Terry Caffery

Terrance Michael Caffery (April 1, 1949 – August 3, 2022) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played for the New England Whalers and the Calgary Cowboys of the World Hockey Association, as well as for the Chicago Black Hawks and the Minnesota North Stars of the National Hockey League between 1969 and 1976.

Terry Caffery
Born	(1949-04-01)April 1, 1949 Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Died	August 3, 2022(2022-08-03) (aged 73) Thornhill, Ontario, Canada
Height	5 ft 9 in (175 cm)
Weight	165 lb (75 kg; 11 st 11 lb)
Position	Centre
Shot	Right
Played for	Chicago Black Hawks Minnesota North Stars New England Whalers Calgary Cowboys
National team	Canada
NHL draft	3rd overall, 1966 Chicago Black Hawks
Playing career	1969–1976

Playing career

After an impressive junior career with the Toronto Marlboros of the Ontario Hockey Association, during which Caffery was drafted third overall by the Black Hawks in the 1966 NHL Amateur Draft behind Barry Gibbs and Brad Park, he played a season for the Canadian National team. He made his NHL debut with the Black Hawks in 1969, but spent most of the next three seasons in the minor leagues with the Dallas Black Hawks of the Central Hockey League and the Cleveland Barons of the American Hockey League, averaging over a point a game and winning the AHL's Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award as rookie of the year in 1972.

The following season Caffery signed with the Whalers and met with his greatest success as a pro, scoring 100 points to finish in the WHA's top ten in the loop's inaugural season and proving a key component in the Whalers' league championship that year. He was awarded the Lou Kaplan Trophy as the league's rookie of the year. However, he suffered a knee injury late that year that, despite him starring in the playoffs, forced him to miss the entire 1974 season. He returned to play for the Whalers the year after that, but remained seriously impaired, and retired during the 1976 season.

His brother was Jack Caffery, a two-sport player who also played minor league baseball in the Milwaukee Braves organization and was credited with inventing the backward grip for faceoffs.

Caffery died on August 3, 2022, in his home at Thornhill, Ontario.^[1]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1965–66	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		43	14	25	39	36		13	3	6	9	18
1966–67	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		39	16	29	45	29		17	10	15	25	10
1966–67	Toronto Marlboros	M-Cup		—	—	—	—	—		9	4	13	17	4
1967–68	Toronto Marlboros	OHA		48	36	47	83	64		2	0	0	0	0
1968–69	Ottawa Nationals	OHA Sr		5	4	8	12	0		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Chicago Black Hawks	NHL		6	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1969–70	Dallas Black Hawks	CHL		42	12	28	40	4		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Dallas Black Hawks	CHL		40	13	34	47	22		—	—	—	—	—
1970–71	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		8	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	0	0
1971–72	Cleveland Barons	AHL		65	29	59	88	18		6	1	3	4	0
1972–73	New England Whalers	WHA		74	39	61	100	14		8	3	7	10	0
1974–75	New England Whalers	WHA		67	15	37	52	12		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	New England Whalers	WHA		2	0	0	0	0		—	—	—	—	—
1975–76	Calgary Cowboys	WHA		21	5	13	18	4		—	—	—	—	—
WHA totals				164	59	111	170	30		8	3	7	10	0
NHL totals				14	0	0	0	0		1	0	0	0	0

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1969	Canada	WC		10	4	4	8	8
Senior totals				10	4	4	8	8

Awards

1972: Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award