Randy Cunneyworth
Encyclopedia
Randolph William Cunneyworth (born May 10, 1961) is a Canadian
professional ice hockey
head coach. He played professionally in the National Hockey League
(NHL) in a twenty-year career.
as an Ottawa 67's
player. In only his second year in the OHL, Cunneyworth tallied up 128 points in only 67-games. He was drafted in the 8th round by the Buffalo Sabres
in the 1980 NHL Entry Draft
, but played only 1-game in his initial year. Cunneyworth was toggled between the Rochester Americans
of the AHL
(Buffalo Sabres' farm team
) on-and-off for several seasons before getting an honest chance as a full-time player with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins
.
Cunneyworth gained a reputation for being a tough player who could hit, take a hit, and still win the game. He played several seasons as Captain
for the NHL's Ottawa Senators
, before returning to the Buffalo Sabres Organization, playing 17 games, 3 of which in the Stanley Cup Finals versus the Dallas Stars. During the 98–99 season he also played most of the season with the AHL's Rochester Americans where he played 2-seasons before retiring as a professional hockey player, due to a torn ACL. All in all, Cunneyworth scored 196 goals and 232 assists in 911 career NHL games. He also managed to tally 1,341 penalty minutes.
with a record of 306-267-67.
On July 24, 2008, Cunneyworth accepted an assistant coaching position with the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers
, along with former Chicago Wolves
assistant Todd Nelson.
On April 14, 2010, after a disappointing 09-10 campaign, Cunneyworth was fired along with the rest of the Atlanta Thrashers coaching staff.
On July 20, 2010, he was hired by the Montreal Canadiens
as the head coach for the Hamilton Bulldogs
. The Canadiens chose Randy Ladouceur
as his assistant.
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
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...
head coach. He played professionally in the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
(NHL) in a twenty-year career.
Playing career
Cunneyworth started out his hockey career in the OHLOntario 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....
as an Ottawa 67's
Ottawa 67's
The Ottawa 67’s are a junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They have played in the Ontario Hockey League since 1967, Canada's centennial year. The current coach is Chris Byrne.-History:...
player. In only his second year in the OHL, Cunneyworth tallied up 128 points in only 67-games. He was drafted in the 8th round by the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
in the 1980 NHL Entry 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 played only 1-game in his initial year. Cunneyworth was toggled between the Rochester Americans
Rochester Americans
The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial...
of the 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...
(Buffalo Sabres' farm team
Farm team
In sports, a farm team, farm system, feeder team or nursery club, is generally a team or club whose role is to provide experience and training for young players, with an agreement that any successful players can move on to a higher level at a given point...
) on-and-off for several seasons before getting an honest chance as a full-time player with the NHL's Pittsburgh Penguins
Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
.
Cunneyworth gained a reputation for being a tough player who could hit, take a hit, and still win the game. He played several seasons as Captain
Captain (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, each team can designate an official captain for each game. The player serving as captain during the game wears a "C" on his or her jersey...
for the NHL's Ottawa Senators
Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
, before returning to the Buffalo Sabres Organization, playing 17 games, 3 of which in the Stanley Cup Finals versus the Dallas Stars. During the 98–99 season he also played most of the season with the AHL's Rochester Americans where he played 2-seasons before retiring as a professional hockey player, due to a torn ACL. All in all, Cunneyworth scored 196 goals and 232 assists in 911 career NHL games. He also managed to tally 1,341 penalty minutes.
Coaching career
During his final year as a player, he acted as a player coach/assistant coach for the Rochester American's during the 1999–2000 season before being given full-time duty the following season. He coached the team for eight years as the full-time head coachHead coach
A head coach, senior coach or manager is a professional at training and developing athletes. They typically hold a more public profile and are paid more than other coaches...
with a record of 306-267-67.
On July 24, 2008, Cunneyworth accepted an assistant coaching position with the NHL's Atlanta Thrashers
Atlanta Thrashers
The Atlanta Thrashers were a professional ice hockey team based in Atlanta, Georgia, United States. Atlanta was granted a franchise in the National Hockey League on June 25, 1997, and became the league's 28th franchise when it began play in the 1999–2000 NHL season...
, along with former Chicago Wolves
Chicago Wolves
The Chicago Wolves are a professional hockey team playing in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Vancouver Canucks of the NHL. The Wolves play home games at the Allstate Arena in the Chicago suburb of Rosemont, Illinois...
assistant Todd Nelson.
On April 14, 2010, after a disappointing 09-10 campaign, Cunneyworth was fired along with the rest of the Atlanta Thrashers coaching staff.
On July 20, 2010, he was hired by the Montreal Canadiens
Montreal Canadiens
The Montreal Canadiens are a professional ice hockey team based in Montreal, Quebec, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The club is officially known as ...
as the head coach for the Hamilton Bulldogs
Hamilton Bulldogs
The Hamilton Bulldogs are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They play in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, at Copps Coliseum, nicknamed 'The Dog Pound'. They are the AHL affiliate of the NHL's Montreal Canadiens...
