John Craighead facts for kids
John Craighead (born November 23, 1971) is a former professional ice hockey player from the United States. He played as a right winger and was known as an enforcer, a player who protects teammates and boosts team spirit. He played for the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1996–97 season. He also played for many other teams in North America and Europe until 2005. He holds a record for penalty minutes in the Deutsche Eishockey Liga (DEL) for the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers.
Quick facts for kids John Craighead |
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| Born | November 23, 1971 Richmond, Virginia, U.S. |
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| Height | 6 ft 1 in (185 cm) | ||
| Weight | 200 lb (91 kg; 14 st 4 lb) | ||
| Position | Right Wing | ||
| Shot | Right | ||
| Played for | Toronto Maple Leafs Nürnberg Ice Tigers Revier Löwen Oberhausen Nottingham Panthers Cardiff Devils |
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| NHL Draft | Undrafted | ||
| Playing career | 1991–2005 | ||
Contents
John Craighead's Hockey Career
John Craighead started his professional hockey journey in 1991. He played for various teams in different leagues. These included the BCJHL and the SuHL. He also played in the ECHL and the IHL.
Playing for the Toronto Maple Leafs
In the 1996–97 season, John Craighead reached the highest level of hockey. He played five games for the Toronto Maple Leafs in the NHL. This is the top professional hockey league in North America. He also played for their minor league team, the St. John's Maple Leafs, in the AHL.
Playing in Europe
After his time in the NHL, Craighead moved to Europe. He played for the Nürnberg Ice Tigers in the DEL in Germany. He played there for three seasons, from 1998 to 2001. He then played for the Revier Löwen Oberhausen in the DEL for one season. He holds the record for most penalty minutes for the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers in the DEL.
He later played in the EIHL in the United Kingdom. He played for the Nottingham Panthers and the Cardiff Devils. He finished his playing career in 2005.
After His Playing Career
After retiring as a player, John Craighead became a coach. In 2015, he was the Head Coach and part-owner of the Langley Knights. This was a junior hockey team in the PJHL.
Coaching Challenges
In September 2015, there was an incident during a game. This led to Craighead being suspended from coaching for a period of time. The suspension was later reduced. He was able to return as Head Coach in the 2018-2019 season.
After his return, the PJHL tried to remove his team from the league. However, Craighead took legal action. The BC Supreme Court ordered the PJHL to stop their actions against his team. This decision was later supported by the Court of Appeal.
Recent Incidents
In March 2023, Craighead was involved in an incident during a casual hockey game. A referee made claims about what happened. Craighead denied these claims.
See also
- List of black NHL players
- Fighting in ice hockey
- Violence in ice hockey
