Mitch Molloy

Though his NHL career lasted just 2 games, Mitch Molloy beat the odds, despite taking the unconventional route.

Born in the small community of Red Lake, Ontario, Mitch Molloy was a 6'3" 215 lb ruffian. He never played any serious level of junior hockey, instead playing a season with Camrose Lutheran College, an Albertan college not known for its hockey program.

Molloy left the college in 1987-88 when he had a chance to play pro hockey. Playing for the Virginia Lancers in the lowly and now extinct AAHL was not much closer to the NHL than Camrose, but at least he was getting paid. Molloy, Harry Geary and Matt Muniz led the Lancers to 37 victories in the 45 game schedule. Molloy scored 28 goals and 71 points plus 196 penalty minutes in 43 contests.

Molloy's size and toughness, and willingness to drop the gloves, caught the attention of the AHL's Maine Mariners. The team signed Molloy to an independent contract to play the role of tough guy. In 47 contests he scored just 1 goal, but had 177 penalty minutes.

After originally signing with the ECHL Johnston Chiefs for the 1989-90 season, the Buffalo Sabres signed Molloy in February 1990. Molloy would spend most of the remainder of the season playing with Rochester in the AHL, but was called up to the Sabres for two games, getting into two fights.

Molloy returned to the Sabres organization for the 1991-92 season, but only got into 25 games that season. He was one of four players (Rudy Poeschek, Tie Domi and Steve Ludzik) suspended during the season for a pre-game brawl with Binghamton on November 24, 1990.

The Sabres released Molloy following that season. He would continue to fight on, both literally and figuratively, in the lowly Colonial Hockey League before retiring in 1993.