Collapsed on boat, could not be revived on shore
Bob Probert died Monday afternoon at the age of 45.
WINDSOR, ONT -- By Dan Rosen, NHL.com staff writer:
Legendary NHL tough guy Bob Probert died Monday after collapsing while on a boat on Lake St. Clair near Windsor, Ont. He was 45.
AM 800 CKLW, a Windsor radio station, first reported Monday that Probert had collapsed. The Windsor Star reported that emergency crews attempted to revive Probert on the shore, but were unsuccessful. He was rushed to a Windsor Regional Hospital, but Ontario Provincial Police spokeswoman Shawna Coulter confirmed to the newspaper that Probert was dead.
Probert, who turned 45 last month, spent his 17-year career with the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks. He was known as one of the NHL's most feared enforcers and fighters, and he wracked up 3,300 penalty minutes in 935 NHL games. He also had 384 points.
Probert ranks fifth on the NHL's all-time list for most career penalty minutes behind Tiger Williams (3,966), Dale Hunter (3,565), Tie Domi (3,515) and Marty McSorly (3,381), though he played in fewer games than all of those fellow fighters/enforcers. Probert holds the Red Wings franchise records for career penalty minutes (2,090) and penalty minutes in a season (398).
A third-round pick of the Red Wings in 1983, Probert debuted with Detroit in 1985-86. He was voted to the Campbell Conference All-Star team in 1988, the only time he received such an honor.
Probert finished the 1987-88 seasons with career highs in points (62) and PIMs (398). He also led the Wings with 21 points in 16 playoff games, though Steve Yzerman did not play in the playoffs that season.
He signed as an unrestricted free agent with the Chicago Blackhawks in July of 1994, but Probert did not play in the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season because he was suspended for violating the NHL's substance abuse policy.
He returned for the 1995-96 season and played through 2001-02. Probert officially announced his retirement on Nov. 16, 2002.
