He was related to Brian Conacher, who was part of the last Leafs team to win the Cup in 1967, and was also the nephew of Lionel Conacher, a celebrated multi-sport athlete recognized as Canada’s Athlete of the Half-Century from 1900 to 1950, and Roy Conacher, a two-time Cup winner with the Boston Bruins.
After being demoted by the Rangers, Pete played in the minors with the Buffalo Bisons but was called back up by new Leafs coach Billy Reay in the fall of 1956.
A member of the renowned Toronto hockey family, Pete made his impact beyond the NHL. In the 1950s, he played 229 games for three Original Six teams, later regaining his amateur status to help the Belleville McFarlands clinch the 1959 world championship. He also became one of the American League’s top left-wingers, scoring around 30 goals for four consecutive years with the Hershey Bears, with his best NHL season netting 19 goals with the Chicago Blackhawks.
Reflecting on his career, Pete once told the *Sun*, “Being at the Gardens was the ultimate. My dad was a star, but I never felt that I was just ‘Charlie’s son.’ No one ever used that against me or treated me differently.”
He lamented a leg injury that set him back before training camp, which made his return challenging. Initially, he preferred to play in Buffalo with his friend Kenny Wharram after being sent to Rochester, but after a coaching change, he found his way to the Belleville McFarlands, where he would go on to win the world championship in Prague, then part of Czechoslovakia, amid intense scrutiny from the Eastern Bloc.
“We received medals, and the Czech fans gifted us beautiful crystal vases,” he recalled. “I still have mine. The Czech people were incredibly gracious, and it was clear they were rooting for us against the Russians in the final, which we won 3-1.”
After another six years in the American Hockey League with Buffalo and Hershey, Pete transitioned to a successful career as a floor trader on Bay Street before retiring.
Described as “a great but humble man” by hockey video archivist Paul Patskou, Pete was instrumental in establishing the NHL Oldtimers hockey team to raise money for charity. “He was an all-around good guy who will be greatly missed.”