I should be writing a graduate paper right now, but sometimes bad news takes precedent. Former NHL tough guy Bob Probert passed away today from a heart attack at the age of 45. Anyone who is a hockey fan knows who Probert is and what he brought to his two teams, the Red Wings and Blackhawks; he will be sorely missed.

I had planned on writing a Probert and Domi entry next week documenting their rivalry, but that will take a back seat as Probert will get the lion share of my attention.

Probert is one of the all-time great tough guys. In fact, he would be on my Mount Rushmore of enforcers. He represented the glory days of the fighting in the 80s and was a true warrior. He cracked 300+ PIM three times and 200+ PIM six times. He is fifth all-time in PIMs with 3,300. But he was a little more than a fighter. He netted 20+ goals twice 10+ goals four times, so obviously he had some offensive talent. He retired after 16 seasons which is a good long career for an enforcer.

Let me go on a slight tangent for a second. When will the Hall of Fame start recognizing the tough guy? I know the NHL tries to turn a blind eye to fighting, but they know it is a reason fans like the sport. If the NHL was truly against fighting, they’d just ban it from the sport, but why take away fans? So, it’s about time they honour some of the toughest guys on the ice. These guys serve a role; to protect star players, add a spark, and to entertain fans. Why are they any less deserving than non-enforcers? Some of these guys are talented beyond fisticuffs. Guys like O’Reilly, Probert, Domi, Neil, Bridgman, et al could actually play…and play well. Sure, the Jody Shelleys, Derek Boogaards, and Colton Orrs of the league are mainly guys who fight, but they still add something to the team. Usually, they are the captains of the locker room. And off ice, they are among the most friendly and approachable athletes in all of sports. So it’s about time the NHL and the HOF wise up and start getting these guys in. And when they finally open their doors to the enforcer, Probert should be one of the first in.

Back to Probert. It’s always sad when a player dies, but when he dies young, it’s extra tough. Probert had his share of off-ice issues, but I think he had cleaned up his act for the most part in recent years.

Here are two clips of Probert fights. This first one is his first bout with Tie Domi, who was then a rookie. Outmatched, Domi gets the better of Probert and even cuts him fairly badly. Immediately after the fight, Domi makes a gesture around his waist, signaling that he is the new heavyweight champ.

It would be a year before Probert would get his revenge. This was one of the most hyped hockey fights of all time (there was a countdown and everything) and it finally came to fruition in Decemeber when Probert reclaimed his “belt”.

Lastly, here are my two best Probert cards, a rookie and an autographed one.

1988-89 O-Pee-Chee #181 Bob Probert

2006-07 Parkhurst #101 Bob Probert

We’ll miss ya, Probie!

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