Bob Probert
Encyclopedia
Robert Alan Probert was a Canadian professional ice hockey
forward
. Probert played for the National Hockey League
's Detroit Red Wings
and Chicago Blackhawks
. While a successful player by some measures, including being voted to the 1987–88 Campbell Conference all-star team, Probert was best known for his activities as a fighter and enforcer
, as well as being one half of the "Bruise Brothers" with then-Red Wing teammate Joey Kocur
, during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Probert was also known for his off-ice antics and legal problems.
of the Ontario Hockey League
. After being drafted, he spent one more season with the Alexanders before spending his 1984–85 season with both the Hamilton Steelhawks
and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
of the OHL
.
, in which the Red Wings also selected Kocur and Steve Yzerman
.
During the 1985–86 and 1986–87 seasons, Probert spent the majority of his time with the Red Wings while occasionally playing for their minor league affiliate Adirondack Red Wings
of the American Hockey League
. In the 1985–86 season, he finished third on the team in penalty minutes behind Kocur and Randy Ladouceur
, both of whom played more regular season games than Probert. In the 1986–87 season, Probert accumulated only 24 points, but amassed 221 penalty minutes.
The 1987–88 season was the pinnacle of Probert's career. He cemented his reputation as an enforcer with a league-leading 398 penalty minutes, the sixth-highest single-season total in NHL history. He also tied for third on the team with 62 points, and played in his only NHL All-Star Game. In addition he contributed the most points during the Red Wings' playoff run, in which Yzerman missed all but the final three games with a knee injury.
Probert's career hit a snag in 1989 when he was arrested for cocaine
possession while crossing the Detroit-Windsor
border. U.S. Customs agents at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel found 14 grams of cocaine hidden in Probert's underpants. He served three months in a federal prison in Minnesota
, three more months in a halfway house, and was indefinitely suspended from the NHL. The NHL lifted the suspension at the conclusion of his prison term. Probert was initially ordered to be deported
to Canada following his conviction, but he immediately filed for an appeal. The appeal process allowed him to resume his career with the Red Wings, but barred him from traveling with the team to Canada, as he would not be allowed to return to the United States. The matter was resolved on December 7, 1992, when the Immigration and Naturalization Service
granted his appeal, restoring his travel privileges between the United States and Canada.
When Probert returned to the Red Wings, he was temporarily one of the alternate Captains of the team along with Gerard Gallant
. While his penalty minutes remained high, he also averaged 40 points a season. Though during his last season with the Red Wings, he accumulated only 17 points for the team.
At this time, Probert once again got into trouble with the law. On July 15, 1994, he suffered minor injuries when he crashed his motorcycle into a car in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan
. Police
determined that his blood
alcohol
level was approximately triple the legal limit, and that there were also trace amounts of cocaine in his system. At the time of the accident, Probert had been ruled an unrestricted free agent
. On July 19, the Red Wings announced that they would not offer him a contract. "This is the end," said senior vice-president Jim Devellano. "[In] my 12 years with the organization ... we've never spent more time on one player and his problems than we have on Probert."
in September 1994 while Probert entered rehab following his July 15 crash and subsequent drunk-driving charge. As a result, Probert sat out the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season
before joining the Blackhawks.
Probert's first season with the Blackhawks was the last in which he accumulated over 40 points in a season. From then on, his points and penalty minutes gradually decreased. While he never returned to the levels of point production he achieved with the Red Wings, he remained a physical force on the ice and continued many long-term rivalries with other enforcers.
Probert also sustained various injuries during his time with the Blackhawks, most notably a torn rotator cuff
injury which caused him to miss most of the 1997–98 season. One of the more noteworthy occurrences of his career with Chicago is that he scored the final NHL goal at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens
on February 13, 1999.
. In a recent news story, he recalled a time that he sucker-punched enforcer Kevin Maguire
of the Buffalo Sabres
after Maguire attacked Yzerman. Maguire then unsuccessfully attempted to avoid Probert.
Some significant tilts in Probert's career include:
His stint with the Blackhawks radio team did not last long. In February 2003, it was reported that Probert went back to rehab
. During the 2002–03 offseason, Probert formally announced his retirement.
, is featured in a book entitled Bruise Brothers by Bob Duff .
. Probert's widow, Dani, decided to honour his wishes to tell his story and continue with completion of the book.
"Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge" was published Oct. 26, 2010 by HarperCollins Canada.
On January 2, 2007, Probert appeared along with many other former Red Wings teammates to honor the retiring of Steve Yzerman's number 19 at Joe Louis Arena
. He wore his number 24 Red Wings jersey, and helped former teammate Vladimir Konstantinov
onto the ice for the ceremony. The Detroit crowd gave him a very warm welcome, which he later said he appreciated. He stayed on to watch the game with Joey Kocur behind the penalty box.
