Career
He played with the New York Rangers, Boston Bruins, and Chicago Black Hawks. He was the brother of Jerry Toppazzini who played 11 seasons in the National Hockey League, and the great-uncle of National Hockey League player Justin Williams who is currently with the Washington Capitals, and previously played for the Los Angeles Kings and Carolina Hurricanes. Toppazzini spent most of his career with the American Hockey League Providence Reds.
Nicknamed Topper, Toppazzini is the all-time leading scorer in Reds history.
During his 12 years sporting the uniform, from 1951 to 1964, he amassed 279 goals, 448 assists and 727 points in 650 regular season games, and another 16–28–44 in playoff action. All are team records.
Toppazzini earned career highs of 42 goals, 71 assists and 113 points in leading the AHL in scoring and in the playoffs he also added 7–13–20. In 2000, The Rhode Island Reds Heritage Society named Toppazzini its "Player of the Century".
lieutenant presents an annual award in his honor.
Toppazzini coached the Providence College hockey team for four seasons from 1964-1965 through 1967-1968 compiling a 31–60–1 (0342) record. His best and only winning season behind the Personal Computer bench was his first year (1964-1965) when the Friars went 14–11–1 (0558). Toppazzini was replaced by Lou Lamoriello.