I’ve been working on an article about fighting in the NHL for a few weeks now and I figured I’d share something really special I got a few days ago. Enjoy!

For 17 seasons, Bob Probert was one of the toughest men in the NHL. However, he was much more than an enforcer, as the 6’3, 225 pound forward scored 163 goals over the course of his career, including two 20-goal seasons in 1988 and 1992. Chatting with TheDriveForFive.com, Probert talks about his career and the league that has changed so much since he left six seasons ago.

The Drive for Five: Over the past few years, the NHL has taken serious steps to eliminate fighting from the game. What do you think of that?

Bob Probert: I think that fighting will always be a part of the game regardless of what the leagues tries to do to cut down on it. It’s a part of the game that should always be there. It belongs in the game and keeps people honest; it also limits the amounts of cheap shots. Guys think twice about sticking someone if they know someone on the other team is going to come after them if they get too physical.

TDFF: Some people that watched you over the years have said that watching you fight was like poetry or art in motion. How does that make you feel?

Probert: It makes me feel great. I did it for many years and it’s something that I took as my job. I was also able to play hockey during that time, it just that I got very good at fighting. I guess I enjoyed it too to a certain extent.

TDFF: Aside from the fighting, what was your favorite part of playing hockey in the NHL?

Probert: I had an opportunity to play with Steve Yzerman one year and I had 29 goals. I was told by the coaches, “Hey Probie, don’t be fighting, stay out on the ice.” I also got 398 penalty minutes that year, so I didn’t really listen to the coaches that much. That’s just the way I played the game and that year, everything really came together for me. I got a chance to play my rough style, but also got a chance on the powerplay and to play with some great players. That was my favorite part of playing in the NHL.

TDFF: That year you had 29 goals [87-88], you also had a huge playoff series as well. What do you attribute to that?

Probert: I believe that was the year Stevie [Yzerman] got hurt, so I got a chance to play on the top line with guys like Petr Klima, John Chabot and Joe Murphy. Because Stevie was hurt, I got to play that much more and show everyone what I could do. I had a great playoffs that year and it was really fun. It’s fun when you can put some points on the board and be one of the key players on a team.

TDFF: I’ve heard stories over the years about what a good passer John Chabot was. Can you tell us a little about his game?

Probert: He was a great passer and playmaker. He was very similar to Adam Oates, but he was a bigger player and as far as hands go, they were great too. That’s why it’s easy to compare him to a guy like Oates. He was an absolute pleasure to play with.

TDFF: Your highlights on YouTube are quite extensive. Are there any ones that you are particularly proud of?

Probert: I think the couple I had with Tie Domi and the rematch with Troy Crowder still stick out in my mind, because they were widely publicized. I really wowed them there.

TDFF: Can you tell the people who don’t watch hockey why players fight?

Probert: There are plenty of reasons. There were times when players were going after Steve Yzerman and I had to go after them. There were also times when guys would come after me and give me a cheap shot and I would have to stick up for myself. Sometimes though, there are just times when you look at someone the wrong way and you go at it. Sometimes you knew before the game that this was someone you were going to have to fight and you figured why not get it over with. There are a lot of different reasons. There’s also the motivation factor, a big hit or a fight can definetly motivate your team and change the game. That’s what my job was.

TDFF: There aren’t many big time enforcers in the league anymore. Back when you played, there was at least one person on every team who was a lock for 200 penalty minutes. That just doesn’t happen anymore. With that being said, if you could fight one person in the NHL today, who would it be and why?

Probert: Probably Sean Avery. That’s a guy I would probably go after [laughing]. He gets under my skin just watching him play, so I’m sure if I was still playing he’s definitely someone I’d like to go with.

TDFF: For the fans that prefer a high-octane offensive game, how would you convince them that fighting still has a place in the game?

Probert: A lot of people growing up now didn’t have a chance to see the game in the ‘80s and didn’t get to see the sport the way I and so many people played it. Nowadays, the game is so much quicker and sometimes there aren’t even many hits. However, the team that won the Stanley Cup last season [Anaheim Ducks] was the most physical and if you ask me, that’s the reason why they won. In the end, it’s not really about fighting. It’s about being physical and team justice. Like I said before, you get a big hit and it can change the game. If you get an entire team playing physically, you can go places in the league.

Posted under Interviews, NHL