This was noted as a possible reconciliation with the Red Wings organization. Apparently it worked, as Probert became a late addition to a January 27, 2007, Red Wings Alumni game against the Boston Bruins Alumni at Joe Louis Arena. He scored a goal and two assists, though the Red Wings alumni lost the game 8-6.
Probert recently worked on the Mike Myers
2008 film The Love Guru
, making a cameo as a hockey player. He commented on the irony of being given jersey number 28 to wear in the film — the same number worn by longtime rival Tie Domi.
In 2009, Probert participated in the Canadian figure skating
reality television
show Battle of the Blades
which features figure skating pairs of male hockey players and female figure skaters competing against other pairs. Probert was partnered with Kristina Lenko.
sport utility vehicle
on the wrong side of the street and entering into an altercation over drugs with bystanders. Several police officers intervened and had to subdue Probert with taser
and stun guns. He was later acquitted on all charges related to this incident.
On July 1, 2005, Probert was arrested at his Windsor-area (Lakeshore
) home for breach of peace, resisting arrest
, and assaulting a police officer. Probert's attorney, Patrick Ducharme, advised the media, "I anticipate he will be pleading not guilty and going to trial." Probert was arrested again on August 23, 2005, at a bar in Tecumseh, Ontario
, for violating two conditions of his probation that he not consume alcohol or be in an establishment that serves liquor. He was released after paying a $200 CAD
fine. All charges stemming from the arrest on July 1 were eventually dropped.
, Ontario
, with his children, father-in-law, and mother-in-law when he developed what was described as "severe chest pain" and collapsed at approximately 2:00 pm local time. His father-in-law Dan Parkinson, the Cornwall, Ontario chief of police, attempted CPR to save his life. He was rushed to Windsor Regional Hospital's Metropolitan Campus with no vital signs. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead later that afternoon.
Funeral services were held July 9, 2010 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and attended by several former teammates and opponents, including Dino Ciccarelli
, Tie Domi
, Gerard Gallant
, Doug Gilmour
, Stu Grimson
, Joey Kocur, Brad McCrimmon
, Darren McCarty
, and Steve Yzerman
, as well as Red Wings general manager Ken Holland
and owners Mike
and Marian Ilitch. Yzerman delivered the eulogy. In recognition of Probert's love of motorcycle riding, his funeral procession was led by a group of 54 motorcyclists, and his casket was transported on a custom-built motorcycle sidecar
. Probert is survived by his wife and four children.
Bob Probert's family announced, on September 25, 2010, that his brain would be donated to the Sports Legacy Institute to assist researchers who are studying the effects of concussions and other sports-related head injuries. In February 2011, it was announced by researchers at Boston University
that they had found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy
in Probert's brain. However the findings were not officially revealed in the press until late on Wednesday March 2, 2011 by The New York Times
and The Globe and Mail
in Toronto
.
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
forward
Forward (ice hockey)
In ice hockey, a forward is a player position on the ice whose primary responsibility is to score goals. Generally, the forwards try to stay in three different lanes, also known as thirds, of the ice going from goal to goal. It is not mandatory however, to stay in a lane. Staying in a lane aids in...
. Probert played for the National Hockey League
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States...
's Detroit Red Wings
Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York...
and Chicago Blackhawks
Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10...
. While a successful player by some measures, including being voted to the 1987–88 Campbell Conference all-star team, Probert was best known for his activities as a fighter and enforcer
Enforcer (hockey)
Enforcer is an unofficial role in ice hockey. The term is sometimes used synonymously with "fighter", "tough guy", or "goon". NHL players regarded as enforcers include Tiger Williams, Tony Twist, Bob Probert, Dave Semenko, Dave Schultz, Tie Domi, Dave Brown, Joey Kocur, Clark Gillies, Stu Grimson,...
, as well as being one half of the "Bruise Brothers" with then-Red Wing teammate Joey Kocur
Joe Kocur
Joseph George Kocur is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is best known as one half of the "Bruise Brothers," the other being the late Bob Probert, when playing for the Detroit Red Wings.-Career:...
, during the late 1980s and early 1990s. Probert was also known for his off-ice antics and legal problems.
Playing career
Prior to playing with the Detroit Red Wings, Probert was with the Brantford AlexandersBrantford Alexanders
The Brantford Alexanders were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League from 1978 to 1984. The team was based in Brantford, Ontario.-History:...
of the Ontario Hockey League
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
. After being drafted, he spent one more season with the Alexanders before spending his 1984–85 season with both the Hamilton Steelhawks
Hamilton Steelhawks
The Hamilton Steelhawks were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1984 to 1988. The team was based in Hamilton, Ontario, and played at Copps Coliseum.-History:...
and the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds
The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey...
of the OHL
Ontario Hockey League
The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada....
