John Hanna (ice hockey)

John Isaac "Junior" Hanna (April 5, 1935 – November 20, 2005) was a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and coach. Hanna is considered to be the first player in the National Hockey League (NHL) of Lebanese descent.[1][2]

John Hanna
Born (1935-04-05)April 5, 1935
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Died November 20, 2005(2005-11-20) (aged 70)
Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada
Height 5 ft 10 in (178 cm)
Weight 175 lb (79 kg; 12 st 7 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Right
Played for New York Rangers
Montreal Canadiens
Philadelphia Flyers
Cleveland Crusaders
Playing career 1955–1975

Hanna was born in Sydney, Nova Scotia. He played junior hockey for the Trois-Rivières Aigles and the Chicoutimi Sagueneens before signing a professional contract.[2] He played 198 games in the NHL[1] with the New York Rangers, Montreal Canadiens and Philadelphia Flyers. He also played 66 games in the World Hockey Association (WHA) with the Cleveland Crusaders. However, the majority of his career was spent in the minors with the Quebec Aces of the American Hockey League and the Seattle Totems of the Western Hockey League.

After retiring from competitive play, he was hired for several brief coaching stints in the AHL. He also served as head coach of the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association for part of the 1974-74 season.[3][4]

Hanna died of cancer on November 20, 2005.[5]

Coaching stats
TeamYearRegular seasonPost season
GWLTPtsDivision rankResult
Cleveland Crusaders1974-75 3414191(29)2nd in EastMissed playoffs

References
  1. "Hockey and Ramadan". www.iihf.com. International Ice Hockey Federation. 24 September 2009. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  2. White, John (15 March 2015). "Cape Breton's John "Junior" Hanna: First NHLer of Lebanese descent". cedarsclubsydney.ca. Cape Breton Star. Archived from the original on 10 August 2018. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  3. "W.H.A. Crusaders Name Hanna Coach". The New York Times. 29 May 1974. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  4. Surgent, Scott (2010). The Complete Historical and Statistical Reference to the World Hockey Association, 1972-1979. Xaler Press. p. 20. ISBN 9780964477445. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  5. "Cape Breton hockey great dies at age 70 | CBC News". CBC. CBC News. 21 November 2005. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
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