One of only a handful of Nova Scotians to make it to the NHL, Andrea's career spanned four mostly part-time seasons under the big top and many more in the minors. However, his achievements were enough to earn him induction into the Cape Breton Sports Hall of Fame in 1987 in large measure because he played pro 15 years, even though that amounted to only 150 NHL games.
Andrea moved to Guelph to play junior starting in 1958, but then played with the EPHL, not a traditional means to get to the NHL. He became Rangers property and was called up for four games during the 1965-66 season, but immediately after expansion the Blueshirts traded him to Pittsburgh in a multi-player deal. He led the CPHL in scoring with 37 goals the previous year but dipped to just eleven in his first season with the Penguins and a year later he was on the move again, this time to the WHL.
Oakland picked him up for a few games, and then came Buffalo, his last NHL stop. Andrea pursued a career in the WHA, playing two full seasons before winding up in the minors again, retiring in 1975 after spending a few weeks with the Cape Cod Codders of the NAHL.
