Archive for the ‘Enforcers’ Category

Okay, it’s time to goon it up a little around here and who better to do that with than the NHL’s all-time leader in penalty minutes, Dave “Tiger” Williams.

Tiger Williams was selected 31st overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs during the 1974 draft and would make his debut the following season as a twenty-year old. He played in 42 games that season, scoring 10 goals and helping on 19 others for a total of 29 points. Not too shabby for a rookie, right? Potential offensive abilities be damned, it was with his hard-nosed playing style that Tiger would make his name. That same season, Williams tallied 187 penalty minutes, dropping the mitts 22 times against guys like Terry O’Reilly (three times), Bob Gassoff (twice),  and Keith Magnuson. His 187 PIMs would be the second lowest total of his career and also one of only two times he would finish under 200 PIMs. The only other time was his last season in the NHL, when he played in just 28 games.

Over the next four seasons with the Maple Leafs, Tiger Williams was one of the premier tough guys in the NHL. During those four season, he put up 299, 338, 351, and 298 PIMs respectively. He fought 130 times and traded punches with every goon worth a damn. In that same span, Tiger continued to show that he was more than an enforcer. He scored 77 goals over those four seasons and totaled 172 points in 320 games. Again, not too shabby for a fighter, right?

Towards the end of the 79-80 season, Williams was traded from the Maple Leafs to the Vancouver Canucks. He would spend the next four seasons in Vancouver and continue to do what he did best, police the ice and generate some offense. Over those four seasons, he put up 343, 341, 265, and 294 PIMs.  He didn’t fight as much, only dropping the gloves 89 times, but c’mon? That’s like saying Gretzky wasn’t as good in LA because he was only scoring 150+ total points instead of the 200+ in Edmonton. Williams also managed to score 75 goals (on par with his Toronto days) and rack up 152 points in 289 games.

Williams was traded to the Detroit Red Wings prior to the start of the 84-85 season for Miracle on Ice star Rob McClanahan. He would play 55 games in Detroit before being shipped off to the Los Angeles Kings. He played the next two seasons in LA, accumulating 320 and 358 PIMs. His offensive ability was still there as he netted 36 goals and 83 points in 148 games.

Two games into the 87-88 season, he was traded to the Hartford Whalers for cash. Williams played in just 26 games in Hartford, scoring 6 goals and spending 87 minutes in the sin bin. He was placed on waivers and would not play again. He officially retired at the end of the season at the ripe ol’ age of 33.

For his career, Williams led the NHL in PIMs three times and finished in the top-10 twelve times. He had twelve seasons of over 200 PIMs and six with more than 300. He is the all-time leader in PIMs with 3966 in 962 games. He dropped the gloves 323 times, beginning with Gary Howatt and ending with Shane Churla. He scored a total of 241 goals and helped on 272 others, giving him 962 total points.

This card is from the 2005-06 Upper Deck The Cup set. This product is one of those high-end things that I would never ever buy a pack/box of. I think the overall design is solid and I get the best of three different things: a jersey, on-card signature, and a low print run of just 75. If I remember correctly, I think I got this card for about $25 which, for the reasons I just listed, is a steal. Part of me wishes it was a card from his Canuck days and featured a piece of those god-awful early-80s jerseys, but this will do. He has a nice, clean signature that is not as good as the old timers, but much better than the current players. I’ll say its a transition signature.

Here is his rookie card which I showed on here a while ago:

Ahhh, he is going to carve your eyes out with his blade!

Lastly, I wanted to include a fight clip, but I couldn’t find a really memorable Tiger fight. He just fought SO much, no one sticks out in my mind. I’ll ask you, what is YOUR favourite Tiger fight?

In place of a hockey fight clip, I give you one of the best goal celebrations ever, courtesy of Mr. Williams:

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!