Tim Cranston

Tim Cranston (born in Halifax, Nova Scotia) is a retired professional ice hockey player who holds dual Canadian and British nationality. He played in Europe between 1985 and 1999 except for one game in the 1986–87 season played in the American Hockey League. He was also a member of the Great Britain national ice hockey team between 1993 and 1997. Whilst living in the United Kingdom, Cranston was the founding chairman of the British Ice Hockey Player's Association (GB). Currently living in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Cranston is working as a sports agent and lawyer for the sports and entertainment industries. He was inducted into the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.
==Playing career==
After playing junior ice hockey, Cranston moved to Europe to play for GIJS Groningen in the 1984–85 season of the Dutch Eredivisie. He then split the 1985–86 season between VEU Feldkirch in the Austrian Hockey League and Genève-Servette HC in the Swiss Nationalliga B. During the 1986–87 season, he again played in the Nationalliga B, but this time with EHC Basel, as well as playing for EV Füssen in the German 1.Liga Süd before he finished the season playing one game for Nova Scotia Oilers in the American Hockey League.
Cranston returned to Europe and the Swiss Nationalliga B for the 1987–88 season to play for SC Herisau. He again split the 1988–89 season when he played for EV Duisburg in the German 1.Liga Nord and the Fife Flyers in the Premier Division of the British Hockey League (BHL). Remaining in the United Kingdom, Cranston then joined the Cleveland Bombers in Division 1 of the BHL for the 1989–90 season. A successful season saw Cranston named to the All Star team and promotion for Cleveland to the Premier Division. Cranston again played for Cleveland during the 1990–91 season before he moved to the Durham Wasps for the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons. During the 1991–92 season with Durham, he helped them to win the league championship and the playoffs.
Joining the Sheffield Steelers for the 1993–94 season, Cranston remained in Sheffield for the next five seasons. A successful period for both Cranston and Sheffield, he helped them to win the league championship and the playoffs in the 1994–95 season, a Grand Slam of the Benson & Hedges Cup, the league championship and the playoffs in the 1995–96 season, and the playoffs in the inaugural season of the Ice Hockey Superleague, 1996–97.
Cranston played his final season with the Edinburgh Capitals in the British National League during the 1998–99 season.
==Off ice career==
With ice hockey in the United Kingdom becoming more popular in the late 1980s and the influx of player's, Cranston, with Joanne Collins, formed the Ice Hockey Player's Association (GB) in 1994. He was the founding chairman and has remained the Association's legal adviser.
==Honours and awards==
*Named to the BHL Division 1 All Star Team in 1990.
*Awarded testimonial by Sheffield Steelers on 4 November 1998.
*Number 4 jersey retired by Sheffield Steelers.
*Inducted to the Sheffield Steelers Hall of Fame in 2005.
*Inducted to the British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame in 2010.
==Records==
*Most assists (67) and points (113) for Sherbrooke Beavers in 1980–81.
*Most points (133) in the Dutch Eredivisie in 1984–85.
*Most penalty minutes (78) for the Cleveland Bombers in 1989–90.
*Most goals (71), assists (47) and points (118) for the Cleveland Bombers in 1990–91.
*Most goals (69) and points (132) for the Sheffield Steelers in 1993–94.
*Most penalty minutes (126) for Sheffield Steelers in 1994–95.
