Mark William Hunter (born November 12, 1962) is a

Canadian Canadians (french: Canadiens) are people identified with the country of Canada. This connection may be residential, legal, historical or cultural. For most Canadians, many (or all) of these connections exist and are collectively the source of ...

professional

ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...

executive, coach, and former player. He most recently served as the assistant general manager for the

Toronto Maple Leafs The Toronto Maple Leafs (officially the Toronto Maple Leaf Hockey Club and often referred to as the Leafs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Div ...

of the

National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...

(NHL). Hunter was born in

Petrolia, Ontario Petrolia is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada. It is part of Lambton County and is surrounded by Enniskillen Township. It is billed as "Canada's Victorian Oil Town" and is often credited with starting the oil industry in North America, a ...

, but grew up in nearby (13 km)

Oil Springs, Ontario Oil Springs is a village in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada, located along Former Provincial Highway 21 south of Oil City. The village, an enclave within Enniskillen Township, is the site of North America's first commercial oil well. It is home ...

, and was one of three brothers, with

Dave Dave may refer to: Film, television, and theater * ''Dave'' (film), a 1993 film starring Kevin Kline and Sigourney Weaver * ''Dave'' (musical), a 2018 stage musical adaptation of the film * Dave (TV channel), a digital television channel in the ...

and Dale, to play in the NHL.

Junior hockey

Brantford Alexanders

Hunter began his junior hockey career with the

Brantford Alexanders The Brantford Alexanders were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League from 1978 to 1984. The team was based in Brantford, Ontario, Canada. History The Hamilton Fincups were relocated in 1978 be ...

for the 1979–80 season where in his rookie season he finished fifth in team scoring, getting 34 goals and 89 points in 66 games, while getting 171 penalty minutes, helping Brantford to the playoffs. In 11 postseason games, Hunter had two goals and 10 points. He returned to the Alexanders for the 1980–81 season, as Hunter appeared in 53 games, scoring 39 goals and 79 points to finish sixth in team scoring, while having a team high 157 penalty minutes. In six playoff games, Hunter had three goals and six points. After the season, Hunter was selected in the first round, seventh overall by the

Montreal Canadiens The Montreal CanadiensEven in English, the French spelling is always used instead of ''Canadians''. The French spelling of ''Montréal'' is also sometimes used in the English media. (french: link=no, Les Canadiens de Montréal), officially ...

in the

1981 NHL Entry Draft Events January * January 1 ** Greece enters the European Economic Community, predecessor of the European Union. ** Palau becomes a self-governing territory. * January 10 – Salvadoran Civil War: The Farabundo Martí National Liberation Fr ...

Professional career

Montreal Canadiens

Hunter made the NHL as an 18-year-old with the

for the 1981–82 season. In 71 games with the Canadiens, Hunter had 18 goals and 29 points, while finishing second on the team with 143 penalty minutes, helping Montreal into the playoffs. In five playoff games against the

Quebec Nordiques The Quebec Nordiques (french: Nordiques de Québec, pronounced in Quebec French, in Canadian English; translated "Quebec City Northmen" or "Northerners") were a professional ice hockey team based in Quebec City. The Nordiques played in the W ...

, Hunter had no points and 20 penalty minutes as the Canadiens lost to their provincial rivals. Hunter appeared in only 31 games for the Canadiens during the 1982–83 season, scoring eight goals and 16 points, while accumulating 73 penalty minutes. He suffered a season ending knee injury on December 26, 1982 in a game against the

. Hunter had another injury plagued season in 1983–84, playing in 22 games, scoring six goals and 10 points. Hunter was healthy for the playoffs, where he scored two goals and three points in 14 games, helping the Canadiens reach the

Wales Conference Wales ( cy, Cymru ) is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It is bordered by England to the east, the Irish Sea to the north and west, the Celtic Sea to the south west and the Bristol Channel to the south. It had a population in 20 ...

finals, where they lost to the

New York Islanders The New York Islanders (colloquially known as the Isles) are a professional ice hockey team based in Elmont, New York. The Islanders compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference ( ...

