in the final to win the championship. After his long association with the Islanders, Tonelli went west to play for the Calgary Flames, traded during the 1985-86 season. After three seasons with the Flames, he went further west, signing on with the Los Angeles Kings in 1988. Both seasons with the Kings he scored 31 goals. He then went to play with the Chicago Black Hawks for the 1991-92 season, playing 31 games, and then finished his NHL career with the Quebec Nordiques the same season, playing in 19 games. Tonelli played 1.028 NHL games in his career, with 325 goals and 836 points. He also played 224 games in the WHA, with 47 goals with the Aeros. Tonelli said throughout his career that he worked hard, and knew his limitations. “I think I have always worked hard on my game,” he said in 1984. “The thing is that I know for a fact I’m not the most talented player in the world. I believe I can do things, but I have to work at them.” But Tonelli’s talent and career was recognized in 1985 when the former Milton Sports Center was renamed and dedicated the John Tonelli Sports Centre in July of 1985. “I’ve been a part of the Stanley Cup champion New
York Islanders four years in a row; I’ve been a part of Team
Canada and beaten the Russians and the Swedes for the world championship;
but when I look in that corner and see the sign saying John Tonelli’s
arena, there’s no greater honor I can accept than having
an arena named after me by the people of Milton.”
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