Tony Tanti

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
played_for ="NHL"
Chicago Black Hawks
Vancouver Canucks
Pittsburgh Penguins
Buffalo Sabres
"DEL"
BSC Preussen Berlin
position = Left Wing


shot = Left
height_ft = 5
height_in = 9
weight_lb = 185
nationality = Canada
birth_date = birth date and age|1963|09|07
birth_place = Toronto, Ontario flagicon|CAN
draft = 12^th overall
draft_year = 1981
draft_team = Chicago Black Hawks
career_start = 1981
career_end = 1998

Tony Tanti (born September 7, 1963 in Toronto, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey player. He was a left winger and played the majority of his career in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks. Originally drafted 12th overall by the Chicago Black Hawks in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, he also played briefly for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Buffalo Sabres in the latter stages of his NHL career. After twelve seasons in the NHL, Tanti began a playing career in Germany's Bundesliga. He played in Berlin for six seasons before retiring after the 1997-98 season.

Playing career

As a junior in the Ontario Hockey League for three seasons, Tanti played with the Oshawa Generals, breaking a league rookie record previously set by Wayne Gretzky. Tanti still holds the record for most goals by a rookie with 81 in 1980-81. [citeweb|title=CHL Record Book|url=http://www.chl.ca/chlrecordBook.php?award=57&season=Single%20Season|publisher=Canadian Hockey League|accessdate=2008-06-15] He was selected by the Chicago Black Hawks as the 12th overall pick in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, but was traded after just three games over two seasons to the Vancouver Canucks for feared fighter and able scorer Curt Fraser in 1982-83.

As a proficient scorer in junior, Vancouver hoped he'd bring that scoring touch to the West Coast. In his first full season as a Canuck (1983–84), he set a new club goal scoring record with 45, passing Ron Sedlbauer's 40 goal season in 1978-79 (but has since been surpassed by Pavel Bure's 60-goal season in 1992-93). Adding 41 assists for 86 points, he finished second in team scoring. He followed that up with two consecutive 39-goal seasons before earning the Cyrus H. McLean Trophy as the Canucks leading points scorer in 1986-87 and 1987-88. In eight seasons with the Canucks, Tanti totalled 250 goals and 220 assists for 470 points - sixth overall in all-time franchise scoring. He is also second in all-time power play goals with 102. [citeweb|title=Canuck Career Leaders|url=http://www3.telus.net/dmarchak/cancar.htm|accessdate=2008-06-15]

At the height of his game, Tanti was one of the most feared snipers in the league. At just 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m), 180 pounds (82 kg), he had a knack for eluding opposing checkers and darting around defensemen. He earned the Canucks' Most Exciting Player Award five years in a row (1983–84 through 1987–88), leading the team in goal scoring in that same span. He was also selected to play in the 1984 and 1986 NHL All-Star Game. Although he was unable to play in 1984 due to injury, in 1986, he played on a line with Denis Savard and Mark Messier, and scored the first goal of the event. He was named Vancouver Canucks MVP for the 1987–88 season, and was also chosen to play for Canada four consecutive years (1 Junior and 3 Elite) beginning in 1984.

Tanti concluded his NHL career with brief stints in Pittsburgh and Buffalo before playing for six seasons in Berlin, Germany. He has now retired from the game and resides in West Vancouver, working as an agent for a wholesale flooring business. In his spare time, he coaches youth hockey alongside former Canucks teammate Dave Babych.

Awards & achievements

*NHL All-Star Game - 1984, 1986
*Most Exciting Player Award (Vancouver Canucks) - 1984, 1985, 1986, 1987, 1988
*Cyrus H. McLean Trophy (Vancouver Canucks' leading scorer) - 1987, 1988
*Cyclone Taylor Trophy (Vancouver Canucks MVP) - 1988

Records

*Ontario Hockey League rookie goal scoring record - 81 (1980-81)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

ee also

*List of NHL players

External links

*
* [http://www.hockeydraftcentral.com/1981/81012.html Profile at hockeydraftcentral.com]

References