NHL Alumni Cory Conacher
Early Life and College Career
Born on December 14, 1989, in Burlington, Ontario, Conacher played junior hockey with the Burlington Cougars before attending Canisius College. At Canisius, he became the school's all-time leader in points (147), goals (62), assists (85), and game-winning goals (12) over 129 games. In the 2009ā10 season, he was named the Atlantic Hockey Association Player of the Year and a first-team All-Atlantic Hockey honoree. charlottecheckers.com+2hockey-reference.com+2eliteprospects.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2canisius.edu+2nhl.com+2
Professional Career
AHL and NHL
After going undrafted, Conacher began his professional career in the AHL, where he had a standout 2011ā12 season with the Norfolk Admirals. He led the league with 39 goals and was awarded the Les Cunningham Award (MVP), Willie Marshall Award (top goal scorer), and Dudley "Red" Garrett Memorial Award (rookie of the year). en.wikipedia.org
Conacher made his NHL debut with the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 2012ā13 season, recording 24 points in 35 games before being traded to the Ottawa Senators. He also had stints with the Buffalo Sabres, New York Islanders, and returned to the Lightning for multiple seasons.
International Play
Conacher played in Switzerland's National League for teams like SC Bern and Lausanne HC. He won the National League A title with SC Bern in the 2015ā16 season and contributed to Team Canada's gold medal at the 2015 Spengler Cup. reddit.com+3en.wikipedia.org+3rciscience.ca+3
Later Career and Retirement
Returning to North America, Conacher signed professional tryout contracts with AHL teams including the Belleville Senators and Charlotte Checkers. In June 2023, he signed a one-year contract with the Chicago Wolves, recording 8 goals and 19 points in 66 games during the 2023ā24 season. hockeydb.com+2en.wikipedia.org+2reddit.com+2
Post-Playing Career
Transitioning into leadership roles, Conacher became the franchise owner of the Strathroy Rockets in the Greater Ontario Junior Hockey League for the 2024ā25 and 2025ā26 seasons. He also took on the role of Director of the U8 team for the Jr. Raiders, sharing his experience with young players. eliteprospects.com+1reddit.com+1instagram.com+1instagram.com+1
Personal Challenges
Conacher was born with bladder exstrophy, a rare condition requiring multiple surgeries. Despite this, he pursued a professional hockey career, demonstrating resilience and determination.
Standing at 5'8", Conacher overcame size-related challenges to succeed at the highest levels of hockey, earning respect for his tenacity and skill.
For more detailed statistics and information on Cory Conacher's career, you can visit his Elite Prospects profile.eliteprospects.com
