American Professional Hockey Player and Coach at the college, minor and pro levels and also a US Hockey Pioneer. Cunniff was a native of South Boston, Ma., and was a two-time All America left wing at Boston College. He was the 1964 ECAC Rookie of the Year, being named the MVP at the prestigious Beanpot Tournament in both 1964 and 1965 when BC defeated BU by identical scores of 5-4. He joined the U.S. National team in 1967 and played for the US at the '68 Olympics in Grenoble, France where he was a teammate of Herb Brooks.He suffered severe shoulder injuries during his college career that limited his effectiveness. He joined the New England Whalers of the World Hockey Association, where he was part of the first ever Avco Cup Championship team and played with WHA stars Rick Ley, Larry Pleau and Tommy Webster. Overall he played in 65 games for the Whalers and Quebec Nordiques where he accrued 10 goals and 10 assists for 20 points with 35 minutes in penalties in regular league games. His playoff totals were 2 goals and 2 assists for 4 points in 18 playoff games. He also played with Cleveland, Baltimore, Rochester, Jacksonville and Springfield of the AHL and Fort Worth Wing of the CHL. Cunniff began his coaching career with Cape Cod of the North American Hockey League, then coached the 1982-83 Binghamton Whalers of the AHL. He took over the Hartford Whalers' acting head coaching job briefly at the end of the 1982-83 season. He was an assistant coach with the Bruins for three years and then joined the New Jersey Devils organization. New Jersey, under Cunniffs leadership went a respectable 59-56-18 in 133 games from November 1989 to March 1991. He also served two terms as a Devils assistant coach, beginning in May 1989. He also coached the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Albany River Rats, for five seasons, where he became one of hockey's most successful minor league coaches. An assistant coach for the U.S. team at the '94, '98 and 2002 Winter Olympics, he was also an assistant coach of the 1982 U.S. National team and the winning 1996 U.S. World Cup team. He was an assistant with the U.S. National team in 1991 and 1993 and the U.S. National Junior team in 1992 and 1993 and received the 1998 Walter Yaciuk Award for outstanding contributions to USA Hockey's coaching education program.In January 2002 he was named an assistant coach to newly named Head Coach Kevin Constantine. Unfortunately, John Cunniff had to step down on February 25th after his illness reoccurred. Former Devs' head coach Larry Robinson, who had just been fired and replaced by Constantine, was called upon by Devils GM and President Lou Lamoriello to come back and help the team as Cunniffs' temporary replacement while he underwent treatment. Robinson said when he returned to the Devils, "you have to put things and feelings aside sometimes, and besides, nothing compares to what Johnny is going through right now." John Cunniff was a great coach and teacher of hockey and was loved and respected by all who knew him. In November 2002, when it was announced that he was appointed to the USA Hockey Program for the Olympic run, John Cunniff modestly stated "Whenever you have the chance to represent your country, it's an honor." His leadership and dedication to United States Hockey can never be replaced.