This Day in Hockey History – January 5, 1930 – They Say It’s Your Birthday!

On January 5, 1930, Zellio “Topper” Toppanzini was born in Copper Cliff, Ontario.   He began his hockey career in 1946 playing left wing for the NOJHA Copper Cliff Jr. Redman and then the 1947-48 season found him playing for the OHA St. Catherine’s Teepee.  His professional career began with the 1948-49 season when the Boston Bruins called him up. That year he played just five games with the Bruins, spending the bulk of his season with American Hockey League’s Hershey Bears. He was with the Bruins organization until being traded during the 1950-51 season. While wearing the Spoked-B he played in 45 games over the three season, amassing 6 goals and 7 assists for 13 points. While with the New York Rangers the remainder of the 1950-51 season he put up 14 goals and 14 assists for 28 points in 55 games.  During his five-years career with the NHL, Topper played a total of 123 games in which he gathered 21 goals and 21 assists for 42 points.

The 1951- 52 season saw him sent to the AHL Cincinnati Mohawks after playing just 16 games with the Rangers. He only played seven games with the Mohawks before he was on the move again. This time he was traded to the Providence Reds. 

It was in Providence that Topper found his home and the AHL legend was born.  After his trade to the Reds, he played 33 games that first season, scoring an impressive 20 goals while adding 25 assists for 45 points. He helped lead the Reds to the Calder Cup finals. They fell to the Pittsburgh Hornets after taking the series to seven games.

It was during the 1955-56 season with Reds that Topper hit his stride.  He was part of the line with Paul Larivee and Camille Henry; the force behind the Reds winning regular season.  During regular season play, in 64 games, Topper scored career highs of 42 goals and 71 assists for 113 points. Not only were those career highs for Topper, but he had the most assists in the AHL that season along with the most points. The Providence Reds held first place in the league.

During the Calder Cup Playoffs, in first round, the Reds defeated the Buffalo Bisons, 3 games to 2.  In the Finals, the Reds faced the Cleveland Barons, whom they swept.  During the playoffs, Topper added 7 goals and 13 assists for 20 points.  He became the first AHL player to garner 20 points during the postseason.

In his 12 years playing for the Reds, Topper became the all-time leading scorer, achieving 279 goals and 448 assists for 727 points in 650 regular season games while adding another 16–28–44 in playoff action. All are team records.  Retiring from playing in 1964, Topper was the coach for the Providence College Friars hockey team where he stood behind the bench from 1964 to 68.  His winningest season was his first, coaching them to a 14-11-1 season. He would be replaced by Lou Lamoriello, who would go on to coach the Friars through the 1982-83 season. 

Zellio “Topper Topanzzini was recognized for his stunning career with the Providence Reds and the AHL.  In the year 2000, the Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society selected him to be the player of the Century, as the franchise’s all-time scoring leader.  In 2013 he was inducted in the AHL Hall of Fame where he still ranks 13th on the AHL all-time scoring list with 786 points in 785 games.

Toppazzini passed away in 2001 at the age of 71.

Additional Sources:

• “Bruins Send Toppazzini to Hershey; Play at N. Y.,” The Boston Globe, Saturday, December 31, 1949, p. 5.
• NHL Legends of Hockey – Zellio Toppazzini
• AHL Hall of Fame – Zellio Toppazzini
• St. Catharine’s Teepee All Time Player List