Barry Tabobondung
Encyclopedia
Barry Tabobondung was an Ojibwa
Canadian professional ice hockey
defenceman and left winger
. He was drafted in the third round, 47th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers
in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
. In his professional career he played in the American Hockey League
(AHL), the International Hockey League (IHL), the Atlantic Coast Hockey League
(ACHL), and its successor, the ECHL
.
, and grew up on the Wasauksing First Nation
Indian reserve
near Parry Sound. His grandmother was a tribal chief
and member of the Order of Canada
. His father also played amateur hockey. As a child he earned the nickname "Hawk" from his grandfather. Tabobondung played for the Newmarket Flyers
of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League before playing for the Oshawa Generals
of the Ontario Hockey League
. Tabobondung was eligible for the 1980 Draft
but was not selected, and played another junior season, changing his position to left wing. During his second season with Oshawa he recorded 77 points and 320 penalty minutes in 61 games.
Tabobondung attended the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
in Montreal
, in only the second year that junior players other than first round prospects attended the draft. He was selected with the 47th pick in the third round by the Philadelphia Flyers
. Tabobondung, who was sitting in the high sections of the Montreal Forum
, was so excited to meet the Flyers representatives at the draft that he began climbing over the seats rather than using the steps. At one point his leg became caught in a seat, where he was stuck for two hours until arena maintenance was able to remove the entire row of seats to free him. NHL executive vice-president Brian O'Neill joked that the Flyers could be sure Tabobondung would be available for all of their games in Montreal.
affiliate, the Maine Mariners
, playing in 132 games in two seasons. He also appeared with the Peoria Prancers
in 1981–82 in 16 games. Beginning in 1983, Tabobondung played three seasons with the Erie Golden Blades
of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League
. In his first season, he was named to the Second All-Star Team, and the Golden Blades won the league championship. During the 1984–85 season, Tabobondung was selected to the First All-Star Team, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player after recording 12 goals and 67 assists, as well as 2 goals and 8 assists in the playoffs. He ended his career with the Erie Panthers
of the ECHL
after the 1990–91 season, returning to his native reserve near Parry Sound.
and Couchiching Terriers
. He was killed in a vehicular accident on July 11, 2000. Tabobondung's son Tommy fell from a road grader
that they were riding in, and Tabobondung was caught under the machinery in the process of saving his son's life.
Ojibwa
The Ojibwe or Chippewa are among the largest groups of Native Americans–First Nations north of Mexico. They are divided between Canada and the United States. In Canada, they are the third-largest population among First Nations, surpassed only by Cree and Inuit...
Canadian professional ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
defenceman and left winger
Winger (ice hockey)
Winger, in the game of hockey, is a forward position of a player whose primary zone of play on the ice is along the outer playing area. They typically work by flanking the centre forward. Originally the name was given to forward players who went up and down the sides of the rink...
. He was drafted in the third round, 47th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
1981 NHL Entry Draft
The 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 211 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1980–81 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
. In his professional career he played in the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
(AHL), the International Hockey League (IHL), the Atlantic Coast Hockey League
Atlantic Coast Hockey League
The Atlantic Coast Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey....
(ACHL), and its successor, the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
.
Early life and amateur career
Tabobondung was born in Parry Sound, OntarioParry Sound, Ontario
Parry Sound is a town in Central Ontario, Canada, located on Parry Sound on the eastern shore of Georgian Bay. Parry Sound is located south of Sudbury and north of Toronto. It is the seat of Parry Sound District, a popular cottage country region for Southern Ontario residents. It is also the...
, and grew up on the Wasauksing First Nation
Wasauksing First Nation
Wasauksing First Nation is an Ojibwa, Odawa and Pottawatomi First Nation located near Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada....
Indian reserve
Indian reserve
In Canada, an Indian reserve is specified by the Indian Act as a "tract of land, the legal title to which is vested in Her Majesty, that has been set apart by Her Majesty for the use and benefit of a band." The Act also specifies that land reserved for the use and benefit of a band which is not...
near Parry Sound. His grandmother was a tribal chief
Tribal chief
A tribal chief is the leader of a tribal society or chiefdom. Tribal societies with social stratification under a single leader emerged in the Neolithic period out of earlier tribal structures with little stratification, and they remained prevalent throughout the Iron Age.In the case of ...
and member of the Order of Canada
Order of Canada
The Order of Canada is a Canadian national order, admission into which is, within the system of orders, decorations, and medals of Canada, the second highest honour for merit...
