Video from the Probert Funeral

Former tough guy Bob Probert was laid to rest today. R.I.P. Probie.

NHL News (sorta) and LeBron James

Ok, I'm lying about LeBron James.

I'll let all those basketball rubes inflate his ego beyond all precedence. He needs it. I disliked Kobe because of his antics in Colorado but now... well. I don't see how anyone can be a LeBron fan. Not even Jordan had this kind of ego. So much for LeBron being likable. At least, after tonight, ESPN can return to normalcy... waiting to hear what Brett Favre has in mind.

Anyways, similar to LeBron, everyone's waiting for Ilya Kovalchuk to hold a press conference to let us know how well orchestrated his obliteration of the fun of the early free agency period has played out.

Seriously, I hope he joins Evgeni Nabokov in SKA St Petersburg of the KHL. Leave the egos to the NBA and NFL.

Nabokov left for the KHL and with him, goes the best free agent goaltender on the market. I know he never quite did well in the playoffs. I know his work ethic was questioned at times. I know his inconsistency as the season wore on. However, I give you this for consideration: Watch San Jose this season. They'll be ok, but not as good as they were with Nabokov. Why? Because I think Nabokov meant more to the Sharks than most people realized. And when that happens, failure happens. The Hawks didn't win because of Niemi. In fact, I think Niemi was their weakest link (and he played well so...). The Pens didn't win their cup because of Fleury. Fleury is still the weakest goaltender still playing today whose name is on the Cup... I know I know, Chris Osgood sucks, but he's got an excuse. HE'S OLD!

Rumor Nabokov got paid $24 million over 4 years with the KHL. Good for him. No way was he going to get that kind of money in the NHL.

This leaves the Flyers looking for a #1 goaltender. They've shown interest in Tim Thomas, but that fell through. They showed interest in Nabokov, but that's out of the question. They are left with Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher. They did great last post season but I doubt they'll repeat even with the dynamic defense Philly has put together.

So where does that leave them? They could stand pat (and they may have to) or they could go after Marty Turco (which is basically Turco's only shot at being the #1 at this point) or they could do what Chicago and Minnesota have done in finding a hidden gem in the Finnish Elite League.

Who knows.

In Detroit news, the Wings resigned former MSU Spartan Drew Miller and former Shattuck product Patrick Eaves. But they lost Lebda to the Maple Leafs.

They've made waves by going after Mike Modano, but I don't know if that's going to come to fruition.

I've maintained they need to get younger. And Modano isn't young.

They still have Meech, Abdelkader, and Helm unsigned and only $4.3 million to do it. If Modano signs with the Wings, ESPN suggests that it will cost at least $1 million. Abdelkader is going to be a multi year deal and could cost a pretty penny.

Unless they fail to sign the youth, this offseason is going to be long for a Red Wing fan.

Former Redwing Bob Probert dead at age 45 (linkorama)

Yesterday, Bob Probert 06/05/1965- 07/05/2010 one of the toughest hockey players to ever play in the National Hockey Leagtue died of an apparent heart attack while boating with his family, Probert was 45. The final Probert line 935 NHL games 162 goals – 221 assists and 384 points and 3,300 penalty minutes. Rest in peace Probie.

character from a video game

“I’ve always thought, ‘I’m Bob. I’m big guy Bob. I don’t need anyone’s help,’” he once told me. It was the kind of bitter honesty that made you want to give him another chance.

He got a lot of them.

Young kids won’t understand our fascination with Probert. They don’t make his kind anymore. But there is a reason you still see people wearing his jersey at Joe Louis Arena, more than 15 years since he last played for Detroit.

Coming up in the 1980s, Bob Probert was the sort of warrior they now model video game characters after. Relentless. Brutal. Single-minded. Unafraid of blood. He was an enforcer, a goon, a guy whose main purpose was to make sure nobody messed with his team’s stars. Someone touched Steve Yzerman? Bob Probert touched back hard. Someone ran the goalie? Probert ran him harder.

His fights are legendary and are no doubt being downloaded at a record clip this morning, after news of his sudden death Monday while boating with his family on Lake St. Clair.

His time in Detroit ended badly

“Even when he’s just gotten in trouble,” Jacques Demers once lamented, “he has that look that says, ‘I’m sorry. Help me.' "

And you wanted to help. You wanted Probert to shake his demons. He had that ruddy face, that goofy grin, that tousled hair, the look of a man who could be so happy when he was happy. And he had such skill. So Demers, the coach, stuck out his neck, and Jimmy Devellano, the general manager, stuck out his neck, and Mike Ilitch, the owner, stuck out his neck, and in the end, they all got burned. Probert walked away after a motorcycle crash, signed a free-agent deal with Chicago and made millions more before retiring, finally, in 2002.

By that point, he was a memory here, part of the Bruise Brothers days, a guy who averaged more than 3.5 penalty minutes a game. Ironically, he checked out before the Wings began winning Stanley Cups and he never did get a ring. He had several incidents with the law and alcohol in 2004 and 2005. Most of us don’t know what the last few years have held.

He was 45 when he collapsed Monday afternoon. News spread quickly around here — “Bob Probert died?” — and we were stunned because he seemed so indestructible.

But no one is indestructible. Who knows what finally took him? But it took him too soon. Even to the end, you wanted Probert to make it. He should not be remembered by the worst he did, and he cannot be whitewashed by the best. But whether an opponent, an image, an addiction or a past, Bob Probert was always fighting something. He can lay down his arms now. And finally be at peace.
[Detroit Free Press]

Links to the Story

Bob Probert was boating when chest pains struck [Detroit Free Press]

How we'll remember ex-Red Wing Bob Probert [Detroit Free Press]

Joe Kocur: Bob Probert was the brother I never had [Detroit Free Press]

Bob Probert still fights the battle of his life [Detroit Free Press]

Ex-NHL enforcer Probert dies at 45 [CBC.CA]

Former Red Wings, Blackhawks enforcer Bob Probert dies at 45 [USATODAY.COM]

Bob Probert Dead: Died At 45 [The Huffington Post]

Bob Probert, Legendary Tough Guy, Dead at Age 45 [Bleacher Report]

Former NHL tough guy Bob Probert dead at age 45 after collapsing on a boat [Winnipeg Free Press]

Remembering Bob Probert as the 'teddy bear', the 'heavyweight champ' and 'one of the toughest guys ever' [Puck Daddy]

Ex-Hawks enforcer Probert dies Collapses on boat after complaining of severe chest pain he was 45 [Chicago Tribune]

Ex-Blackhawks enforcer Bob Probert dies at age 45 [Daily Herald]

Former Red Wings enforcer Bob Probert, 45, dies after collapsing on boat [MLive.COM]

Summarizing the reflections on former Red Wings enforcer Bob Probert's untimely death [MLive.COM]

Former NHL tough guy Bob Probert dies after collapsing on boat [CNN.COM]

Bob Probert fight log at Hockey Fights [Hockey Fights]

Bob Probert Dies at 45 [Hockey Fights]

Bob Probert suffered 'severe chest pain' before collapsing, father-in-law says [Windsor Star]

Legendary NHL tough guy remembered for kindness, generosity and love of family [Windsor Star]

FORMER NHL ENFORCER PROBERT PRONOUNCED DEAD [TSN.CA]

Farewell Bob Probert [The Ciskie Blog]

Troubled former NHL enforcer Bob Probert dies at age 45 [Vancouversun.com]

Former NHL tough guy Bob Probert dead at age 45 [Globe and Mail]