Ten former nhlers tell their tale of fighting bob probert he was one of the most feared and wellrespected tough guys in nhl history, and those who were brave enough to drop the gloves with bob. Oct 23, 2018 discover dons opinions on the toughest guys he ever played against, hockey parents, the role of fighting in the game, and the hall of fame and who should be in it. Hockeys toughest players of all time from gordie howe to tiger williams to bob probert, heres a look at a few of hockeys baddest tough guys over the years. Ten former nhlers tell their tale of fighting bob probert. The toughest players in red wing history detroit red. In an interview with the hockey news, mcgill described how he got his nickname. Archival footage and personal testimonials present an intimate portrait of the life and career of legendary nhl tough guy bob probert.
Some of hockey s greatest enforcers, from tim hunter to tony twist, discuss the evolution of the tough guy position. Hockeys toughest talk, author brian dambrosio, talks to 30 of the games former tough guys. Over his pro career he went through ten stays in rehab, two nhl suspensions, a jail sentence for carrying cocaine across the border and a nearfatal motorcycle crash. As nhl enforcers fade, tough guys will always be needed. Secondly, its about the overall evaporating enforcer role and the death of fighting in the modern nhl. Throughout the history of the game the nhl enforcer has made his mark on the history of the game whether most like it or not. He backed up his teammates one hundred percent, taking on the toughest guys of his era. Stories of the game, kelly hrudeys calling the shots, and curtis josephs cujo. Catharines in the american hockey league, was reading this book about big. He is now a host for cfrn and deputy leader of the green party of canada. Nov 02, 2019 he was one of the most feared and wellrespected tough guys in nhl history, and those who were brave enough to drop the gloves with bob probert tell the story in a new book. We work yearround, and we never complain because you fight to be with biggest company in the world and you never ask for the time to rest. Toughest hockey players in nhl history stadium talk. Tough guy by bob probert with kirstie mclellan day.
Aug 31, 2017 fighting in hockey isnt what it used to be, with officials stopping fisticuffs as quickly as they can before it gets too out of hand. Sure, laraque knows all about the rough side of hockey. He was a solid defender not very flashy with the puck, but he. Referees are limited in their powers to punish players for illegal or dangerous behavior and fighting was used by players to police these offenses themselves. Dennis bonvie, binghamtonottawa 37 pim6 games hockeys version of crash davis. As nhl enforcers fade, tough guys must do more than fight.
He also had a separated shoulder and some rib issues as well. The first hockey association was formed in the uk in 1876 and drew up the first formal set of rules. A fourtime stanley cup champion with the red wings, he won six hart trophies as the leagues most valuable player and six art ross trophies as the leading scorer. On one hand, this book made me respect hockey enforcers and tough guys even more. Sure, laraque knows all about the rough side of the game of hockey. The lnah has been called the toughest league in the world. A notable list of pugilists have laced up the skates and also dropped the gloves in the national hockey league over the years. He wrote and illustrated childrens books and created elaborate sculptures out of hockey tape in his spare time. I say this as someone who once got his stick up a little too high on mr. In the latest edition of nhl 100, a weekly series from the canadian. During a notorious career with the detroit red wings and the chicago blackhawks, bob probert racked up points, penalty minutes and bar bills, establishing himself as one of the most feared enforcers in the history of the nhl. Theres a new tough guy in town honey badger hockey league. Georges laraque retired from the nhl as a winger for the montreal canadiens and the toughest guy in the league. Discussing bobby robins and zac rinaldo, steve lepore of rolling stone wrote the tw.
In terms of pure fighting ability, howe was the real deal head and shoulders above the rest. Most nhl tough guys hate to fight, says georges laraque in new book. The top 20 toughest, gnarliest hockey players of all time. Ranking the 50 toughest players in nhl history dan.