. He was healthy during the 1984–85 season, as Hunter played in 72 games, scoring 21 goals and 33 points, while getting 123 penalty minutes, the second highest total on the team. In the playoffs, Hunter had three assists in 11 games, however, Montreal lost to the

in the

Adams Division The NHL's Adams Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. The division existed for 19 seasons until 1993. It was named in honour of Charles Francis Adams, the founder of the Boston Bruins. It is the forerunner of the ...

finals. On June 15, 1985, the Canadiens traded Hunter,

Mike Dark Michael Dark (born September 17, 1963) is a Canadian retired ice hockey defenceman. Dark played 43 NHL games for the St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the Nation ...

, and their second, third, fifth and sixth round draft picks in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft to the

St. Louis Blues The St. Louis Blues are a professional ice hockey team based in St. Louis. The Blues compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the ...

for the Blues first, second, fourth, fifth and sixth round draft picks in the 1985 NHL Entry Draft.

St. Louis Blues

Hunter joined the

for the 1985–86 season, where he broke out offensively, scoring a team high 44 goals and finished second on team scoring with 74 points, helping St. Louis qualify for the playoffs. Hunter appeared in the 1986 NHL All-Star Game held in

Hartford, Connecticut Hartford is the capital city of the U.S. state of Connecticut. It was the seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960. It is the core city in the Greater Hartford metropolitan area. Census estimates since the ...

, going pointless as the

Campbell Conference Campbell may refer to: People Surname * Campbell (surname), includes a list of people with surname Campbell Given name * Campbell Brown (footballer), an Australian rules footballer * Campbell Brown (journalist) (born 1968), American television ne ...

lost 4–3 in overtime to the

. In the playoffs, Hunter had seven goals and 14 points in 19 games, helping the Blues reach the

finals, where they lost in seven games to the

Calgary Flames The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...

. Hunter had another solid season for the Blues in 1986–87, scoring 36 goals and 69 points to finish third in team scoring in 74 games. In the playoffs, Hunter had three assists in five games as the Blues lost to the

in the first round. In 1987–88, Hunter missed 14 games due to injuries, however, he managed to break the 30 goal plateau for the third consecutive season, scoring 32 goals and 63 points in 66 games. In the postseason, Hunter had two goals and five points in five games, as the Blues lost to the

Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...

in the

Norris Division The NHL's Norris Division was formed in 1974 as part of the Prince of Wales Conference. When the NHL realigned into geographic divisions in 1981, the division moved to the Clarence Campbell Conference, where it comprised the league's Great Lakes a ...

finals. On September 6, 1988, St. Louis traded Hunter,

Doug Gilmour Douglas Robert Gilmour (born June 25, 1963) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He played 20 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for seven different teams. Gilmour was a seventh round selection, 134th overall, of the St. ...

Steve Bozek Steven Michael Bozek (born November 26, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left wing who spent 11 seasons in the NHL with five clubs. Noted for his hard shot, he was a reliable two-way forward and strong penalty killer. Playing c ...

and

to the

for Mike Bullard,

Craig Coxe Craig Raymond Coxe (born January 21, 1964) is an American former professional ice hockey player. In addition to playing in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, and the San Jose Sharks. Coxe ...

and

Tim Corkery Tim Corkery (born 1 December 2001) is an Irish rugby union player, currently playing for Pro14 and European Rugby Champions Cup side Leinster Rugby, Leinster. His preferred position is Fly-half (rugby union), fly-half. Leinster Corkery was name ...

Calgary Flames

Hunter saw his offensive production drop in his first season with the

in 1988–89, as he scored 22 goals and 30 points, which was his lowest point total since the 1983–84 season, in 66 games. In ten playoff games, Hunter had two goals and four points, as he helped the Flames win the 1989 Stanley Cup Final over the

. Hunter missed the majority of the 1989–90 season due to knee surgery. In ten games with the Flames, Hunter had two goals and five points and did not suit up for the team for the playoffs. Hunter returned from his knee injury for the 1990–91 season, as in 57 games, he scored 10 goals and 25 points for Calgary. On March 5, 1991, the Flames traded Hunter to the

Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its existence in Hartford, Connecticut. The club played in the World Hockey Association (WHA) from 1972 until 1979, and in the National Hockey League (NHL) from 1979 to ...

for Carey Wilson.

