Career Vitals

Career NHL Statistics

Team: Winnipeg
Years: 1979-1981. Playoffs: None

Pre-Draft Highlights

Played for St. Michael's Majors (OHA Midget) in 1967-68. ... Had one goal in four major-junior games with Peterborough (OHA) during 1968-69 season. ... Won Oshawa (OHA) Most Valuable Player Award for 1969-70. ... Said he developed much of his on-ice style and remarkable ability to deke goaltenders as a result of his many years playing lacrosse.
 

Career Highlights

Also played left wing during his pro career. ... Played one game for 1971-72 Muskegon team that won IHL regular-season title. ... Scored four goals to lead Nova Scotia (AHL) to an 8-4 win over New Haven on March 9, 1975. ... Tied for AHL lead with 44 goals for Nova Scotia in 1974-75. ... Finished second in AHL and led Nova Scotia with 104 points in 1974-75. ... Named to AHL All-Star Second Team with Nova Scotia in 1974-75. ... Won WHA AVCO World Trophy with Winnipeg in 1976. ... Won Winnipeg (WHA) Booster Club Rookie of Year Award for 1975-76. ... Played on 1977-78 Winnipeg team that won WHA regular-season title. ... Won WHA AVCO World Trophy with Winnipeg in 1978. ... Represented Winnipeg as one of the WHA All-Stars who faced Moscow Dynamo in a three-game series at Edmonton in January 1979. He scored an empty-net goal in Game 1 of the series, a 4-2 victory on Jan. 2, 1979, had an assist in the 4-2 Game 2 victory on Jan. 4, and a scored another goal in the final game, a 4-3 win, on Jan. 5. The WHA All-Stars swept the series, and Sullivan was the only player from either team to record points in all three games. ... Tied Wayne Gretzky for third place in WHA with 46 goals for Winnipeg in 1978-79. ... Tied for ninth in WHA with 86 points for Winnipeg in 1978-79. ... Won WHA AVCO World Trophy with Winnipeg in 1979. ... Won Winnipeg (WHA) Most Improved Player Award for 1978-79. ... Entered NHL with Winnipeg as team's active leader in goals (125) and points (295) from its WHA years. ... Played on Winnipeg Jets' inaugural NHL team (now Arizona Coyotes franchise) in 1979-80 after merger with WHA. At age 28, he also made his NHL debut in the franchise's first NHL game on Oct. 10, 1979, at Pittsburgh -- scoring his first NHL goal at 15:56 of the third period of a 4-2 loss. His goal was the second NHL goal in Winnipeg/Arizona franchise history. ... Scored the first home-ice goal in Winnipeg/Arizona franchise history to pull team into a 1-1 tie with Colorado at 5:50 of the first period on Oct. 14, 1979, at Winnipeg Arena. He later on another goal in the Jets' 4-2 home-opener victory over the Rockies. ... Was awarded the first penalty shot in Winnipeg/Arizona franchise history on Oct. 19, 1979, at Winnipeg, but failed to score on Minnesota goaltender Gary Edwards. ... Had a goal and four assists in Winnipeg's 6-2 win vs. Montreal on Dec. 15, 1979. ... Won Winnipeg Most Exciting Player Award for 1979-80. ... Finished second to Morris Lukowich in Winnipeg Molson Cup standings (Three Stars leader) for 1979-80. ... Had a goal and assist in his final NHL game, scoring the goal with only 1:29 left in the third period to give Winnipeg a 5-5 tie at St. Louis.
 

Controversial Jump to WHA

Sullivan made headlines during the summer of 1975 after the WHA's Winnipeg Jets announced that they had signed him to a contract for the 1975-76 season. The Montreal Canadiens protested the move, because his NHL contract had an option year left on it. The dispute heated up in late August and early September 1975, as Sullivan faced the possibility of having to sit out a full year because the Jets had violated an agreement betwen the two leagues in signing him. That agreement stemmed from a 1972 court ruling that the NHL's reserve clause was no longer valid and players who played out their options were in fact unrestricted free agents. The rival leagues had subsequently agreed that neither would sign a player if he had not played out or sat out his option year in the other league. Sullivan said he had left Montreal because he had no future in the Canadiens organization, having not even been called up as a reserve for the 1975 playoffs even though he led Nova Scotia in scoring. Sullivan's agent, Ian Angus, said there was a loophole in the agreement, and there was a way for the two teams to settle the issue if Montreal would sell his rights. Montreal refused, saying Angus had given Sullivan bad legal advice in letting him jump to the WHA, and Winnipeg was forced to drop Sullivan from its roster on Sept. 5, 1975. On Sept. 10, a deadline passed for Sullivan to sign a new contract with Montreal, but the Canadiens still held his option year. Two weeks later, Montreal wanted Sullivan to report to its training camp and play out the option year, but he refused to do so. On Oct. 8, 1975, one day before the Jets' season-opener, Montreal finally agreed to release Sullivan on "courtesy waivers" so that he could be loaned to the WHA. However, the teams needed at least one week for Sullivan to clear waivers. As part of the courtesy waivers, the Canadiens would hold a one-year option to recall him to the organization at any time during the 1975-76 season. However, Montreal feared losing Sullivan in the waivers process, and instead chose to settle the matter by keeping Sullivan's rights and selling them to Winnipeg for an undisclosed sum. On Oct. 19, 1975, Sullivan made his WHA debut for Winnipeg at Phoenix.

