Todd Harkins
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Todd Michael Harkins (born October 8, 1968) is an American former professional
ice hockey Ice hockey (or simply hockey in North America) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an Ice rink, ice skating rink with Ice hockey rink, lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. Tw ...
player who played 48
National Hockey League The National Hockey League (NHL; , ''LNH'') is a professional ice hockey league in North America composed of 32 teams25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. The NHL is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United States and Cana ...
games for 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. The ...
and
Hartford Whalers The Hartford Whalers were a professional ice hockey team based for most of its 25-year 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 1 ...
. Harkins was drafted by the Flames in the 2nd round, 42nd overall in the
1988 NHL Entry Draft The 1988 NHL entry draft was the 26th NHL entry draft. It was held at the Forum in Montreal, Quebec. The last active player in the NHL from this draft class was Teemu Selanne, who retired after the 2013–14 season. Selections by round Be ...
. He has appeared in and consulted on hockey-related movies, and is now an amateur coach and professional scout.


Amateur career

Harkins played center position. His 1981 Cleveland American's Pee Wee team finished third in the nation, which also featured his younger brother
Brett Harkins Brett Alan Harkins (born July 2, 1970) is an American former professional ice hockey left wing, who played for 18 years. He played in the National Hockey League in four stints with the Boston Bruins, Florida Panthers, and Columbus Blue Jackets ...
.Norm Webe
Elyria Catholic coach Dave Phiel named state coaches sportsmanship winner
''Elyria Sun Herald'', March 15, 2009
Harkins and his brother Brett played in the 1981
Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament The Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament () is an annual minor ice hockey event in Quebec City. The tournament was founded in 1960 to coincide with the Quebec Winter Carnival, and give an opportunity for international competition to p ...
, on the Cleveland
minor ice hockey Minor ice hockey or minor hockey is an umbrella term for amateur ice hockey which is played below the junior age level. Players are classified by age, with each age group playing in its own league. The rules, especially as it relates to body c ...
team. Harkins attended St. Edward High School, located in Lakewood, Ohio, a western suburb of
Cleveland Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located along the southern shore of Lake Erie, it is situated across the Canada–U.S. maritime border and approximately west of the Ohio-Pennsylvania st ...
. He was an integral member of the 1985
Ohio High School Athletic Association The Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA) is the governing body of athletic programs for junior and senior high schools in the state of Ohio. The OHSAA governs eligibility of student athletes, resolves disputes, organizes levels of comp ...
State "big school" hockey champions. St. Edward would later name Harkins to the school's Athletic Hall of Fame. Harkins played three seasons of college hockey for
Miami University Miami University (informally Miami of Ohio or simply Miami) is a public university, public research university in Oxford, Ohio, United States. Founded in 1809, it is the second-oldest List of colleges and universities in Ohio, university in Ohi ...
, recording 44 points in 40 games in 1989–90. He was a pre-med major but never graduated from Miami.http://www.ccha.com/sports/m-hockey/spec-rel/111804aad.html While at Miami, he was selected 42nd overall by 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. The ...
in 1988. In the Miami record book, Harkins ranks tied for ninth position for most goals in a season (27), and tied for fourth for power-play goals in a season (13). He also racked up a lot of penalty minutes. He ranks second all-time in career minutes (288), first for the most penalties in a season (62), first in most penalty minutes in a season (133, 1988–89), and is tied with two others for penalty minutes in a game (16 minutes, vs. Ohio State on January 2, 1988).


Professional career

The following season, he turned pro, spending most of the next four seasons in the Flames farm system. Harkins made his NHL debut in 1991–92, appearing in five games with the Flames. The following season, he appeared in 15 more games with Calgary. Late in the 1993–94 season, Harkins was dealt to the Whalers, where he appeared in 28 more NHL games. While he was with the Whalers, he was arrested in
Buffalo, New York Buffalo is a Administrative divisions of New York (state), city in the U.S. state of New York (state), New York and county seat of Erie County, New York, Erie County. It lies in Western New York at the eastern end of Lake Erie, at the head of ...
, along with five other players and coach. On March 24, 1994, the seven were arrested after a nightclub altercation, for which they pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of trespassing.SPORTS PEOPLE: Hockey brie
Ninth Whaler Arrested
''New York Times'', Tuesday, April 12, 1994
His stint with the Whalers was his last in the NHL. He would return to the minor leagues shortly thereafter. Harkins stayed to the minor leagues until he went over to Europe in 1997, playing first in the
German German(s) may refer to: * Germany, the country of the Germans and German things **Germania (Roman era) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizenship in Germany, see also Ge ...
Deutsche Eishockey Liga The Deutsche Eishockey Liga (for sponsorship reasons called Penny (supermarket), PENNY Deutsche Eishockey Liga) (; English: ''German Ice Hockey League'') or DEL, is a professional ice hockey league in Germany and the highest division in German i ...
, and then the
Swiss Swiss most commonly refers to: * the adjectival form of Switzerland * Swiss people Swiss may also refer to: Places * Swiss, Missouri * Swiss, North Carolina * Swiss, West Virginia * Swiss, Wisconsin Other uses * Swiss Café, an old café located ...
Nationalliga A. He retired from professional hockey in 2001. Harkins represented the
United States The United States of America (USA), also known as the United States (U.S.) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It is a federal republic of 50 U.S. state, states and a federal capital district, Washington, D.C. The 48 ...
in the
Ice Hockey World Championships The Ice Hockey World Championships are an annual international men's ice hockey tournament organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), first officially held at the 1920 Summer Olympics. The IIHF was created in 1908 while the I ...
twice: in 1992, and 1995. In 1993, Harkins also played
inline hockey Inline hockey or roller hockey is a variant of hockey played on a hard, smooth surface, with players using inline skates to move and ice hockey sticks to shoot a hard, plastic puck into their opponent's goal to score points. The sport is a v ...
for the Utah Rollerbees of the
Roller Hockey International Roller Hockey International was a professional inline hockey league that operated in North America from 1993 to 1999. It was the first major professional league for inline hockey. History League president Dennis Murphy had been involved in ...
, scoring 14 goals and 21 points in nine games.