Hartford Whalers

Hunter finished the 1990–91 season with the

, where in 11 games, he scored four goals and seven points. In six playoff games, Hunter had five goals and six points as the Whalers lost to the

Boston Bruins The Boston Bruins are a professional ice hockey team based in Boston. The Bruins compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division in the Eastern Conference. The team has been in existence since 1924, making t ...

in the first round of the playoffs. In 63 games with the Whalers in 1991–92, Hunter scored 10 goals and 23 points, helping the team reach the playoffs. In four playoff games, he did not earn any points, as the Whalers lost to the

in the first round. On June 15, 1992, Hartford traded Hunter and Yvon Corriveau to the

Washington Capitals The Washington Capitals (colloquially known as the Caps) are a professional ice hockey team based in Washington, D.C. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL) ...

for

Nick Kypreos Nikos "Nick" Kypreos (born June 4, 1966) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey left winger who played eight seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Hartford Whalers, Washington Capitals, New York Rangers and Toronto Maple Lea ...

Washington Capitals

Hunter appeared in only seven games with the

during the 1992–93 season, earning no points for the team. He finished the year with the

Baltimore Skipjacks The Baltimore Skipjacks were a minor league professional ice hockey team from Baltimore, Maryland, United States. The Skipjacks originated in 1979, and played as the Baltimore Clippers in the Eastern Hockey League for two seasons. The team was ...

of the AHL, where he had 13 goals and 31 points in 28 games with Baltimore. In seven playoff games, Hunter had three goals and four points for the Skipjacks. Hunter retired from hockey after the season. In 628 career games, he scored 213 goals and 171 assists for 384 points, while accumulating 1426 penalty minutes.

Career statistics

Coaching career

Sarnia Sting

Hunter became the coach of the

Sarnia Sting Sarnia is a city in Lambton County, Ontario, Canada. It had a 2021 population of 72,047, and is the largest city on Lake Huron. Sarnia is located on the eastern bank of the junction between the Upper and Lower Great Lakes where Lake Huron fl ...

in the

OHL OHL or Ohl may refer to: Initialisms *Latvian Hockey Higher League, known in Latvian as the ''Optibet hokeja līga'' *Oberste Heeresleitung, the Supreme Army Command of Germany in World War I *Obrascón Huarte Lain, a Spanish construction company * ...

midway through the 1994–95 season. He led the Sting to a 17–19–2 record in 38 games, helping the team reach the playoffs. Sarnia was then swept by the

Windsor Spitfires The Windsor Spitfires are a Canadian junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). The team is based in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Founded in 1971, the franchise was promoted to the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League for the 1975� ...

in the first round of the playoffs. In the 1995–96 season, Hunter led the Sting to a 39–23–4 record, finishing in second place in the Western Division. Sarnia swept the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds in the first round of the playoffs, however, the Sting lost to the

Peterborough Petes The Peterborough Petes are a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The team has played at the Peterborough Memorial Centre in Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, since 1956, and is the oldest continuously operating team in the league. ...

in the second round. After the season, Hunter left his head coaching position with the Sting to become the head coach of the

St. John's Maple Leafs The St. John's Maple Leafs were a minor ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, Canada, at Memorial Stadium from 1991 to 2001, and at Mile One Stadium from 2001 to 2005. The team was ...

St. John's Maple Leafs

Hunter became the head coach of the

of the AHL for the 1996–97 season. Hunter led the Maple Leafs to a 36–28–10–6 record to finish in first place in the Canadian Division. In the playoffs, St. John's defeated the

Binghamton Rangers The Binghamton Rangers were an ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Binghamton, New York, USA at the Broome County Veterans Memorial Arena. History The market was previously served by: : Broome Dusters of the NAHL (1973 ...

in the first round, however, the Maple Leafs were eliminated in seven games by the

Hamilton Bulldogs The Hamilton Bulldogs are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League that began to play in the 2015–16 OHL season, 2015–16 season. Based in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada, the Bulldogs play their home games at FirstOntario Cent ...

in the second round. After the season, Hunter left St. John's and returned to the

Sarnia Sting

Hunter returned to the Sarnia Sting of the OHL for the 1997–98 season. He helped the club to the playoffs, as they finished with a 32–21–13 record, third place in the Western Division. They lost to the

Plymouth Whalers The Plymouth Whalers were a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. They played out of Compuware Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, USA, a suburb of Detroit until 2015 when they were relocated to Flint, Michigan. History The Whalers ...

