Was There an NHL Player Who Would Qualify as a Hippie?

[Tarantula]

Great post Hoser, I had forgotten about Simmons, he had a article written in Hockey World about him and even with their staid approach you could tell he was different. Great to hear a follow up on him, and the long twisted path he took to the bigs, and as much on his own terms as possible apparently.

 

[Ralph Spoilsport]

There were rumours that when Tim Horton crashed his car he was under the influence of LSD.

Last Saturday's donuts.



I know, I'm going to hell.

 

[Howie Hodge]

There were rumours that when Tim Horton crashed his car he was under the influence of LSD.

Last Saturday's donuts.



I know, I'm going to hell.

I was a huge Tim Horton fan. My one son was named after him.

Tim Horton was under the influence of things other than alcohol (2x the limit) at the time of his crash.

I will not elaborate - but it is a matter of public record. The details of content, and cause of death are both disturbing.

LSD was not in his system.

 

[Laineux]

LSD was not in his system.

That we may never know, because LSD is undetectable in tests very soon after it's effects have begun - before the effects are even over. And regular drug tests can't detect it at all.

 

[The Roy Of Ottawa]

 

[DJ Man]

I believe that Henry David Thoreau was an inspiration to 1960s counter-culturalists.

Imagine the playoff beards that he could have influenced!

 

[snuffelapagus]

Sanderson was more playboy/party guy than hippie. Gratton, just a loony.

Andrew Ference. closest you're going to get to a hippie in the history of the NHL despite being a couple generations late:
Andrew Ference: The NHL's Mr. Green

 

[Howie Hodge]

That we may never know, because LSD is undetectable in tests very soon after it's effects have begun - before the effects are even over. And regular drug tests can't detect it at all.

Well I can't empirically refute it based on that.

However; based on his autopsy, it shows a pretty clear depiction on what he was doing. (Some to overcome being an old man in a younger man's league...)

And I will not comment any further on here about his passing.

Peace.

 

[blood gin]

Sean Avery I wouldn't say was a hippie but a definite obnoxious hipster. Really wasn't the type of guy other players could relate too and didn't seem to take his career too seriously. He was a pretty good player when focused.

 

[sr edler]

Hippies' generally not into sports. Much less into professional sports. And even much less into historically violent professional sports such as hockey.

 

[Bexlyspeed]

Denis Potvin used to practice Transcendental Meditation.

he was too mean to be a hippie. I think at one point most of the Islanders team in the early 80s practiced TM.


Butch Goring could be considered a hippie, I read that he used to travel in torn up jeans and shirts until his teammates burned them and he had to buy new clothes

 

[BadgerBruce]

Not hockey, but roundballer Bill Walton could be the poster child for the hippie-athlete.

“In a revealing Q&A with Vice, noted Deadhead and NBA Hall of Famer Bill Walton discusses the many aspects of his life, both past and present, including his early days at UCLA and on through his professional basketball careers.

One of the many highlights comes when Walton is asked about being a hippie, to which he responded: "I'm still a hippie and proud of it because we were right. We still think that way. I fought Coach Wooden on everything. I fought him on facial hair, hair length, wardrobe, Nixon, Vietnam, the cheerleaders."


Read more: Bill Walton: “I’m still a hippie and proud of it because we were right”

 

[Howie Hodge]

^Bill Walton was a huge/is a huge Grateful Dead fan.^
This one's for Bill, and anyone who appreciates The Dead!

 

[Voight]

Ilya Bryzgalov.

 

[blood gin]

Would've loved to see a hippie type player end up on a Don Cherry coached team.

 

[Hanji]

As already mentioned, Bill Walton is the first name that comes to mind. The quintessential hippie athlete.
Walton was associating with the radical elements of the early 70's counterculture movement.