. The Canadiens chose Randy Ladouceur
Randy Ladouceur
Randall Ladouceur . Ladouceur is a current assistant coach of the Montreal Canadiens. He is a former assistant coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs and former assistant coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs...
as his assistant.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
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 | Ottawa 67's Ottawa 67's The Ottawa 67’s are a junior ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario. They have played in the Ontario Hockey League since 1967, Canada's centennial year. The current coach is Chris Byrne.-History:... |
OMJHL | 63 | 16 | 25 | 41 | 145 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Ottawa 67's | 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.... |
67 | 54 | 74 | 128 | 240 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 1980–81 AHL season The 1980–81 AHL season was the 45th season of the American Hockey League. Nine teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears finished first overall in the regular season... |
Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
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... |
1 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Buffalo Sabres Buffalo Sabres The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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:... |
Rochester Americans | AHL | 57 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 86 | 9 | 4 | 0 | 4 | 30 | ||
| 1981–82 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 20 | 2 | 4 | 6 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 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:... |
Rochester Americans | 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... |
78 | 23 | 33 | 56 | 111 | 16 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 35 | ||
| 1983–84 1983–84 AHL season The 1983–84 AHL season was the 48th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The league initiates two new awards. The Aldege "Baz" Bastien Memorial Award is first awarded to the league's "best goaltender." The Jack A... |
Rochester Americans | AHL | 65 | 18 | 17 | 35 | 85 | 17 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 55 | ||
| 1984–85 1984–85 AHL season The 1984–85 AHL season was the 49th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Binghamton Whalers finished first overall in the regular season... |
Rochester Americans Rochester Americans The Rochester Americans are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League, and a top affiliate of the Buffalo Sabres. The team plays its home games in Rochester, New York, at the Blue Cross Arena at the War Memorial... |
AHL | 72 | 30 | 38 | 68 | 148 | 5 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 16 | ||
| 1985–86 | Pittsburgh Penguins Pittsburgh Penguins The Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original... |
NHL | 75 | 15 | 30 | 45 | 74 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 79 | 26 | 27 | 53 | 142 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1987–88 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 71 | 35 | 39 | 74 | 141 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1988–89 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 70 | 25 | 19 | 44 | 156 | 11 | 3 | 5 | 8 | 26 | ||
| 1989–90 | Winnipeg Jets | NHL | 28 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 34 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Hartford Whalers Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut, U.S.A.. The club played in the World Hockey Association from 1972–79 and in the National Hockey League from 1979–97... |
NHL | 43 | 9 | 9 | 18 | 41 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1990–91 1990–91 AHL season The 1990–91 AHL season was the 55th season of the American Hockey League. Fifteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Rochester Americans finished first overall in the regular season... |
Springfield Indians Springfield Indians The Springfield Indians were a minor professional ice hockey franchise, originally based in West Springfield, Massachusetts and later Springfield, Massachusetts. The Indians were founding members of the American Hockey League. They were in existence for a total of 60 seasons from 1926 to 1994, with... |
AHL | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 5 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 32 | 9 | 5 | 14 | 49 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1991–92 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 39 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 71 | 7 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 9 | ||
| 1992–93 | Hartford Whalers | NHL | 39 | 5 | 4 | 9 | 63 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 63 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 87 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1993–94 | Ottawa Senators Ottawa Senators The Ottawa Senators are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League... |
NHL | 16 | 4 | 3 | 7 | 13 | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | ||
| 1994–95 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 48 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 68 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1995–96 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 81 | 17 | 19 | 36 | 130 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1996–97 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 76 | 12 | 24 | 36 | 99 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 10 | ||
| 1997–98 | Ottawa Senators | NHL | 71 | 2 | 11 | 13 | 63 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | ||
| 1998–99 1998–99 AHL season The 1998–99 AHL season was the 63rd season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Providence Bruins finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Rochester Americans | AHL | 52 | 10 | 18 | 28 | 55 | 20 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 58 | ||
| 1998–99 | Buffalo Sabres | NHL | 14 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 0 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1999–00 1999–2000 AHL season The 1999–2000 AHL season was the 64th season of the American Hockey League. Nineteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hartford Wolf Pack finished first overall in the regular season, and won their first Calder Cup championship.-Team changes:... |
Rochester Americans | AHL | 52 | 8 | 16 | 24 | 81 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| NHL totals | 866 | 189 | 225 | 414 | 1280 | 45 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 61 | ||||
| OHA totals | 130 | 70 | 99 | 169 | 385 | — | — | — | — | — | ||||
| AHL totals | 273 | 166 | 104 | 270 | 432 | 47 | 15 | 10 | 25 | 136 | ||||