In 1964 he was inducted into the hockey hall of fame, joining his father and becoming the first fatherson combination to achieve such distinction. In terms of pure fighting ability, howe was the real deal. During his nhl career he played for the edmonton oilers, phoenix coyotes, pittsburgh penguins, and montreal canadiens. A list of nhl tough guys from marchs eyes part one in my humble opinion, the nhl of the 1980s and 1990s was the best time to be a. Discover dons opinions on the toughest guys he ever played against, hockey parents, the role of fighting in the game, and the hall of fame and who should be in it. Real life slap shot unbelievable ice hockey fights. A peoples history, like the tenpart cbc series it accompanies, tells the story of this breathtakingly fast game from its hotly contested origins, and the surge in its popularity after 1875, when it was first taken inside, through the rise and fall and rise again of womens hockey, the sagas of longlost leagues, such as the. Enforcers like chris milan and john ferguson who were an indispensable part of every team they played for. Unless there is a penalty, each team only has six players on the ice rink at a time. Ice guardians aims to honor the place of tough guys in. Ice hockey is played with two opposing teams wearing ice skates. Jul 15, 2019 ice hockey players are the toughest athletes on the planet and have to endure the harshest physical beating to win the stanley cup. Filled with inspiring memoirs, people, relationships, players and coaches, including.
Its another reason why hockey is the best sport on earth. Apr 07, 2007 earl siebert finished his career with 645 games played, 89 goals and 187 assists for 276 points and 746 pim. Score a books total score is based on multiple factors, including the number of people who have voted for it. Tough guy is a gripping journey, full of jawdropping stories about bobs onice battles and his reckless office encounters with drugs, alcohol, customs officials, police, courts and the nhl. Are ice hockey enforcers the toughest guys in sport. Hockey is arguably the toughest sport, but these guys gave new meaning to the word tough. You will find some notable names are not among the group highlighted here names. After hockey, spencers life spun out of control and he got involved in drugs. These are the toughest to play in the nhl, a collection of skaters and shooters who could take a hit and the men who delivered the biggest. A fascination with the role of enforcers and tough guys started an eightyear journey to. They are motivators, key strategists, tough bosses, and choreographers. The aim of the game is to knock the hockey puck into the opposing teams net.
A member of the legendary leafs defence corps of the 1960s, baun was known as one of the cleanest and hardest hitters of his time. Top 20 greatest fighters in nhl history thesportster. Dave semenko never got more than 27 points in one season but his very intimidating presence gave gretzky enough room on the ice to perform his magic. Here are the gnarliest, toughest, hardest hitting, and simply just badass players in nhl history. For decades, hockey crowds have been brought to their feet for one of the. Theo fleurys playing with fire, bob proberts tough guy, ron macleans cornered and hockey towns, wayne gretzkys 99. There are many reasons for the state that hockey is the toughest and it has been proven over and over again throughout sports and history. Hockey is emotionally heavy and produces aggressive violent behavior. Ranking the 50 toughest players in nhl history bleacher. He was one of the most feared and wellrespected tough guys in nhl history, and those who were brave enough to drop the gloves with bob probert tell the story in a new book. Sep 15, 2006 everyone always remembers the guy lafleurs, mario lemieuxs, and wayne gretzkys of the nhl but would they have scored so many points without the protection and hard work put in by the toughest hockey players on the ice.
Each reveal their true feelings about the role they played during their career their injuries, their best and worst memories, and where they are now careerwise and in terms of mental and physical health. He formed one of the toughest onetwo punches in nhl history as a member of the bruise brothers along with bob probert. The hall of fame winger played 978 regularseason games and scored 544 goals and 421 assists for 965 points. To determine what the toughest sport is, sports science experts evaluated 60 sports on the basis of the skills they require. The 100 toughest players in nhl history bleacher report. Utterly unerotic, completely nonromantic books about hockey. Arguably the greatest forward in the history of the game, mr. May 18, 2014 in 1977, a fictional film entitled slap shot starring paul newman, chronicled the lives of a team of outrageous hockey brawlers called the chiefs. We never have the offseason like the hockey or the football.
The city of boston in the 1970s was the hub of the hockey world. With chris chelios, don cherry, troy crowder, tie domi. Hockey molds a man into a head smashing, vulgar spewing, tough individual. Tough guy by bob probert overdrive rakuten overdrive. Ottawa senators pugilist chris neil called him probably the toughest in the league. Ice hockey is notorious for brawling at least in north americas national hockey league.
The weak will not survive this sport, but that is the point. Oct 26, 2010 he backed up his teammates one hundred percent, taking on the toughest guys of his era. Todd ewens death spurs more questions about fighting in the nhl. And with this acknowledgement, im also proud to introduce you to the new face of tough guys. Some earned their toughness through playing through injuries, others through brawling, while others simply earned it based on their longevity playing one of the most demanding sports. Gordie howe 19282016 played for the detroit red wings and the hartford whalers of the national hockey league, and the houston aeros and the new england whalers in the wha. The unwritten rules of fighting and retaliation in the nhl. Last night he did this to his arm during hockey practice. Dennis bonvie, binghamtonottawa 37 pim6 games hockey s version of crash davis. Some of hockeys greatest enforcers, from tim hunter to tony twist, discuss the evolution of the tough guy position. Dave brown arguably the toughest enforcer in the history of the game. Foote was a master of the forearm shiver and laid out a lot of guys in his time.
