Brendan Creagh
Induction Year: 2018
Birthday: February 2, 1970
City/Town: Hartford, CT
Brendan Creagh grew up in the Upper Valley, graduated from Hanover High School as the program’s all-time top-scoring defenseman, and later played four seasons at the University of Vermont and four seasons professionally.
Born in Connecticut, Creagh grew up in Hanover and played youth hockey in the area. He was a member of N.H. All-Stars each of his years from 13 until he aged out at 18, one year getting invited first to the New England selection camp and then the national camp. He made the U.S. Select 16 team in 1986, playing in an international tournament in Chicago.
At Hanover High School, he was named Rookie of the Year as a sophomore after leading the Marauders in scoring (16 goals, 23 assists for 39 points) and a 14-7 record. As a junior, he scored 15-21-36 and was presented with the Charles Williams Award.
As a senior in the 1987-88 season, he put up 23 goals, 29 assists and 52 points, most on the team, as Hanover went 13-8-1. He was named team MVP and earned the Eddie Jeremiah award, and graduated Hanover as its all-time leading scorer among defensemen (54-73-127).
“He was an offensive threat every time he had the puck on his stick,” said his coach, Dick Dodds (Legends Hall of Fame Class of 2012). “I had the privilege of coaching Brendan for three years and he was a coach’s dream. He didn’t miss a workout (on or off the ice) in that time and he worked every day to make himself a better hockey player.
“He was a true warrior on the ice at practice. He treated every drill like it was the seventh game of the Stanley Cup final.”
Following a postgraduate year at Phillips Academy Andover, Creagh played four seasons at Vermont, getting elected an assistant captain during his senior season in 1992-93. He finished his career in Burlington, Vt., with 16 goals, 36 assists and 52 points.
After his sophomore year, when the Catamounts went 17-14-2, he was drafted by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1991 NHL Supplemental Draft. He also helped Vermont post a winning record his junior year, when it went 16-12-3 in 1991-92.
Creagh spent most of his professional career in the ECHL, playing two seasons for Greensboro (scoring 24 goals and 47 points) and two-plus years for Birmingham (16-49-65). He also played one game with Cornwall in the AHL.
He now teaches in the science department at Deerfield Academy following a long stint as that school’s hockey
coach.