Bob Probert :(

[MXD]

... ouch.
http://www.windsorstar.com/life/Probert+collapses+boat+Report/3238135/story.html

RIP Bob. Would have liked to to play alongside Bobby Smith and Mats Naslund -- or actually with Chris Nilan --- back in the days.

Click to read more...

 

[Big Phil]

I hate to say it, but Bob's lifestyle almost made it certain that he wouldn't live to be an old man. He will be remembered fondly however from a surplus of fans - smart fans even - as the best enforcer of all-time

 

[jkrx]

It's a sad day when Probert dies but as BigPhil said, it wasn't unexpected that he would die young.

Rest in peace, Probie.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

Howabout Probie's 1987-88 season? 29 goals, 62 points, 398 PIM. That's really quite astounding when you stop to think about it. Chris Nilan with 21 goals is the only other player to score 20+ with over 350 PIM, and only a four other guys with 350+ PIM have hit 40 points in a season, let alone 62. Probert played 74 games that year, meaning he averaged close to a point-per-game while also averaging a fight-per-game. Nobody's coming close to doing that ever again, barring a significant jump in fighting.

 

[seventieslord]

Howabout Probie's 1987-88 season? 29 goals, 62 points, 398 PIM. That's really quite astounding when you stop to think about it. Chris Nilan with 21 goals is the only other player to score 20+ with over 350 PIM, and only a four other guys with 350+ PIM have hit 40 points in a season, let alone 62. Probert played 74 games that year, meaning he averaged close to a point-per-game while also averaging a fight-per-game. Nobody's coming close to doing that ever again, barring a significant jump in fighting.

5 PIMS a game doesn't necessarily mean a fight per game:

http://www.dropyourgloves.com/Players/Player.aspx?Player=3671

He had less than half a fight per game that season. Still, I am sure that's one of the highest averages ever, if not the highest.

 

[Kyle McMahon]

5 PIMS a game doesn't necessarily mean a fight per game:

http://www.dropyourgloves.com/Players/Player.aspx?Player=3671

He had less than half a fight per game that season. Still, I am sure that's one of the highest averages ever, if not the highest.

Thanks for the link, I figured somebody would know the exact number. And yeah, I wasn't actually implying he fought once per game, should have been more clear. 34 fights for Probert that year, which is still about a dozen more than he averaged throughout his career. So his best offensive season by far was also the season in which he had his most fights by a large margin as well.

"Let me score, or I'll beat you up"

 

[RabbinsDuck]

Howabout Probie's 1987-88 season? 29 goals, 62 points, 398 PIM. That's really quite astounding when you stop to think about it. Chris Nilan with 21 goals is the only other player to score 20+ with over 350 PIM, and only a four other guys with 350+ PIM have hit 40 points in a season, let alone 62. Probert played 74 games that year, meaning he averaged close to a point-per-game while also averaging a fight-per-game. Nobody's coming close to doing that ever again, barring a significant jump in fighting.

And how 'bout his playoffs that year - which I'll never forget!

8 goals 13 assists 21 points and 51 PIM in 16 games.
That set a franchise record for playoff scoring in Detroit, an Original 6 Team.

Can you imagine someone like Derek Boogaard doing something like that? Just crazy output for an enforcer!

 

[jkrx]

And how 'bout his playoffs that year - which I'll never forget!

8 goals 13 assists 21 points and 51 PIM in 16 games.
That set a franchise record for playoff scoring in Detroit, an Original 6 Team.

Can you imagine someone like Derek Boogaard doing something like that? Just crazy output for an enforcer!

Yes, he was probably the best enforcer in the league after Williams. In my eyes McCarty was a bit better skillwise though. Fighting skills Kocur was probably a bit better but Probert was a combination of them both. Too bad he couldnt keep his off ice life in check and he might have had a cup.

 

[Ward Cornell]

It looks like cardiac issues runs in the Probert family.
http://news.therecord.com/Sports/article/741999

Bob Probert showed up at Brantford Alexanders training camp with willing fists and a heavy heart.

The year was 1982. Probert’s father had just died of a heart attack.

“Bob came in under tough circumstances,” said Waterloo’s Todd Francis, Probert’s former Alexanders linemate, as he drove to Windsor on Wednesday to attend visitation of the late NHL enforcer.

Francis, another Brantford rookie in 1982, befriended Probert immediately.

The two burly wingers, both 17, became close pals. They were kindred spirits.

“We weren’t the type of guys to cry over spilled milk,” said Francis, who was shocked to find out Probert died suddenly on a Lake St. Clair boating excursion with his family on Monday afternoon.

“We never said, ‘Oh, my life. Oh, my life.’ Bob just took things in stride. Whatever life dealt, he dealt with it. I was kind of the same way. We came from the same kind of backgrounds. That’s what kind of attracted us to each other.”

Francis and Probert chummed around. They drove to practice together. They had the same agent. They got drafted into the NHL — Probert to Detroit and Francis to Montreal — the same year. They had a lot in common.

“His dad died and my parents were divorced and separated when I was younger,” said Francis, who finished his hockey career in the minors while Probert became hockey’s premier pugilist with hands soft enough to score 29 goals one season in Detroit.

“We were both kind of raised by single moms. It was unspoken between us. We didn’t dwell on the bad things. I guess that’s why we were close and tight.”

The next season, they were linemates.

Francis, now a community centre manager in Oakville, scored 13 goals on the right wing. Probert, whose off-ice struggles involved drugs and alcohol, scored 35 on the right side. In the middle? Future NHLer Shayne Corson had 25 goals.

Together, the trio racked up a combined 467 penalty minutes.

Both wingers got traded the next season. Probert landed in the Soo. Francis went to Oshawa via Hamilton.

Francis said they kept in touch over the years and was grateful to see that Probert, a father of four, had gotten his life straightened out through his involvement in charities and the NHL player’s association. Probert even appeared on a TV show, tackling figure skating with other retired hockey stars. His funeral is Friday.

Francis last spoke to Probert a year and a half ago, when he was in Brantford for an oldtimers game.

On Wednesday, Francis drove to Windsor to say goodbye.

“He was a big teddy bear off the ice,” Francis said. “He wouldn’t hurt a fly.”

 

[FiveForDrawingBlood]

Started reading his book...he was addicted to Oxycontin also.

Did Probert and Chris Nilan ever fight? I always considered Nilan the top enforcer of NHL

 

[brianscot]

According to drop your gloves, Nilan and Probert only fought once on 2/8/1986.

Per the same site, he fought Stu Grimson the most: 14 times.

 

[tony d]

Yeah, will probably read his book. Best enforcer in NHL history.

 

[FiveForDrawingBlood]

Yeah, will probably read his book. Best enforcer in NHL history.

One of best hockey books I have read. Not the usually sugar coating like most hockey books. Kind of reminds me a little of Phil Esposito's book. Shoots from the hip.

Probert was taking 20 Oxycontin a day for last few years of his life. He use to go to several different doctors at same time to get enough to feed his habit. He would dip the pill in Coke cola to eat the coating off so he would get the hit immediately