The inaugural olympic hockey competition for men was held in london in 1908 with england, ireland, scotland. The blues have a number of memorable tough guys during their 50plus years of national hockey league existence. Nov 14, 2010 during a notorious career with the detroit red wings and the chicago blackhawks, bob probert racked up points, penalty minutes and bar bills, establishing himself as one of the most feared enforcers in the history of the nhl. Ice hockey players are the toughest athletes on the planet and have to endure the harshest physical beating to win the stanley cup. Not perfect, since this book was finished in 1998 so its missing the 2002 wings and his time as an executive with the blackhawks, but it does a flawless job of presenting a balanced account of the greatest coach in hockey history. Apr 30, 2005 no one, not even the toughest guys in the n. The original association survived for just six years but, in 1886, it was revived by nine founding member clubs.
You know youre one of hockey s tough guys when the nhl has to make rules to stop. Feb 08, 2014 in the ncaa the concussion rate for womens ice hockey is 2. He backed up his teammates 100 percent, taking on the toughest guys of his era. Jan 11, 2015 the 10 greatest enforcers in nhl history. Jack parkers wiseguys tells the story of some of the best college players of that era as well as that of their legendary coach. He also served 1,285 minutes in penalties while making the all star team eight times and taking home the 1947 hart trophy.
The 100 toughest players in nhl history bleacher report latest. Nov 25, 2017 the blues have a number of memorable tough guys during their 50plus years of national hockey league existence. Jun 07, 2016 the lnah has been called the toughest league in the world. The 10 greatest enforcers in nhl history therichest. In a notorious career with the detroit red wings and chicago blackhawks, bob probert racked up points, penalty minutes, and bar bills, establishing himself as one of the most feared enforcers in the history of the nhl. While no hockey player is officially listed as enforcer on the depth chart, these guys might as well have been. Everyone always remembers the guy lafleurs, mario lemieuxs, and wayne gretzkys of the nhl but would they have scored so many points without the protection and hard work put in by the toughest hockey players on the ice. Williams is also in the record books as the player who took the most. Mar 15, 2015 top 20 greatest fighters in nhl history. Bob probert was one of the nhls true tough guys for many years, but. Sep 22, 2015 todd ewen was an nhl tough guy who used his hands for more than fighting.
Mar 17, 2017 so the time has come for the commish to acknowledge that his days of being a tough guy are long gone. The toughest players in red wing history detroit red wings. Known as a player who was unfailingly respectful and gentlemanly even when he was going toe to toe with the toughest guys in the toughest league in the world, he now takes that courageous sense of what is fair into fights that are much more important than the outcome of a hockey game. Learn about dons friendship with gord downiethe incomparable late frontman of the tragically hip and a lifelong hockey fan. Download for offline reading, highlight, bookmark or take notes while you read tough guy. Here are 11 reasons why hockey is the toughest sport. Dave semenko never got more than 27 points in one season but his very intimidating presence gave gretzky enough room on the ice. Here are the 30 toughest hockey nhl players in history. Rocket richard was a hockey legend with the montreal canadiens between 1942 and 1960. Forget about different eras, bigger guys, improved training and conditioning.
If you got under gordies skin, you would soon wish you hadnt. The sport of hockey may now be at odds with the ongoing role of the enforcer in the modern game, but throughout the games history fighting has played an integral role. News ice guardians aims to honor the place of tough guys in hockeys history. The role of the enforcers, who do most of the fighting, is the focus of a new film, goon. In his post hockey career, seibert owned and operated a liquor store in agawam. The best sport in the world may be different than the toughest considering the most played sport in the world is soccer, but hockey is the toughest sport in the world. Hoping one day we can start a 21st century best baseball books or better yet, 2010s best baseball and 2020s best baseball something like it soon, because a lot of really good books that came out the last 510 years get buried. The bruins were hot and so was the college game throughout new england. Today, ice hockey is an olympic sport and the most popular team sport played on ice.