Ray Gariepy


Raymond Joseph "Rockabye Ray" Gariepy was a Canadian professional ice hockey hard hitting defenceman, who played half a season for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League. He was raised from an early age in Timmins Ontario, where he first put skate to ice at the age of 14. He was scouted by Hap Emms of the Barrie Flyers, of the OHA Jr. A, of which Ray was Captain for all 3 years. After Jr. A., Ray played with the Buffalo Bisons AHL, Houston Huskies & Louisville Blades USHL, and Hershey Bears of the AHL. In 1954-55 Ray played for the Pittsburgh Hornets that won the AHL Championship's top prize; The Calder Cup. He finished his professional career with the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League in the 1955-56 season after playing one game.
In September 1956, Gariepy officially retired from the professional ranks. Now in possession of his amateur card, he played in the Canadian Senior ice hockey league, as well as other senior amateur ice hockey leagues in central Ontario in the coming years. Starting out in 1956-57, he played with the Owen Sound Mercurys of the Canadian Senior ice hockey league. In the remaining years, Ray played as either a player, a player/coach, or coach, until his final season in the 1970-71 campaign as coach of the OHA Sr. A Barrie Flyers. He was selected as an All-Star in both of his 1961 and 1966 seasons. All in all, from his Junior A. hockey days with the Barrie Flyers in 1945, to his final season coaching the OHA Senior A Barrie Flyers in 1971, it was an impressive 25 year career in professional and amateur ice hockey. He returned for a season in 1975 to coach the Barrie Juvenile Co-op Midgets of the Barrie Minor Hockey Association BMHA. He was inducted into the Barrie Sports Hall of Fame in 2009.