John Tonelli

John A. Tonelli (born March 23, 1957 in Milton, Ontario, Canada) was a National Hockey League centre. He played with the New York Islanders, the Calgary Flames, and the Los Angeles Kings. He concluded his career playing briefly for the Chicago Blackhawks and the Quebec Nordiques
In 1982 and 1985, Tonelli was a second team All-Star left wing for the Islanders. He played in the Stanley Cup finals in 1980, 1981, 1982, 1983, and 1984 with the Islanders, winning four championships in the process, and made an additional appearance as runner-up in the Cup finals in 1986 with the Flames. 
On May 24, 1980, Tonelli had the assist on Bob Nystrom's overtime Stanley Cup-winning goal against the Philadelphia Flyers, giving the Islanders their first of four straight Cups. In Game 6 at Nassau Coliseum, Lorne Henning stole the puck at center ice, passed to Tonelli, who then criss-crossed with Nystrom, feeding him the puck on Nystrom's backhand for the winning goal. It was a play the two had perfected during practice.
Tonelli was a gritty forward with a never-say-die attitude for The New York Islanders who won four straight Stanley Cups. Tonelli, who was affectionately dubbed "The Greasy Jet" by his teammates, is remembered for scoring important "clutch goals" in the Islanders' run of four straight Stanley Cups and five straight finals appearances, particularly during the 1981-82 season. During the playoffs that year, the Islanders were five minutes away from being eliminated by a much weaker Pittsburgh Penguin team, trailing 3-1 in the deciding game. John Tonelli had an assist on a Mike McEwen goal that closed the champions within one, and tied the game himself with ninety seconds to play. For an encore, it was John Tonelli that scored in overtime to win the game for the Islanders, thus extending their long reign as Stanley Cup champions. 
Tonelli also scored the winning goal in a February 20, 1982 game against the Colorado Rockies, beating former teammate Chico Resch with just 47 seconds to play to allow the Islanders to set an NHL record (since broken) with their fifteenth consecutive victory.
He was known for being virtually unbeatable in digging out the puck in the corners of the rink; however, Tonelli also had an excellent shot, was a good passer, and had excellent timing both offensively and defensively. Tonelli was also very versatile. During his eight seasons with the Islanders, coach Al Arbour used Tonelli on the famed "Banana Line" with Wayne Merrick and Bob Nystrom, on the top line with Bryan Trottier and Mike Bossy, and later he played flank for Brent Sutter and Patrick Flatley. 
Although Tonelli played a key role in the four Cup victories the team won from 1980 to 1983, in some ways his career culminated in the fall of 1984 when he played for Canada in the Canada Cup, an invitation he almost turned down.
He not only made the team, he had nine points, including a key assist on Mike Bossy's goal in overtime of the semifinal. Canada won the championship and Tonelli was named the tournament's best player. He then rejoined the Islanders and had his best season ever, scoring 42 goals and 100 points in 1984-1985 before being traded to the Calgary Flames during the 85-86 season. The Calgary Flames, with Tonelli's experience, reached The Stanley Cup finals for the first time.
Tonelli finished his 1028-game NHL career with 325 goals and 511 assists for 836 points.
In Milton, Ontario, John Tonelli Arena is named in his honour
==Awards==
*OMJHL First All-Star Team (1975) 
*Most valuable player of the 1984 Canada Cup tournament.
*1982 and 1985 NHL second all-star (left wing)
== 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
1973–74 	Toronto Marlboros 	OHA 	 	69 	18 	37 	55 	62 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1974–75 	Toronto Marlboros 	OMJHL 	 	70 	49 	86 	135 	85 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1975–76 	Houston Aeros 	WHA 	 	79 	14 	17 	31 	66 	 	17 	7 	7 	14 	18
1976–77 	Houston Aeros 	WHA 	 	80 	24 	31 	55 	109 	 	11 	3 	4 	7 	12
1977–78 	Houston Aeros 	WHA 	 	65 	23 	41 	64 	103 	 	6 	1 	3 	4 	8
1978–79 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	73 	17 	39 	56 	44 	 	10 	1 	6 	7 	0
1979–80 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	77 	14 	30 	44 	49 	 	21 	7 	9 	16 	18
1980–81 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	70 	20 	32 	52 	57 	 	16 	5 	8 	13 	16
1981–82 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	80 	35 	58 	93 	57 	 	19 	6 	10 	16 	18
1982–83 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	76 	31 	40 	71 	55 	 	20 	7 	11 	18 	20
1983–84 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	73 	27 	40 	67 	66 	 	17 	1 	3 	4 	31
1984–85 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	80 	42 	58 	100 	95 	 	10 	1 	8 	9 	10
1985–86 	New York Islanders	NHL 	 	65 	20 	41 	61 	50 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1985–86 	Calgary Flames 	NHL 	 	9 	3 	4 	7 	10 	 	22 	7 	9 	16 	49
1986–87 	Calgary Flames 	NHL 	 	78 	20 	31 	51 	72 	 	3 	0 	0 	0 	4
1987–88 	Calgary Flames 	NHL 	 	74 	17 	41 	58 	84 	 	6 	2 	5 	7 	8
1988–89 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	71 	31 	33 	64 	110 	 	6 	0 	0 	0 	8
1989–90 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	73 	31 	37 	68 	62 	 	10 	1 	2 	3 	6
1990–91 	Los Angeles Kings 	NHL 	 	71 	14 	16 	30 	49 	 	12 	2 	4 	6 	12
1991–92 	Chicago Blackhawks	NHL 	 	33 	1 	7 	8 	37 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
1991–92 	Quebec Nordiques 	NHL 	 	19 	2 	4 	6 	14 	 	— 	— 	— 	— 	—
NHL totals	NHL totals 	NHL totals	 	1028 	325 	511 	836 	911 	 	172 	40 	75 	115 	200
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	 	
==External links==
*Legends of Hockey entry on Tonelli
*
Category:Born in 1957
Category:Chicago Blackhawks players
Category:Los Angeles Kings players
Category:NHL players with 100 point seasons
Category:New York Islanders draft picks
Category:New York Islanders players
Category:Quebec Nordiques players
Category:Stanley Cup champions
Category:Toronto Marlboros alumni
Category:NHL All-Stars
Category:Canadian ice hockey players
Category:Calgary Flames players
Category:Retired in 1992
Category:Houston Aeros (WHA) players