. His father also played amateur hockey. As a child he earned the nickname "Hawk" from his grandfather. Tabobondung played for the Newmarket Flyers
Newmarket Hurricanes
The Newmarket Hurricanes are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of Central Division Hockey and are currently the 2009-10 CCHL champions.-History:...
of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League before playing for the Oshawa Generals
Oshawa Generals
The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
. Tabobondung was eligible for the 1980 Draft
1980 NHL Entry Draft
The 1980 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum. This was the first time that an NHL arena hosted the draft. The National Hockey League teams selected 210 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1979–80 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the...
but was not selected, and played another junior season, changing his position to left wing. During his second season with Oshawa he recorded 77 points and 320 penalty minutes in 61 games.
Tabobondung attended the 1981 NHL Entry Draft
1981 NHL Entry Draft
The 1981 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The National Hockey League teams selected 211 players eligible for entry into professional ranks, in the reverse order of the 1980–81 NHL season and playoff standings. This is the list of those players...
in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, in only the second year that junior players other than first round prospects attended the draft. He was selected with the 47th pick in the third round by the Philadelphia Flyers
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. Tabobondung, who was sitting in the high sections of the Montreal Forum
Montreal Forum
The Montreal Forum was an indoor arena located in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. Called "the most storied building in hockey history" by Sporting News, it was home of the National Hockey League's Montreal Maroons from 1924 to 1938 and the Montreal Canadiens from 1926 to 1996...
, was so excited to meet the Flyers representatives at the draft that he began climbing over the seats rather than using the steps. At one point his leg became caught in a seat, where he was stuck for two hours until arena maintenance was able to remove the entire row of seats to free him. NHL executive vice-president Brian O'Neill joked that the Flyers could be sure Tabobondung would be available for all of their games in Montreal.
Professional career
Tabobondung began his professional career following the draft in 1981 with the Flyers' American Hockey LeagueAmerican Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
affiliate, the Maine Mariners
Maine Mariners
The Maine Mariners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Portland, Maine, USA at the Cumberland County Civic Center.-History:...
, playing in 132 games in two seasons. He also appeared with the Peoria Prancers
Peoria Prancers
The Peoria Prancers were an ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.In 1983, Peoria Prancer Paul Fenton won the Ken McKenzie Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding American born rookie, playing in the International Hockey League....
in 1981–82 in 16 games. Beginning in 1983, Tabobondung played three seasons with the Erie Golden Blades
Erie Golden Blades
The Erie Golden Blades were a minor league hockey team that played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. Their home ice was the Erie County Field House. The Erie County Field House was located in Erie, Pennsylvania and held 4200 people. The team was owned by Steve Stroud from 1983-87The Golden...
of the Atlantic Coast Hockey League
Atlantic Coast Hockey League
The Atlantic Coast Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey....
. In his first season, he was named to the Second All-Star Team, and the Golden Blades won the league championship. During the 1984–85 season, Tabobondung was selected to the First All-Star Team, and was named the league's Most Valuable Player after recording 12 goals and 67 assists, as well as 2 goals and 8 assists in the playoffs. He ended his career with the Erie Panthers
Erie Panthers
The Erie Panthers were a professional hockey team, and one of the founding members in the East Coast Hockey League. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1996, they were one of the most prolific teams in the ECHL. The Panthers were known for their ability to score goals quickly and often, as...
of the ECHL
ECHL
The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States...
after the 1990–91 season, returning to his native reserve near Parry Sound.
Life after retirement
Upon returning to his hometown, Tabobondung contributed as a coach for the junior Parry Sound ShamrocksParry Sound Shamrocks
The Parry Sound Shamrocks were a Canadian Junior ice hockey team from Parry Sound, Ontario, Canada. This defunct hockey team was a part of the Ontario Provincial Junior A Hockey League.-History:...
and Couchiching Terriers
Couchiching Terriers
The Couchiching Terriers were a Junior A ice hockey team from Rama, Ontario, Canada from Lake Couchiching. They originated in neighbouring Orillia, Ontario. They were a part of the Ontario Junior A Hockey League. They were 1985 Centennial Cup National Champions and three time Dudley Hewitt Cup...
