Paul Cavallini
Born (1965-10-13) October 13, 1965
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position Defence
Shot Left
Played for Washington Capitals
St. Louis Blues
Dallas Stars
NHL Draft 205th overall, 1984
Washington Capitals
Playing career 1986–1995

Paul Edward "Wally" Cavallini (born October 13, 1965) is a Canadian former ice hockey defenceman. He is the younger brother of former player Gino Cavallini, who was his teammate for several years with the St. Louis Blues. He is also the father of hockey prospect Cade Cavallini of the Oakland Jr. Grizzlies.

Background

Cavallini was born in Toronto, Ontario.

A steady defenceman with some offensive abilities, Cavallini was selected by the Washington Capitals in the 1984 NHL Entry Draft. He entered the NHL after a season at Providence College where the Friars lost in the National Championship to Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and future NHL star Adam Oates. After playing parts of two seasons with the Capitals, he was traded to the St. Louis Blues where he would spend almost six seasons including his best campaign, the 1989–90 season. He played in the 1990 All-Star game and led the league in plus/minus rating that season. He then returned to the Capitals for a second tour during the 1992–93 NHL season in a trade that sent Kevin Miller to the Blues. Cavallini would once again be traded by the Capitals, this time to the Dallas Stars where he would play until his retirement a few weeks into the 1995–96 NHL season.[1]

In 564 NHL games, Cavallini scored 56 goals and 177 assists.

Cavallini missed 13 games during the 1990–91 season with a bizarre left index finger injury, in which he lost the tip of the finger. He suffered the injury while blocking a Doug Wilson slapshot during St. Louis' December 22, 1990, game vs. Chicago. The force of Wilson's shot literally severed the tip of Cavallini's finger. Cavallini found the tip of the finger inside his glove. Doctors hoped they could re-attach the tip in surgery, but their efforts failed. The piece of the finger was removed and the exposed bone covered with grafted skin. Cavallini did not return to action until St. Louis' January 25, 1991, game at Detroit. He scored a goal in that game.

Awards and honors

Award Year
All-Hockey East Rookie Team 1984–85 [2]

Career statistics

    Regular season   Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
1981–82 Dixie Beehives OPJHL 5 1 1 2 7 — — — — —
1982–83 Henry Carr Crusaders MetJHL 35 6 16 22 191 — — — — —
1983–84 Henry Carr Crusaders MetJHL 54 20 41 61 190 — — — — —
1984–85 Providence College HE 45 5 14 19 64 — — — — —
1985–86 Canada Intl 52 1 11 12 95 — — — — —
1985–86 Binghamton Whalers AHL 15 3 4 7 20 6 0 2 2 56
1986–87 Washington Capitals NHL 6 0 2 2 8 — — — — —
1986–87 Binghamton Whalers AHL 66 12 24 36 188 13 2 7 9 35
1987–88 Washington Capitals NHL 24 2 3 5 66 — — — — —
1987–88 St. Louis Blues NHL 48 4 7 11 86 10 1 6 7 26
1988–89 St. Louis Blues NHL 65 4 20 24 128 10 2 2 4 14
1989–90 St. Louis Blues NHL 80 8 39 47 106 12 2 3 5 20
1990–91 St. Louis Blues NHL 67 10 25 35 89 13 2 3 5 20
1991–92 St. Louis Blues NHL 66 10 25 35 95 4 0 1 1 6
1992–93 St. Louis Blues NHL 11 1 4 5 10 — — — — —
1992–93 Washington Capitals NHL 71 5 8 13 46 6 0 2 2 18
1993–94 Dallas Stars NHL 74 11 33 44 82 9 1 8 9 4
1994–95 Dallas Stars NHL 44 1 11 12 28 5 0 2 2 6
1995–96 Dallas Stars NHL 8 0 0 0 6 — — — — —
NHL totals 564 56 177 233 750 69 8 27 35 114

References

  1. ↑ "Stars' Cavallini retires - UPI Archives". UPI. November 7, 1995. Retrieved August 15, 2023.
  2. ↑ "Hockey East All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
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