John Benedict "Peanuts" O'Flaherty (April 10, 1918 â July 16, 2008) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player who played 21 games in the National Hockey League with the New York Americans and Brooklyn Americans. He was born in Toronto, Ontario.
Peanuts received his nickname when a Toronto sports writer spotted him selling peanuts at Maple Leaf Gardens in 1933. In 21 career NHL games O'Flaherty recorded 5 goals and an assist for 6 points. He played several seasons in the American Hockey League with the Pittsburgh Hornets in the 1940s. His son, Gerry O'Flaherty, would go on to play in the NHL from 1971 to 1979.