Transaction History

June 23, 1975 -- Signed WHA contract with Winnipeg. Oct. 19, 1975 -- Professional rights sold by Montreal to Winnipeg (WHA). June 9, 1979 -- NHL rights retained by Winnipeg prior to 1979 NHL Expansion Draft since no NHL team could claim them. March 1, 1982 -- Signed with Edmonton for balance of 1981-82 season and playoffs (all spent with CHL affiliate in Wichita) after completing first full season in Switzerland. March 5, 1985 -- Signed with Moncton (AHL) as an unrestricted free agent after spending his fourth full season in Switzerland.
 

Non-Playing Career

COACHING CAREER
Served as Langnau (Switzerland) player-assistant coach from 1984-85 season through 1985-86 season. ... Served as Geneva Servette (Switzerland) player-assistant coach during 1986-87 season. ... Named Moncton (AHL) assistant coach prior to 1987-88 season and remained in that position through 1987-88 season. ... Named University of Manitoba (CWUAA) assistant coach prior to 1990-91 season and remained in that position through 1991-92 season. ...  Named St. James (MJHL) head coach on Nov. 16, 1992, and remained in that position through 1993-94 season.

SCOUTING CAREER
Served as Winnipeg part-time European scout during 1981-82 season. ... Served as Winnipeg part-time European scout during 1986-87 season while coaching in Switzerland. ... Named Winnipeg amateur scout prior to 1988-89 season and remained in that position through 1988-89 season. ... Named to NHL Central Scouting staff as an amateur scout for Western Canada, specializing in the WHL, prior to 1998-99 season and currently holds this position.
 

Life Outside the NHL

Full Name: Peter Gerald Sullivan
Nickname: "Silky"

Other Post-Draft Teams: Muskegon (IHL); St. Petersburg (EHL); Mount Royal (AJHL); Nova Scotia (AHL); Winnipeg (WHA); Langnau (Switzerland); Wichita (CHL); Bern (Switz.); Moncton (AHL); Geneva (Switz.)

Education: Attended Mount Royal Junior College in Calgary, Alberta.

Career Beyond Hockey: Returned to Winnipeg and lived there for many years before relocating to Regina, Saskatchewan, as part of his work for Central Scouting.
• Sullivan on LinkedIn

Family: Son of 1928 Canadian Olympic hockey gold medalist Frank Sullivan, who also starred in the Canadian Football League and was a member of the Toronto Argonauts' 1921 inaugural Grey Cup championship team. Frank Sullivan, who also won the inaugural Memorial Cup with the University of Toronto in 1919 and was a close personal friend of Conn Smythe's, was 54 years old when his son Peter was born ... Nephew of 1928 Canadian Olympic hockey gold medalist Joseph Sullivan, a goaltender who went on to become a senator in Canada. ... Nephew of former CFL punter Glenn Sullivan. ... Youngest brother of former NHL player Frank Sullivan Jr. The first-born of nine children (six boys, three girls), Frank Jr. was 22 years older than Peter. ... Younger brother of former minor-league player and major-junior referee John (Jack) Sullivan. ... Younger brother of former Junior B player Mike Sullivan.

Significant Injuries

Spent summer of 1971 recovering blood poisoning in his left leg, an illness developed during the 1970-71 season when his athlete's-foot fungus became infected due to scratching. The illness severely hampered his play in 1970-71, causing his status as a top NHL prospect to drop. Due to embarrassment, he never discussed the problem, which intensified until the condition was finally diagnosed just in time to save his leg from having to be amputated. ... Missed end of 1971-72 season with a life-threatening hyperactive thyroid condition (a mild form of leukemia), diagnosed in March 1972. The problem caused him to drop under 130 pounds and forced him to be hospitalized for several weeks during the summer of 1972.

Miscellaneous:

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