==Career statistics==
  	  	  	 	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	Regular season	 	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs	Playoffs
Season 	Team 	League 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM 	 	GP 	G 	A 	Pts 	PIM
1979–80	Sherbrooke Beavers	QMJHL 	 	65 	14 	14 	28 	35 	 	 	 	 	 	
1980–81	Sherbrooke Beavers	QMJHL 	 	72 	46 	67 	113 	123 	 	 	 	 	 	
1981–82	Hull Olympiques 	QMJHL 	 	55 	30 	50 	80 	117 	 	14 	4 	14 	18 	18
1984–85	GIJS Groningen 	Eredivisie 	 	42 	58 	75 	133 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
1985–86	VEU Feldkirch 	Austrian 	 	4 	2 	2 	4 	21 	 	 	 	 	 	
1985–86	Genève-Servette HC	Nationalliga B	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
1986–87	EHC Basel 	Nationalliga B	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
1986–87	EV Füssen 	1.Liga Süd 	 	15 	12 	22 	34 	16 	 	11 	4 	7 	11 	22
1986–87	Nova Scotia Oilers	AHL 	 	1 	0 	0 	0 	2 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1987–88	SC Herisau 	Nationalliga B	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
1988–89	EV Duisburg 	1.Liga Nord 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
1988–89	Fife Flyers 	BHL Premier 	 	7 	19 	16 	35 	14 	 	 	 	 	 	
1989–90	Cleveland Bombers 	BHL Div 1 	 	32 	91 	72 	163 	78 	 	 	 	 	 	
1990–91	Cleveland Bombers 	BHL Premier 	 	36 	71 	47 	118 	102 	 	 	 	 	 	
1991–92	Durham Wasps 	BHL Premier 	 	31 	41 	25 	66 	122 	 	8 	9 	5 	14 	30
1992–93	Durham Wasps 	BHL Premier 	 	7 	6 	4 	10 	12 	 	 	 	 	 	
1993–94	Sheffield Steelers	BHL Premier 	 	44 	52 	49 	101 	86 	 	8 	12 	5 	17 	22
1994–95	Sheffield Steelers	BHL Premier 	 	42 	41 	44 	85 	126 	 	8 	8 	5 	13 	14
1995–96	Sheffield Steelers	BHL Premier 	 	36 	33 	22 	55 	115 	 	8 	6 	3 	9 	12
1996–97	Sheffield Steelers	ISL 	 	42 	11 	22 	33 	56 	 	8 	0 	1 	1 	6
1997–98	Sheffield Steelers	ISL 	 	42 	14 	11 	25 	32 	 	9 	2 	2 	4 	12
1998–99	Edinburgh Capitals	BNL 	 	13 	9 	8 	17 	35 	 	4 	1 	1 	2 	6
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==International play==
Played for the Great Britain national ice hockey team in:
*1993 Pool B World Championships
*1993 Olympic Qualifying Tournament
*1994 World Championships
*1995 Olympic Qualifying Tournament
*1996 Pool B World Championships
*1996 Olympic Qualifying Tournament
*1997 Pool B World Championships
===International statistics===
Year 	Team 	Comp 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	PIM
1993 	Great Britain	WC(B) 	7 	3 	1 	4 	41
1993 	Great Britain	Oly–Q 	4 	1 	1 	2 	8
1994 	Great Britain	WC 	6 	0 	0 	0 	4
1995 	Great Britain	Oly–Q 	3 	0 	2 	2 	6
1996 	Great Britain	WC(B) 	7 	4 	4 	8 	14
1996 	Great Britain	Oly–Q 	5 	2 	2 	4 	10
1997 	Great Britain	WC(B) 	7 	1 	3 	4 	8
Totals	Totals 	Totals	39	11	13	24 	91
==Footnotes==
==References==
*A to Z Encyclopaedia of Ice Hockey
*British Ice Hockey Fans Association
*European Hockey.Net
*Ice Hockey Journalists UK
*The Internet Hockey Database
*The Sheffield Star
*sheffieldsteelers.co.uk
*Sheffield Steelers Hall of Fame
*Sheffield Steelers! Monthly
*The Sunday Mirror
==External links==
*
*Ice Hockey Player's Association
*
Category:Born in 1962
Category:British Ice Hockey Hall of Fame inductees
Category:British ice hockey players
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Durham Wasps players
Category:Fife Flyers players
Category:GIJS Groningen players
Category:Hull Olympiques players
Category:Murrayfield Racers players
Category:Nova Scotia Oilers players
Category:Sheffield Steelers players
Category:Sherbrooke Castors alumni
Category:VEU Feldkirch players
Category:Retired in 1999