Who is the hardest worker in NHL history?

[CHareth]

Some very hard workers listed. Brings back some good memories. Gee Wally, I like the Willie O'Ree nomination. Great choice.

A few more modern day hard workers:

- Scott Barney - missed three seasons with a serious injury and fought back to make it to the NHL

- Robin Regehr - fatal car accident resulting in two deaths and both his legs broken; six years later, he helps his team to come one win away from the Stanley Cup

- Richard Park - from what I understand, Risebrough decided to buy him out but before he could get around to it, Park's contract was automatically renewed, he showed some great stuff at camp and ended up sticking with the team for the entire season and most recently sported an "A" for Team USA at the worlds

 

[MB1]

Brian Sutter, hands down

Bob Bassen

Steve Konowalchuk

Mike Keane

 

[Marcus-74]

As much as some on this site blow that incedent out of proportion you would think that Clarke murdered him

Yeah, well, it was just a little jibe at those people who seem to know next to nothing about hockey (history) and yet act like experts when that incident is mentioned... all that "Clarke was a typical Canadian unskilled thug etc.". I mean, c´mon! Even Kharlamov himself called Clarke "a brilliant player" (without a hint of irony) and clearly considered him to be one of the best players in the world (check Kharlamov´s autobiography if you can find it!).

And of course that doesn´t mean that the slash was cool or necessary or anything positive.

 

[Heavy Fuel]

The first name that popped into my head when I saw this thread.

I am with these guys - I can still Tonelli doing that Tazmanian devil forecheck in the corners knocking the puck loose for the other guys. He was one of those guys that you hated to play/wished played for you. There were and are lots of hard workers but he seemed to leave it all out there.

 

[No Quarter*]

Bob Errey

 

[Steve Latin*]

It has to be Bob Gainey. Playing playoff hockey with two broken shoulder and still hitting everything in sight

Serge Savard came into the player room (as a GM) and said to Bob, that there's no way he can play the game, none of his insurance policy is willing to cover him and the team doctor just don't think that playing hockey in his condition is a good idea.

Bob Gainey : « Just bring me the discharge paper, no way I miss that game »

Bob earned every bit of respect he gets.

Exactly what I was thinking. Ken Dryden gave him a really good write-up in "The Game"

 

[Malefic74]

19 posts and no one has mentioned John Tonelli.

3 pages and 56 posts and no one mentions the Iron Man himself Doug Jarvis.

He started the first game of the season in Montreal in 1975 and played every single game thereafter until the 26th game of the season in 1987 (!) with Washington against every top centre in the league.

12 complete seasons.

964 consecutive games.

And he was 5'9 and 170 lbs!

Everyone remembers Gainey and rightfully so, but often at the expense of his partner in crime. Jarvis didn't have Gainey's size or skating. What he did have was a good head on his shoulders and the heart and will to outwork everyone else on the ice.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Seriously, who gives any more on the ice than Pavel Brendl???

 

[trickster]

Gary Roberts

Gary Roberts.


No question - in the last 20 years, no one has put in the effort he has - on and off the ice... playoffs, regular seasons, coming back from injuries... off ice -

Roberts for sure.

 

[lemieux32*]

Bob Plager- gave everything to the Blues as a player and since he retired has given everything to the team in any and every aspect of the team they have needed him in.


On the subject of Mario, the person who wrote the glowing revue should go look at some tapes of Mario before he got serious about physical training after his back injury. The guy avoided contact like it was the plague. Great player and finally got serious (working out and not smoking).

 

[bryandjen107]

Another Vote for Rick Tocchet

 

[Zine]

Wayne Gretzky. I never saw him take a shift off. And off the ice, he never seemed to duck an interview, despite the fact he's easily the most interviewed player in the history of the game.

Gretzky wasn't the most talented player to ever lift a stick, yet he's a million miles ahead of everyone else in career points. The main reason is he worked harder at his game than everyone else.

I agree with you about Gretzky off the ice. But on the ice Gretzky never fully went balls-out in the defensive end on every shift.

Gainey and the Sutters come to mind for me.

 

[crump]

Some great names mentioned so far.

how about.

Steve "Stumpy" Thomas
Mike Foligno

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Mike Richter anyone?

Marcel Dionne, anyone???

 

[sandels]

I'm a bit surprised Tazmanian Devil Terry O'Reilly has been mentioned just once.

Edit: I'd give Jere Lehtinen an honourable mention too. Jere is a machine.

 

[Spooky371*]

Vladimir Malakhov, Jaromir Jagr and Alexei Kovalev.

 

[Russian_fanatic]

Oh my god! This many pages and no mention of Kelly Buchberger? Arguably the least talented player ever, but the guy was all heart where ever he went.

 

[mattihp]

Oh my god! This many pages and no mention of Kelly Buchberger? Arguably the least talented player ever, but the guy was all heart where ever he went.

Bucky is mentioned and seconded on the first page of the thread.

 

[KariyaIsGod*]

I agree with you about Gretzky off the ice. But on the ice Gretzky never fully went balls-out in the defensive end on every shift.

Gainey and the Sutters come to mind for me.

Why would he?

He knew where the puck was going before it got there so he went to that spot... If I suddenly saw Wayne skating like a maniac, throwing himself around like a cannonball and chasing the puck like it was attached to his hip by a rope, I would tell him immediately to stop and play like he normally does.

 

[Bring Back Bucky]

Oh my god! This many pages and no mention of Kelly Buchberger? Arguably the least talented player ever, but the guy was all heart where ever he went.

I hardly think I would have ever allowed that to happen