Gino Odjick And The Fans Role In Hockey Concussions

Marc De Foy came out recently with an excellent though terrifying story about the plight of the popular former NHL tough guy Gino Odjick. It seems the mighty Gino has serious lingering effects of concussions thanks to his life in hockey.

Odjick showed worrisome signs of post-concussion syndrome on the weekend and was checked into the psychiatric wing of Pierre-Janet hospital in Gatineau, Que., across the river from Ottawa.

He was very agitated when he was transferred to Gatineau from the Kitigan-Zibi Algonquin community, where he grew up, about 90 minutes north of the nation’s capital.

He’s always claimed his multiple concussions had nothing to do with his countless on-ice fisticuffs.

Those claims are now highly doubtful.

Here's the full story.

I cheered Gino through many of his 2567 career penalty minutes and his 237 career hockey fights. For a young hockey fan he was very much a real life superhero fighting the super villains on the other team. Villains like "Charlie" Manson and "The Grim Reaper" Stu Grimson in his very first NHL game. Villains like Marty McSorley, Bob Probert and Dave Brown.

Gino was every Vancouver fan's hero, protecting not only Pavel Bure but all of the Canucks. Not only did we finally have our first superstar in Bure, but we a real heavyweight to watch over him. And whenever he sought retribution, it was an entertaining event in itself. He gave all of himself to the team, to his teammates, to the game. And we loved him for it.

While the article hints that Gino is still very much in denial about his situation, I'm sure at some level Gino and many players are starting to wonder if it is all worth it. With all we are now learning about brain injuries, and with deaths of guys like Rick Rypien, Wade Belak and Derek Boogaard, the answer has to be increasingly no. But that obvious answer remains slow in becoming accepted.

“When you eat headshots, it’s hard on the brain." - Gino Odjick.

This really is not an anti-fighting rant. I have always been for allowing the true spontaneous fight while getting rid of the staged stuff (pretty much everyone says that, but somehow it's never changed). But the question I want to ask today is this: What role do the fans play in this?

The players ultimately make the choices and the sacrifices. They very well may be forced into it, indirectly and implicitly, by the powers that be. But those powers that be are only looking to satisfy the demands of the fans. And society is still very accepting of hockey fights, though that is changing. Hockey fights are no different than what has made the WWE so successful. Larger than life heroes and villains going to battle for our entertainment.

I willingly hero-worshipped Gino Odjick for doing what he did back in the day. Had he not been so willing to drop the gloves it is very likely I would have never of heard of him. Hockey has been good to Gino Odjick, but now he - and so many others like him - is paying the price. And he did it all for our entertainment.

The Greatest Hockey Fight Of All Time

This brings back oh so many memories of Christmas when I was a kid. This film first aired way back in 1939. No, I'm not that old, but I've watched this cartoon skit every Christmas since I can remember.

As the days get closer to Christmas watch for a few more Christmas memories.

Gordie Howe Fight Card

There was a great post by Jeff Marek of the CBC this week.

In his pursuit demystify the term "Gordie Howe Hat Trick," he actually noted and graded every one of Gordie Howe's confirmed career fights. Based on newspaper reports and the rare video clips available, he offers an interesting analysis of each tilt.

Here's a couple of examples:

Jan. 30, 1949
Howe vs. Maurice Richard (Canadiens)
By all accounts this was a doozy. Both men crashed into each other and came up swinging. After being separated, both got free and started fighting again. Richard was still fuming as he went to the penalty box, but not before he fired off another punch, this one at Detroit winger Sid Abel that grazed referee King Clancy’s face. That punch earned the Rocket a misconduct.

March 21, 1954
Howe vs. Ted Kennedy (Maple Leafs)
Howe’s high stick sliced Kennedy’s ear for eight stitches, which led to the Leaf lighting Howe up in a spirited fight. This was the second time Howe would record the his namesake’s hat trick as he scored the game’s first goal in the opening frame and then assisted on Ted Lindsay’s 25th and 26th goals of the season in the third period.

You can read the rest of Howe's fight card at Jeff Marek's CBC blog.

Interestingly, Howe "only" had 22 career fights, and only three after his famous 1959 destroying of Louie Fontinato.

Hockey's Tough Guys

Say what you want about fighting in hockey, but the fact is it is incredibly popular. Ever since switching formats to mostly video footage of classic fights and classic fighters courtesy of YouTube, Hockey's Tough Guys has easily become the most popular channel here at Legends of Hockey Network.

I don't particularly enjoy today's choreographed goon-to-goon, hockey fights, but I appreciate a truly spontaneous battle between two hockey warriors. The best modern examples I can think of are Jarome Iginla vs. Vincent Lecavalier in the 2004 Stanley Cup finals, or even Brendan Shanahan's having enough of Donald Brashear's antics earlier this season.