in five games in the first round of the playoffs. The Sting improved in the 1998–99 season, as the team finished with a 37–25–6 to finish in second place in the West Division. Sarnia had a disappointing playoff result though, losing in six games to the

London Knights The London Knights are a junior ice hockey team from London, Ontario, Canada, playing in the Ontario Hockey League, one of the leagues of the Canadian Hockey League. The Knights started out in 1965 as the London Nationals but changed to their cu ...

in the first round. In 1999–2000, the Sting fell to a record of 33–27–8–0, finishing in third place in the West Division. In the postseason, the Sting lost to the

in seven game in the first round.

London Knights

Hunter became co-owner of the

with his brother

Dale Hunter Dale Robert Hunter (born July 31, 1960) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player and the former head coach of the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League and current co-owner, president, and head coach of the London Knights o ...

, where he served as an assistant coach and general manager of the club while Dale was the head coach of the Knights. On November 28, 2011, Mark became the head coach of the Knights when Dale left to become the head coach of the

. Hunter led the Knights to a 29–13–0 record over their last 42 games, leading the club to first place in the Midwest division In the postseason, the Knights put together a 16–3 record to win the

J. Ross Robertson Cup The J. Ross Robertson Cup is a Canadian ice hockey trophy. It is awarded annually in junior ice hockey to the champion of the Ontario Hockey League playoffs. It was donated by John Ross Robertson to the Ontario Hockey Association in 1910, and ...

for the second time in franchise history. At the 2012 Memorial Cup held in

Shawinigan, Quebec Shawinigan () is a city located on the Saint-Maurice River in the Mauricie area in Quebec, Canada. It had a population of 49,349 as of the 2016 Canadian census. Shawinigan is also a territory equivalent to a regional county municipality (TE) and ...

, the Knights had a record of 2–1 in the round-robin portion of the tournament, which was good enough for the team to advance directly to the championship game. In the final game, the Knights lost to the

Shawinigan Cataractes The Shawinigan Cataractes (french: Cataractes de Shawinigan) are a junior ice hockey team in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. The team is based in Shawinigan, Quebec, Canada. The Cataractes have been previously known as the Shawinigan Bruin ...

in overtime by a score of 2–1.

Head coaching record

Executive career

London Knights

Hunter spent twelve years as owner, vice-president, and general manager of the London Knights in the OHL. He departed his management role with the team in October 2014.

Toronto Maple Leafs

On October 21, 2014, Hunter was announced as the director of player personnel for the Toronto Maple Leafs. On April 12, 2015, after the firing of general manager Dave Nonis, Hunter along with

Kyle Dubas Kyle Dubas (born November 29, 1985) is a Canadian ice hockey executive who is currently the general manager of the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Dubas spent his youth in various roles with the Sault Ste. Marie Greyho ...

were named as co-interim general managers of the Maple Leafs, and they continued as assistant general managers after the Maple Leafs hired

Lou Lamoriello Louis P. Lamoriello (born October 21, 1942) is an American professional ice hockey executive who is the president of hockey operations and general manager for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). He is also the former gene ...

. Lamoriello left the Maple Leafs in April 2018 and Dubas was named Toronto general manager. Shortly afterwards, Hunter agreed to mutually terminate the contract with the Maple Leafs.

Personal life

Hunter has two brothers.

and

Dave Hunter David P. Hunter (born January 1, 1958) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who won three Stanley Cups with the Edmonton Oilers in the 1980s. He also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins and Winnipeg Jets. Hunter was born in Petrol ...

also played in the NHL. Their father also scouts for the Knights. Hunter's son Garett Hunter played parts of three seasons for the London Knights from 2007 to 2010.

References

External links

2006 Mayor's New Year's Honours List
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Hunter, Mark 1962 births Living people Baltimore Skipjacks players Brantford Alexanders players Calgary Flames players Canadian ice hockey coaches Canadian ice hockey forwards Hartford Whalers players Ice hockey people from Ontario Montreal Canadiens draft picks Montreal Canadiens players National Hockey League first-round draft picks People from Lambton County St. Louis Blues players Sarnia Sting coaches Stanley Cup champions Toronto Maple Leafs executives Washington Capitals players