. He was killed in a vehicular accident on July 11, 2000. Tabobondung's son Tommy fell from a road grader
Grader
A grader, also commonly referred to as a road grader, a blade, a maintainer, or a motor grader, is a construction machine with a long blade used to create a flat surface. Typical models have three axles, with the engine and cab situated above the rear axles at one end of the vehicle and a third...
that they were riding in, and Tabobondung was caught under the machinery in the process of saving his son's life.
Career statistics
| Regular Season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... | A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... | Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... | PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1979–80 | Newmarket Flyers Newmarket Hurricanes The Newmarket Hurricanes are a Junior "A" ice hockey team from Newmarket, Ontario, Canada. They are a part of Central Division Hockey and are currently the 2009-10 CCHL champions.-History:... |
OPJHL | 10 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 19 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1979–80 | Oshawa Generals Oshawa Generals The Oshawa Generals are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They are based in Oshawa, Ontario. The team is named for General Motors, an early sponsor which has its Canadian headquarters in Oshawa. The Generals are one of the most successful franchises in Canadian Hockey League... |
OMJHL | 51 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 190 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Oshawa Generals | OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
61 | 18 | 58 | 77 | 320 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 1981–82 AHL season The 1981–82 AHL season was the 46th season of the American Hockey League. Eleven teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The New Brunswick Hawks finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Maine Mariners Maine Mariners The Maine Mariners were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Portland, Maine, USA at the Cumberland County Civic Center.-History:... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
72 | 11 | 15 | 26 | 166 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | ||
| 1982–83 1982–83 AHL season The 1982–83 AHL season was the 47th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season, and won their fourth Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Maine Mariners | AHL | 60 | 2 | 17 | 19 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Peoria Prancers Peoria Prancers The Peoria Prancers were an ice hockey team in the International Hockey League. They played in Peoria, Illinois, USA at the Carver Arena.In 1983, Peoria Prancer Paul Fenton won the Ken McKenzie Trophy, awarded to the most outstanding American born rookie, playing in the International Hockey League.... |
IHL | 16 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Erie Golden Blades Erie Golden Blades The Erie Golden Blades were a minor league hockey team that played in the Atlantic Coast Hockey League. Their home ice was the Erie County Field House. The Erie County Field House was located in Erie, Pennsylvania and held 4200 people. The team was owned by Steve Stroud from 1983-87The Golden... |
ACHL Atlantic Coast Hockey League The Atlantic Coast Hockey League was a minor league hockey organization that operated between 1981 and 1987. The league was founded by Bill Coffey.... |
70 | 6 | 37 | 43 | 57 | 9 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 33 | ||
| 1984–85 | Erie Golden Blades | ACHL | 64 | 12 | 67 | 79 | 82 | 12 | 2 | 8 | 10 | 16 | ||
| 1986–87 | Erie Golden Blades | ACHL | 15 | 5 | 13 | 18 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 1990–91 ECHL season The 1990–91 ECHL season was the third season of the ECHL. In 1990, the league welcomed three new franchises: Cincinnati Cyclones, Louisville Icehawks, and Richmond Renegades. The Virginia Lancers franchise was renamed the Roanoke Valley Rebels. The 11 teams played 64 games in the schedule. The... |
Erie Panthers Erie Panthers The Erie Panthers were a professional hockey team, and one of the founding members in the East Coast Hockey League. Based in Erie, Pennsylvania from 1988 to 1996, they were one of the most prolific teams in the ECHL. The Panthers were known for their ability to score goals quickly and often, as... |
ECHL ECHL The ECHL is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Princeton, New Jersey with teams scattered across the United States... |
16 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| OHL totals | 112 | 25 | 69 | 95 | 510 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| ACHL/ECHL totals | 165 | 25 | 123 | 149 | 165 | 21 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 49 | ||||
| AHL totals | 132 | 13 | 32 | 45 | 208 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | ||||