.
Detroit Red Wings (1985–1994)
Probert was drafted as the 4th pick in the third round (46th overall) in the 1983 NHL Entry Draft1983 NHL Entry Draft
The 1983 NHL Entry Draft was held at the Montreal Forum in Montreal, Quebec, on June 8, 1983. The NHL Entry Draft is the primary means by which players arrive in the National Hockey League. The St. Louis Blues did not participate in this draft, shortly after the league blocked the franchise's...
, in which the Red Wings also selected Kocur and Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
.
During the 1985–86 and 1986–87 seasons, Probert spent the majority of his time with the Red Wings while occasionally playing for their minor league affiliate Adirondack Red Wings
Adirondack Red Wings
The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
of the American Hockey League
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League...
. In the 1985–86 season, he finished third on the team in penalty minutes behind Kocur and Randy Ladouceur
Randy Ladouceur
Randall Ladouceur . Ladouceur is a current assistant coach of the Montreal Canadiens. He is a former assistant coach of the Hamilton Bulldogs and former assistant coach of the Toronto Maple Leafs...
, both of whom played more regular season games than Probert. In the 1986–87 season, Probert accumulated only 24 points, but amassed 221 penalty minutes.
The 1987–88 season was the pinnacle of Probert's career. He cemented his reputation as an enforcer with a league-leading 398 penalty minutes, the sixth-highest single-season total in NHL history. He also tied for third on the team with 62 points, and played in his only NHL All-Star Game. In addition he contributed the most points during the Red Wings' playoff run, in which Yzerman missed all but the final three games with a knee injury.
Probert's career hit a snag in 1989 when he was arrested for cocaine
Cocaine
Cocaine is a crystalline tropane alkaloid that is obtained from the leaves of the coca plant. The name comes from "coca" in addition to the alkaloid suffix -ine, forming cocaine. It is a stimulant of the central nervous system, an appetite suppressant, and a topical anesthetic...
possession while crossing the Detroit-Windsor
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
border. U.S. Customs agents at the Detroit-Windsor Tunnel found 14 grams of cocaine hidden in Probert's underpants. He served three months in a federal prison in Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, three more months in a halfway house, and was indefinitely suspended from the NHL. The NHL lifted the suspension at the conclusion of his prison term. Probert was initially ordered to be deported
Deportation
Deportation means the expulsion of a person or group of people from a place or country. Today it often refers to the expulsion of foreign nationals whereas the expulsion of nationals is called banishment, exile, or penal transportation...
to Canada following his conviction, but he immediately filed for an appeal. The appeal process allowed him to resume his career with the Red Wings, but barred him from traveling with the team to Canada, as he would not be allowed to return to the United States. The matter was resolved on December 7, 1992, when the Immigration and Naturalization Service
Immigration and Naturalization Service
The United States Immigration and Naturalization Service , now referred to as Legacy INS, ceased to exist under that name on March 1, 2003, when most of its functions were transferred from the Department of Justice to three new components within the newly created Department of Homeland Security, as...
granted his appeal, restoring his travel privileges between the United States and Canada.
When Probert returned to the Red Wings, he was temporarily one of the alternate Captains of the team along with Gerard Gallant
Gerard Gallant
Gerard "Turk" Gallant is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former NHL player.Gallant was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, sixth round, one-hundred seventh overall....
. While his penalty minutes remained high, he also averaged 40 points a season. Though during his last season with the Red Wings, he accumulated only 17 points for the team.
At this time, Probert once again got into trouble with the law. On July 15, 1994, he suffered minor injuries when he crashed his motorcycle into a car in West Bloomfield Township, Michigan
West Bloomfield Township, Michigan
West Bloomfield Charter Township is an affluent charter township in Oakland County in the U.S. state of Michigan, within the Detroit metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, the township had a population of 64,690. As of 2008, West Bloomfield Township was ranked the 8th highest income city in the...
. Police
Police
The police is a personification of the state designated to put in practice the enforced law, protect property and reduce civil disorder in civilian matters. Their powers include the legitimized use of force...
determined that his blood
Blood
Blood is a specialized bodily fluid in animals that delivers necessary substances such as nutrients and oxygen to the cells and transports metabolic waste products away from those same cells....
alcohol
Alcohol
In chemistry, an alcohol is an organic compound in which the hydroxy functional group is bound to a carbon atom. In particular, this carbon center should be saturated, having single bonds to three other atoms....
level was approximately triple the legal limit, and that there were also trace amounts of cocaine in his system. At the time of the accident, Probert had been ruled an unrestricted free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
. On July 19, the Red Wings announced that they would not offer him a contract. "This is the end," said senior vice-president Jim Devellano. "[In] my 12 years with the organization ... we've never spent more time on one player and his problems than we have on Probert."