I usually try to highlight truly classic hockey fights. While there is no video footage of Rocket Richard vs. Bob Dill or Gordie Howe vs. Leapin' Louie Fontinato, there is lots out there, including Larry Robinson nullifying Dave "The Hammer" Schultz, Marty McSorley vs. Wendel Clark back in the 93 Conference finals, or Stan Jonathan's beating up Pierre Bouchard, which is always the most popular fight viewed on my site.

Other fights I profile might not be quite as historically significant, but have stood the test of time to be part of hockey lore. I'm thinking of Tie Domi vs. Bob Probert, or Troy Crowder vs. Bob Probert, or Craig Coxe vs. Bob Probert. Yes, Probie remains incredibly popular, and yes, a lot of fighters should thank him for their NHL careers just because he gave them a chance to make a name for themselves.

Ultimately, the reason I created the Hockey's Tough Guys channel wasn't to glorify fighting, but to remember the tough guys who in many cases are legends as much as Gretzky or Lemieux. I know the profiles often get overlooked by the masses who are looking for the video clips, but I hope in time more people will read about the men who earn their NHL checks the hard way.

Hockeytown still loves Probert

The Windsor Star's Bob Duff nicely captured a nice side story from Tuesday night's Steve Yzerman jersey retirment. The side story - Bob Probert's return to Hockeytown.

The ovation was compelling and passionate.

For Steve Yzerman?

Yeah, his too.

On Tuesday, the night the Detroit Red Wings honoured Yzerman by retiring his No. 19 sweater, the Hockeytown faithful also embraced the return of Windsor's Bob Probert to Joe Louis Arena.

Duff asked about Probert's favorite moments as a Red Wing. Not surprisingly, they revolve around fights.

"One that sticks out and it was a big thing, was when I fought (Belle River's Tie) Domi, our second fight in New York," Probert said.

"He had cut me over the eye in the first fight and did this thing with his hands, like he was wearing the heavyweight championship belt.

After the second fight, when I beat Domi, I looked over at our bench and there was Yzerman, standing on the bench, giving the heavyweight belt sign with his hands.

Probert also reveals how he aided good friend and former Bruise Brother Joe Kocur in his return to the Red Wings and the NHL in 1996.

"Joe was playing in an over-30 league (in 1996) and looking to get back into the NHL," Probert said. "He knew that the Wings were looking for toughness. (Chicago) was in town to play Detroit and he came down to see me the morning of the game. 'You've got to get into it tonight and help me out,'" he told me.

"That night, I speared (Jamie) Pushor and fought (Brendan) Shanahan and the next day, Joe got a call from the Red Wings."

Kocur won two Stanley Cups after his return to Hockeytown.

"He still thanks me for that," Probert said.

Of course, Probert is also remembered for his off ice problems, namely substance abuse. These days he's keeping busy by keeping hockey in his life. He plays in many charity alumni games and teaches at hockey schools, though he still has trouble crossing international borders due to his past.

"I'm living life," he said. "I'm busy, but I'm having a lot of fun."

Hockey is a game best played angry

Sports Illustrated write E.M. Swift confesses he likes fighting in hockey, and goes on a nice trip down memory lane:

Show me the passion! I'm not suggesting that the NHL bring back goons, the thugs like Broad Street Bully Dave Schultz of the Flyers or Detroit's Joey Kocur, who could be counted on to mug opponents a couple of times in every game. But there can be no denying the entertainment value of watching genuinely angry men, guys who could play and fight.

Ted Lindsay. Tiger Williams. Bobby Nystrom. Wayne Cashman. Thy kept the bad blood flowing from one game to the next, leading to a delicious sense of anticipation that is utterly lacking in today's cleaner/faster/safer NHL.

Rivalries were fierce, and no rivalry was more intense than the one between the Montreal Canadiens and Quebec Nordiques. I once saw those two teams brawl before a playoff game. . .during warmups when player crossed center ice to retrieve a puck.

Full Story

Other articles around the web:

Catching up with Moe Mantha - Globe and Mail finds out what the former NHL d-man is up to.
NHL Dentistry - Former North Star Tom Reid headlines this article on teeth, or lack-there-of in the National Hockey League.

If you haven't already done so, check out my Hockey's Tough Guys blog, part of the Legends of Hockey Network. In addition to profiling some of hockey's greatest tough guys, famous goons and hated villains, I post regular fight links from YouTube.com. It should come as no surprise that Hockey's Tough Guys is the most popular channel on Legends of Hockey Network.