After retirement

Harkins was a credited actor in the 2004 movie ''Miracle'' about the 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey team, in which he portrayed legendary left-winger Valeri Kharlamov as a member of the Soviet Union national ice hockey team. As a result of appearing in the movie, Harkins was cast in the first season of ''Making the Cut'', a reality television show on the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (), branded as CBC/Radio-Canada, is the Canadian Public broadcasting, public broadcaster for both radio and television. It is a Crown corporation that serves as the national public broadcaster, with its E ...
that follows amateur players competing for an invitation to an NHL training camp. Harkins assisted with the 2008 movie '' Slap Shot 3: The Junior League'', for which he choreographed the hockey sequences.Don Mone
Slap Shot 3 draws misconduct penalty
, ''Pro Hockey News'', Dec 15, 2008
Harkins has held various positions developing young talent including an amateur coach and scout. Harkins was a first year head coach of the North West Vancouver Giants in the BC Hockey Major Midget League for the 2010–11 season and led the team to the BC League and Playoff Provincial Championships, sweeping the Alberta champions to earn the Pacific Region berth in the National Midget Hockey Championships (The Telus Cup). After winning the round-robin portion of the championship, earning a number one seed in the playoff round, they were upset in the semi-final. This Harkins coached team was the first BC Major Midget team in history to qualify for the National Championships. He was awarded the BC Hockey Association Coach of the Year that season and served a second season as head coach in 2011–12, again winning league and playoff Provincial Championships, before losing the eventual National Champion Alberta team in the bid to attend the second Telus Cup in as many years. The following season, in accordance with BC Hockey Association rules, he stepped down when his middle son Jansen was selected to the team. He was also director of hockey operations for th
North Shore Winter Club
for 11 years. While at the North Shore Winter Club he coached the 2002–03 Pee Wee AAA Team, winning the Provincial Championships. In this season his team made history becoming the first team west of Ontario to win the World Championships at the historic Quebec International Pee Wee Tournament, in Quebec City. In 2005, Harkins returned to the bench to coach the 2005–06 edition of the North Shore Winter Club Pee Wee AAA team. The team registered a " perfect season", not losing or tying a game in the entire season of league play, winning the final and deciding game for the Provincial Championships 10–1. In 2009, he served as director of player personnel and scouting for the Burnaby Express, a junior "A" team also of the
British Columbia Hockey League The British Columbia Hockey League (BCHL) is an independent Canadian Junior ice hockey league with 21 teams in British Columbia and Alberta. It was classified as a Junior "A" league within the Hockey Canada framework, until it became independe ...
(BCHL).Tom Berridg
Express bring scouts on board
''New Westminster Register'', Saturday, May 30, 2009
He has also been a head scout with the Westside Warriors of the BCHL. On July 15, 2014, Harkins accepted a five-year contract as general manager for the
Prince George Cougars The Prince George Cougars are a Canada, Canadian major junior ice hockey team based in Prince George, British Columbia. Founded in 1971 as the Victoria Cougars (WHL), Victoria Cougars, the team was relocated to Prince George in 1994, where it b ...
of the
Western Hockey League The Western Hockey League (WHL) is a junior ice hockey league based in Western Canada and the Northwestern United States. The WHL is one of three leagues that constitutes the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) as the highest level of junior hocke ...
(WHL), but was released after four seasons.


Personal life

Harkins came from a hockey family. Older brother Donald and younger brother Brett also starred at St. Edward High School. Donald also played collegiately at Miami University. Brett followed in Todd's footsteps in many ways, leaving St. Edward early to play elite amateur hockey in Canada, then onto a strong collegiate career, draft by the NHL, a career minor leaguer with a brief stint in the NHL, and eventually playing professionally in Europe. He is married to Kirsten, and they have three sons. His eldest son, Nicklas, was diagnosed with Mucopolysaccharidosis (MPS), a rare genetic disorder. His middle son Jansen was drafted by the
Winnipeg Jets The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The Jets compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division (NHL), Central Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference. The te ...
. They live in North Vancouver, British Columbia.


Career statistics


References


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Harkins, Todd 1968 births Living people American men's ice hockey centers Calgary Flames draft picks Calgary Flames players Carolina Monarchs players Chicago Wolves players Düsseldorfer EG players Eisbären Berlin players EV Zug players Fort Wayne Komets players Hartford Whalers players Houston Aeros (1994–2013) players Ice hockey people from Cleveland Miami RedHawks men's ice hockey players Phoenix Roadrunners (IHL) players St. Edward High School (Lakewood, Ohio) alumni Saint John Flames players Salt Lake Golden Eagles (IHL) players Schwenninger Wild Wings players Springfield Indians players Utah Rollerbees players American inline hockey players Aurora Eagles players 20th-century American sportsmen