Chicago Blackhawks (1995–2002)
Probert signed with the Chicago Blackhawks on July 23, 1994, but was placed on inactive status by commissioner Gary BettmanGary Bettman
Gary Bruce Bettman is the commissioner of the National Hockey League , a post he has held since February 1, 1993. Previously, Bettman was a senior vice-president and general counsel to the National Basketball Association...
in September 1994 while Probert entered rehab following his July 15 crash and subsequent drunk-driving charge. As a result, Probert sat out the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season
1994-95 NHL season
The 1994–95 NHL season was the 78th regular season of the National Hockey League. The teams played a shortened season, due to a lockout of the players by the owners. In addition, the NHL All-Star Game, which had been scheduled to take place January 20–21, 1995 in San Jose, CA, was canceled...
before joining the Blackhawks.
Probert's first season with the Blackhawks was the last in which he accumulated over 40 points in a season. From then on, his points and penalty minutes gradually decreased. While he never returned to the levels of point production he achieved with the Red Wings, he remained a physical force on the ice and continued many long-term rivalries with other enforcers.
Probert also sustained various injuries during his time with the Blackhawks, most notably a torn rotator cuff
Rotator cuff
In anatomy, the rotator cuff is the group of muscles and their tendons that act to stabilize the shoulder. The four muscles of the rotator cuff, along with the teres major muscle, the coracobrachialis muscle and the deltoid, make up the seven scapulohumeral muscles of the human body.-Function:The...
injury which caused him to miss most of the 1997–98 season. One of the more noteworthy occurrences of his career with Chicago is that he scored the final NHL goal at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens
Maple Leaf Gardens is an indoor arena that was converted into a Loblawssupermarket and Ryerson University athletic centre in Toronto, on the northwest corner of Carlton Street and Church Street in Toronto's Garden District.One of the temples of hockey, it was home to the Toronto Maple Leafs of the...
on February 13, 1999.
Fighting
He saw it as his job to protect his teammates, especially Detroit captain Steve YzermanSteve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
. In a recent news story, he recalled a time that he sucker-punched enforcer Kevin Maguire
Kevin Maguire (ice hockey)
Kevin Maguire is a former professional ice hockey forward and referee. He played in the National Hockey League with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Buffalo Sabres, and Philadelphia Flyers....
of the Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
after Maguire attacked Yzerman. Maguire then unsuccessfully attempted to avoid Probert.
Some significant tilts in Probert's career include:
- A long-standing rivalry with the Toronto Maple Leafs' Wendel Clark.
- Two long fights with Craig CoxeCraig CoxeCraig R. Coxe is a retired professional ice hockey player. In addition to playing in the National Hockey League with the Vancouver Canucks, Calgary Flames, St. Louis Blues, and the San Jose Sharks...
of the Vancouver CanucksVancouver CanucksThe Vancouver Canucks are a professional ice hockey team based in Vancouver, :British Columbia, Canada. They are members of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . The Canucks play their home games at Rogers Arena, formerly known as General Motors Place,...
in the mid-1980s. - A career-spanning series of battles with Tie DomiTie DomiTahir "Tie" Domi is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During a sixteen-year NHL career when he was known for his role as an enforcer, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets....
of the New York RangersNew York RangersThe New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the borough of Manhattan in New York, New York, USA. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . Playing their home games at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers are one of the...
, Winnipeg Jets, and Toronto Maple LeafsToronto Maple LeafsThe Toronto Maple Leafs are a professional ice hockey team based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League...
. One of Probert's memorable confrontations was also the genesis of Tie Domi's now-infamous belt gesture, where he gestured to the crowd as if he had a heavyweight title belt around his waist. Fights afterwards between Domi and Probert were seen in the eyes of many as Probert "regaining the title" from Domi. - A career-spanning series of fights with longtime enforcer Stu GrimsonStu GrimsonA. Stuart Grimson is a former Canadian ice hockey forward. Grimson played in the National Hockey League from 1989 to 2002. During this time, he played for the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings,...
, including a fight in December 1993 when the Mighty Ducks of AnaheimAnaheim DucksThe Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California, USA. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League...
made their first visit ever to Detroit. - A memorable fight on December 17, 1993 with former teammate Joey Kocur of the Rangers, during a brawl involving several players from both teams. Probert and Kocur had grabbed the nearest opposing player without realizing who it was, and continued trading punches even after they identified each other. Later on in Probert's career, he would face Kocur a couple more times when he was with the Chicago Blackhawks.
- A fight on February 4, 1994, against Marty McSorleyMarty McSorleyMartin James "Marty" McSorley is a retired Canadian professional hockey player, who played in the National Hockey League from 1983 to 2000. A versatile player, he was able to play both the forward and defense positions. He is also a former head coach of the Springfield Falcons of the American...
, then of the Pittsburgh PenguinsPittsburgh PenguinsThe Pittsburgh Penguins are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League . The franchise was founded in 1967 as one of the first expansion teams during the league's original...
, lasting nearly 100 seconds.
Community involvement
He actively supported young hockey players in the community, and often bought tickets for kids who couldn't afford to go to Red Wings games. He encouraged a young fan in 1989 to pursue sobriety, challenged him to a contest in which he predicted he would surpass him, that man now has 23 years sobriety-August 18, 2011.Retirement
After the 2001–02 season, Probert was placed on waivers by the Blackhawks. Because he was not picked up by another team, he was advised that his role with the Blackhawks would be limited, or even relegated to playing in the minor leagues again. On November 16, 2002, Probert opted to "unofficially" retire so that he could join the Blackhawks radio broadcasting team. He had finished fourth on the NHL's all-time list with 3,300 penalty minutes.His stint with the Blackhawks radio team did not last long. In February 2003, it was reported that Probert went back to rehab
Drug rehabilitation
Drug rehabilitation is a term for the processes of medical or psychotherapeutic treatment, for dependency on psychoactive substances such as alcohol, prescription drugs, and so-called street drugs such as cocaine, heroin or amphetamines...
. During the 2002–03 offseason, Probert formally announced his retirement.
In media
Probert, along with former teammate Joe KocurJoe Kocur
Joseph George Kocur is a retired professional ice hockey player. He is best known as one half of the "Bruise Brothers," the other being the late Bob Probert, when playing for the Detroit Red Wings.-Career:...
, is featured in a book entitled Bruise Brothers by Bob Duff .
Literary works
Before his death, Probert had been working on a memoir with Kirstie McLellan Day, co-writer of Theo Fleury's bestselling autobiography Playing with FirePlaying with Fire (Autobiography)
Playing with Fire is the best selling autobiography of former National Hockey League player Theoren Fleury. Co-written with author Kirstie McLellan Day, Fleury documented how he became a star player, Stanley Cup champion and Olympic gold medalist despite battling drug and alcohol addictions that...
. Probert's widow, Dani, decided to honour his wishes to tell his story and continue with completion of the book.
"Tough Guy: My Life on the Edge" was published Oct. 26, 2010 by HarperCollins Canada.
Hockey-related appearances
Probert regularly appeared in charity games, spoke at conventions, and conducted youth clinics. His activities as a Red Wings alumnus were somewhat limited by the fact that, due to his criminal history, he required an immigration waiver each time he wanted to cross the border.On January 2, 2007, Probert appeared along with many other former Red Wings teammates to honor the retiring of Steve Yzerman's number 19 at Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena
Joe Louis Arena, nicknamed The Joe and JLA is a hockey arena located at 600 Civic Center Drive in Detroit, Michigan. It is the home of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Completed in 1979 at a cost of $57 million, Joe Louis Arena is named after boxer and former heavyweight...
. He wore his number 24 Red Wings jersey, and helped former teammate Vladimir Konstantinov
Vladimir Konstantinov
Vladimir Nikolaevich Konstantinov is a Russian retired professional ice hockey player who played his entire National Hockey League career with the Detroit Red Wings. Previously, he had played for Soviet club CSKA Moscow...
onto the ice for the ceremony. The Detroit crowd gave him a very warm welcome, which he later said he appreciated. He stayed on to watch the game with Joey Kocur behind the penalty box.
This was noted as a possible reconciliation with the Red Wings organization. Apparently it worked, as Probert became a late addition to a January 27, 2007, Red Wings Alumni game against the Boston Bruins Alumni at Joe Louis Arena. He scored a goal and two assists, though the Red Wings alumni lost the game 8-6.
Probert recently worked on the Mike Myers
Mike Myers (actor)
Michael John "Mike" Myers is a Canadian actor, comedian, screenwriter, and film producer of British parentage...
2008 film The Love Guru
The Love Guru
The Love Guru is a 2008 comedy film, directed by Marco Schnabel and starring Mike Myers and Jessica Alba along with Romany Malco and Justin Timberlake. In addition to starring in the film, Myers wrote The Love Guru with Graham Gordy and produced it with Gary Barber. The film was released by...
, making a cameo as a hockey player. He commented on the irony of being given jersey number 28 to wear in the film — the same number worn by longtime rival Tie Domi.
In 2009, Probert participated in the Canadian figure skating
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
reality television
Reality television
Reality television is a genre of television programming that presents purportedly unscripted dramatic or humorous situations, documents actual events, and usually features ordinary people instead of professional actors, sometimes in a contest or other situation where a prize is awarded...
show Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades is a Canadian figure skating reality show and competition that airs on CBC Television. It was first broadcast before a live audience at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens. With Maple Leaf Gardens under renovation however, the show was filmed at Pinewood Toronto Studios in season two...
which features figure skating pairs of male hockey players and female figure skaters competing against other pairs. Probert was partnered with Kristina Lenko.
Legal problems
On June 4, 2004, Probert was arrested for allegedly parking his BMWBMW
Bayerische Motoren Werke AG is a German automobile, motorcycle and engine manufacturing company founded in 1916. It also owns and produces the Mini marque, and is the parent company of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. BMW produces motorcycles under BMW Motorrad and Husqvarna brands...
sport utility vehicle
Sport utility vehicle
A sport utility vehicle is a generic marketing term for a vehicle similar to a station wagon, but built on a light-truck chassis. It is usually equipped with four-wheel drive for on- or off-road ability, and with some pretension or ability to be used as an off-road vehicle. Not all four-wheel...
on the wrong side of the street and entering into an altercation over drugs with bystanders. Several police officers intervened and had to subdue Probert with taser
Taser
A Taser is an electroshock weapon that uses electrical current to disrupt voluntary control of muscles. Its manufacturer, Taser International, calls the effects "neuromuscular incapacitation" and the devices' mechanism "Electro-Muscular Disruption technology"...
and stun guns. He was later acquitted on all charges related to this incident.
On July 1, 2005, Probert was arrested at his Windsor-area (Lakeshore
Lakeshore, Ontario
Lakeshore is a town in southwestern Ontario, Canada, on Lake St. Clair. Its nearest city is Windsor, located in Essex County. The town was incorporated in 1999 by amalgamating the Town of Belle River with the townships of Maidstone, Rochester, Tilbury North, and Tilbury West.Lakeshore has a...
) home for breach of peace, resisting arrest
Resisting arrest
Resisting arrest is a term used to describe a criminal charge against an individual who has committed, depending on the jurisdiction, at least one of the following acts:* threatening a police officer with physical violence while being arrested...
, and assaulting a police officer. Probert's attorney, Patrick Ducharme, advised the media, "I anticipate he will be pleading not guilty and going to trial." Probert was arrested again on August 23, 2005, at a bar in Tecumseh, Ontario
Tecumseh, Ontario
Tecumseh is a town on Lake St. Clair east of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It has a population of just over 24,000.Tecumseh enjoys long summers and mild winters...
, for violating two conditions of his probation that he not consume alcohol or be in an establishment that serves liquor. He was released after paying a $200 CAD
Canadian dollar
The Canadian dollar is the currency of Canada. As of 2007, the Canadian dollar is the 7th most traded currency in the world. It is abbreviated with the dollar sign $, or C$ to distinguish it from other dollar-denominated currencies...
fine. All charges stemming from the arrest on July 1 were eventually dropped.
Death
On July 5, 2010, Probert was boating on Lake St. ClairLake Saint Clair (North America)
Lake St. Clair is a fresh-water lake named after Clare of Assisi that lies between the Province of Ontario and the State of Michigan, and its midline also forms the boundary between Canada and the United States of America. Lake St. Clair includes the Anchor Bay along the Metro Detroit coastline...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, with his children, father-in-law, and mother-in-law when he developed what was described as "severe chest pain" and collapsed at approximately 2:00 pm local time. His father-in-law Dan Parkinson, the Cornwall, Ontario chief of police, attempted CPR to save his life. He was rushed to Windsor Regional Hospital's Metropolitan Campus with no vital signs. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful, and he was pronounced dead later that afternoon.
Funeral services were held July 9, 2010 in Windsor, Ontario, Canada and attended by several former teammates and opponents, including Dino Ciccarelli
Dino Ciccarelli
.Dino Ciccarelli is a Canadian former professional hockey player who played 19 seasons in the National Hockey League, primarily with the Minnesota North Stars. He scored 1,200 points in his NHL career. His 608 career NHL goals are also the most goals scored by a draft-eligible player who was not...
, Tie Domi
Tie Domi
Tahir "Tie" Domi is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player. During a sixteen-year NHL career when he was known for his role as an enforcer, he played for the Toronto Maple Leafs, New York Rangers and Winnipeg Jets....
, Gerard Gallant
Gerard Gallant
Gerard "Turk" Gallant is a Canadian ice hockey coach and former NHL player.Gallant was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the 1981 NHL Entry Draft, sixth round, one-hundred seventh overall....
, Doug Gilmour
Doug Gilmour
Douglas Robert Gilmour is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player who is the current general manager of the Kingston Frontenacs of the Ontario Hockey League . During his National Hockey League career, Gilmour played for 7 NHL clubs: the St...
, Stu Grimson
Stu Grimson
A. Stuart Grimson is a former Canadian ice hockey forward. Grimson played in the National Hockey League from 1989 to 2002. During this time, he played for the Calgary Flames, Chicago Blackhawks, Mighty Ducks of Anaheim, Detroit Red Wings, Hartford Whalers/Carolina Hurricanes, Los Angeles Kings,...
, Joey Kocur, Brad McCrimmon
Brad McCrimmon
Byron Brad McCrimmon from Plenty, Saskatchewan, was a Canadian professional ice hockey player and coach. McCrimmon played 18 seasons in the National Hockey League between 1979 and 1997. From 1997 to his death, he was a coach, ultimately with Lokomotiv Yaroslavl of the Kontinental Hockey League...
, Darren McCarty
Darren McCarty
Darren McCarty is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey forward, best known for his years playing with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League...
, and Steve Yzerman
Steve Yzerman
Stephen Gregory "Steve" Yzerman is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey player and current general manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League...
, as well as Red Wings general manager Ken Holland
Ken Holland
Kenneth Mark Holland is a retired Canadian professional goaltender and current General Manager and executive Vice President of the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League. Holland was drafted in the 12th round, 188th overall by the Toronto Maple Leafs in the 1975 NHL Entry Draft...
and owners Mike
Mike Ilitch
Michael "Mike" Ilitch Sr. is an American entrepreneur and owner of the Detroit Red Wings and the Detroit Tigers. In addition to his sports ownerships, he is the founder and owner of Little Caesars Pizza since 1959, which has become an international fast food franchise...
and Marian Ilitch. Yzerman delivered the eulogy. In recognition of Probert's love of motorcycle riding, his funeral procession was led by a group of 54 motorcyclists, and his casket was transported on a custom-built motorcycle sidecar
Sidecar
A sidecar is a one-wheeled device attached to the side of a motorcycle, scooter, or bicycle, producing a three-wheeled vehicle.-History:A sidecar appeared in a cartoon by George Moore in the January 7, 1903, issue of the British newspaper Motor Cycling. Three weeks later, a provisional patent was...
. Probert is survived by his wife and four children.
Bob Probert's family announced, on September 25, 2010, that his brain would be donated to the Sports Legacy Institute to assist researchers who are studying the effects of concussions and other sports-related head injuries. In February 2011, it was announced by researchers at Boston University
Boston University
Boston University is a private research university located in Boston, Massachusetts. With more than 4,000 faculty members and more than 31,000 students, Boston University is one of the largest private universities in the United States and one of Boston's largest employers...
that they had found evidence of chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy
Chronic traumatic encephalopathy is a progressive degenerative disease found in individuals who have been subjected to multiple concussions and other forms of head injury. A variant of the condition, dementia pugilistica, is primarily associated with boxing...
in Probert's brain. However the findings were not officially revealed in the press until late on Wednesday March 2, 2011 by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
and The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail
The Globe and Mail is a nationally distributed Canadian newspaper, based in Toronto and printed in six cities across the country. With a weekly readership of approximately 1 million, it is Canada's largest-circulation national newspaper and second-largest daily newspaper after the Toronto Star...
in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
.
Career statistics
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season Season (sports) In an organized sports league, a season is the portion of one year in which regulated games of the sport are in session. For example, in Major League Baseball, one season lasts approximately from April 1 through October 1; in Association football, it is generally from August until May In an... |
Team | League | GP | G Goal (ice hockey) In ice hockey, a goal is scored when the puck completely crosses the goal line between the two goal posts and below the goal crossbar. A goal awards one point to the team attacking the goal scored upon, regardless of which team the player who actually deflected the puck into the goal belongs to... |
A Assist (ice hockey) In ice hockey, an assist is attributed to up to two players of the scoring team who shot, passed or deflected the puck towards the scoring teammate, or touched it in any other way which enabled the goal, meaning that they were "assisting" in the goal. There can be a maximum of two assists per goal... |
Pts Point (ice hockey) Point in ice hockey has three official meanings:* A point is awarded to a player for each goal scored or assist earned. The total number of goals plus assists equals total points. In some European leagues, a goal counts as two points, and an assist counts as one... |
PIM Penalty (ice hockey) A penalty in ice hockey is a punishment for inappropriate behavior. Most penalties are enforced by detaining the offending player within a penalty box for a set number of minutes, during which, the player can not participate in play. The offending team usually may not replace the player on the ice,... |
GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1981–82 | Windsor Club 240 | Minor-ON | 55 | 60 | 40 | 100 | 40 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1982–83 | Brantford Alexanders Brantford Alexanders The Brantford Alexanders were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Major Junior Hockey League and Ontario Hockey League from 1978 to 1984. The team was based in Brantford, Ontario.-History:... |
OHL Ontario Hockey League The Ontario Hockey League is one of the three Major Junior ice hockey leagues which constitute the Canadian Hockey League. The league is for players aged 15-20.The OHL also operates under the Ontario Hockey Federation of Hockey Canada.... |
51 | 12 | 16 | 28 | 133 | 8 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 23 | ||
| 1983–84 | Brantford Alexanders | OHL | 65 | 35 | 38 | 73 | 189 | 6 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 16 | ||
| 1984–85 1984–85 OHL season The 1984–85 OHL season was the 5th season of the Ontario Hockey League. Fifteen teams each played 66 games. The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds won the J. Ross Robertson Cup, defeating the Peterborough Petes. The Greyhounds also set an OHL record that still stands, going 33–0 at home in the regular... |
Hamilton Steelhawks Hamilton Steelhawks The Hamilton Steelhawks were a junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League from 1984 to 1988. The team was based in Hamilton, Ontario, and played at Copps Coliseum.-History:... |
OHL | 4 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1984–85 | Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds The Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds are a major junior ice hockey team in the Ontario Hockey League. The Greyhounds play home games at the Essar Centre. The present team was founded in 1962 as a team in the Northern Ontario Hockey Association. The Greyhounds name has been used by several ice hockey... |
OHL | 44 | 20 | 52 | 72 | 172 | 15 | 6 | 11 | 17 | 60 | ||
| 1985–86 1985–86 AHL season The 1985–86 AHL season was the 50th season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The Hershey Bears finished first overall in the regular season... |
Adirondack Red Wings Adirondack Red Wings The Adirondack Red Wings were a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They played in Glens Falls, New York, USA at the Glens Falls Civic Center. The team was affiliated with the Detroit Red Wings of the National Hockey League... |
AHL American Hockey League The American Hockey League is a 30-team professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary developmental circuit for the National Hockey League... |
32 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 152 | 10 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 68 | ||
| 1985–86 | Detroit Red Wings Detroit Red Wings The Detroit Red Wings are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit, Michigan. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League , and are one of the Original Six teams of the NHL, along with the Toronto Maple Leafs, Montreal Canadiens, New York... |
NHL National Hockey League The National Hockey League is an unincorporated not-for-profit association which operates a major professional ice hockey league of 30 franchised member clubs, of which 7 are currently located in Canada and 23 in the United States... |
44 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 186 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 1986–87 AHL season The 1986–87 AHL season was the 51st season of the American Hockey League. Thirteen teams played 80 games each in the schedule. The league institutes awarding one point in the standings, for an overtime loss... |
Adirondack Red Wings | AHL | 7 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 15 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1986–87 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 63 | 13 | 11 | 24 | 221 | 16 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 63 | ||
| 1987–88 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 74 | 29 | 33 | 62 | 398 | 16 | 8 | 13 | 21 | 51 | ||
| 1988–89 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 25 | 4 | 2 | 6 | 106 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1989–90 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 29 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1990–91 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 55 | 16 | 23 | 39 | 315 | 6 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 50 | ||
| 1991–92 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 63 | 20 | 24 | 44 | 276 | 11 | 1 | 6 | 7 | 28 | ||
| 1992–93 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 80 | 14 | 29 | 43 | 292 | 7 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 10 | ||
| 1993–94 | Detroit Red Wings | NHL | 66 | 7 | 10 | 17 | 275 | 7 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 8 | ||
| 1995–96 | Chicago Blackhawks Chicago Blackhawks The Chicago Blackhawks are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of the Western Conference of the National Hockey League . They have won four Stanley Cup championships since their founding in 1926, most recently coming in 2009-10... |
NHL | 78 | 19 | 21 | 40 | 237 | 10 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 23 | ||
| 1996–97 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 82 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 326 | 6 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 41 | ||
| 1997–98 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 14 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 48 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1998–99 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 78 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 206 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1999–00 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 68 | 4 | 11 | 15 | 114 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2000–01 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 79 | 7 | 12 | 19 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 2001–02 | Chicago Blackhawks | NHL | 61 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 176 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 935 | 162 | 221 | 384 | 3300 | 81 | 16 | 32 | 48 | 274 | ||||
Records
- Detroit Red Wings franchise record for career penalty minutes (2,090).
- Detroit Red Wings franchise record for penalty minutes in a season (398 in 1987–88).
- 5th all time in penalty minutes (3,300).