Bob Probert is a true NHL legend, but not because of his goalscoring abilities or point contribution. Probert was a proper enforcer, always punishing his opponents and sticking up for his teammates. Every team he played against despised him, but his teammates and fans loved him.
And Probert wasn’t just a great teammate on the ice. His protecting often continued outside of the rink as well.
In his biography, he recalls when teammate Mark LaForest, nicknamed Tree, got into some trouble in a bar.
”The night we won the Calder Cup, there was a huge celebration, and we ended up at this bar called the Trading Post. Tress had to piss, but when he got to the washroom, there was somebody in there. He started banging on the door. After a while, this big guy came out and gave him a look. About an hour later, when Trees was headed out, this big guy he interrupted in the bathroom was standing by the door. So trees came up to me and said, ’Probie, see that guy over there? The one who looks like a fridge, with muscles everywhere? He’s going to kill me.”
Bob Probert didn’t hesitate to fight the guy and calmly went outside, but not without taking out his teeth.
”I didn’t want to get suspended, so I let him give me five or six good ones in the face. Then I grabbed him, strung him out and said, ’Everybody see he hit me first?’ I ended up throwing him into the ground. My buddy and teammate, Shawn Burr, said it was scary.”
After the brawl, Probert had to visit the hospital, but not before going inside the bar first.
”I found my jacket and went back inside for another beer. Later, I stopped by the hospital for a couple of stitches. Taking care of my teammates was my job, on and off the ice.”
