Anthony Currie (born November 12, 1957) is a Canadian former ice hockeyforward who spent eight seasons in the National Hockey League between 1977 and 1985 with the St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks, and Hartford Whalers. Currie also spent several years in the minor leagues, and the last several years of his career were spent in Europe, where he played in Germany, Switzerland, and Italy, retiring in 1990.
Currie was a selected 63rd overall in the 1977 NHL amateur draft by the St. Louis Blues following a 73-goal season for the Portland Winter Hawks of the WHL. He played 22 games for the Blues in 1977–78. During the 1979–80 season, he posting 19 goals in 40 games once called up to St. Louis. In 1980–81, he recorded 55 points in 61 games, helping the Blues to a second place overall finish in the regular season. In the playoffs, he recorded 16 points and a then-franchise record 12 assists in 11 games.
However, Currie struggled throughout his career to maintain a consistent roster spot as coaches felt his poor defensive game and lack of size and physical play overshadowed his ability to create offense [citation needed]. He continued to produce well in 1981–82, notching 40 points in 48 games, before being dealt to the Vancouver Canucks at the trade deadline. He added 5 more goals for Vancouver to finish with 23 in just 60 games to match his career high from the previous season, but appeared in only three games in the playoffs as Vancouver went on a surprising run to the Stanley Cup Finals.
Not a favourite of defensive-minded Canuck coach Roger Neilson, and despite his high level of production to that point of his career, Currie found himself back in the minors for most of the next two seasons, appearing in only 26 more games for the team.[citation needed] Released by Vancouver mid-way through the 1983–84 season, Currie signed with the Hartford Whalers. He posted 14 goals and 28 points in just 32 games for the Whalers. Despite posting 11 points in 13 games to start the 1984–85 campaign, he was waived by the Whalers. He spent two more seasons in the minors before moving to Europe and retiring in 1990.
Currie finished his NHL career with totals of 92 goals and 119 assists for 211 points in 290 NHL games, along with 73 penalty minutes.
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