John Craighead
# John Craighead

John Craighead (born November 23, 1971) is a retired professional ice hockey right winger. He played five games for the Toronto Maple Leafs during 1996–97 season. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1991 to 2005, was spent in the minor leagues and then in Europe.

Some sources claim that he was born in Richmond, Virginia. He spent most of his youth growing up in Vancouver, British Columbia.

He has played ice hockey for the Nottingham Panthers and the IHL's Detroit Vipers.

He holds the Deutsche Eishockey Liga record for penalty minutes for the Thomas Sabo Ice Tigers.

On March 3, 2023, he was involved in an on and off ice altercation between himself and a referee in the Adult Safe Hockey League. Langley RCMP stated that “Front Line officers responded and were advised there had been an altercation between a player and an on-ice official that resulted in the alleged assault of that official.” Craighead stated that these claims were "a defamation of character, propaganda, and are being made because of his race." The referee claimed that he punched him 3 times and landed on him after fighting another individual.

## Career statistics

### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1989–90 | Ladner Penguins | BCJHL | 11 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1990–91 | New Westminster Royals | BCJHL | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Surrey Eagles | BCJHL | 13 | 7 | 6 | 13 | 38 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | Chilliwack Chiefs | BCJHL | 25 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 116 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1991–92 | West Palm Beach Blaze | SuHL | 39 | 12 | 17 | 29 | 160 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–93 | West Palm Beach Blaze | SuHL | 36 | 12 | 9 | 21 | 158 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 4 |
| 1992–93 | Johnstown Chiefs | ECHL | 1 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 17 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1992–93 | Louisville Icehawks | ECHL | 5 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 33 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Huntington Blizzard | ECHL | 9 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 44 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1993–94 | Richmond Renegades | ECHL | 28 | 18 | 12 | 30 | 89 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1994–95 | Detroit Vipers | IHL | 44 | 5 | 7 | 12 | 285 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 |
| 1995–96 | Detroit Vipers | IHL | 63 | 7 | 9 | 16 | 368 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 28 |
| 1996–97 | Toronto Maple Leafs | NHL | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1996–97 | St. John's Maple Leafs | AHL | 53 | 9 | 10 | 19 | 318 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 22 |
| 1997–98 | Cleveland Lumberjacks | IHL | 49 | 9 | 7 | 16 | 233 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1997–98 | Quebec Rafales | IHL | 13 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 73 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1998–99 | Nürnberg Ice Tigers | DEL | 34 | 4 | 6 | 10 | 144 | 13 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 60 |
| 1999–00 | Nürnberg Ice Tigers | DEL | 50 | 14 | 15 | 29 | 171 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 9 | 37 |
| 2000–01 | Nürnberg Ice Tigers | DEL | 49 | 7 | 11 | 18 | 152 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 12 |
| 2001–02 | Revier Löwen Oberhausen | DEL | 49 | 10 | 12 | 22 | 226 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2002–03 | Manitoba Moose | AHL | 47 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 109 | 14 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 32 |
| 2003–04 | Nottingham Panthers | EIHL | 54 | 39 | 30 | 69 | 182 | 6 | 5 | 1 | 6 | 8 |
| 2004–05 | Nottingham Panthers | EIHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 2004–05 | Cardiff Devils | EIHL | 16 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 20 | 10 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 36 |
| DEL totals | DEL totals | DEL totals | 182 | 35 | 44 | 79 | 693 | 26 | 7 | 7 | 14 | 109 |
| NHL totals | NHL totals | NHL totals | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — |
