Shot Left Role Ice hockey player Career end 1995 Name Brian Propp Career start 1979 | Playing career Weight 86 kg Height 1.75 m Position Winger | |
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Born February 15, 1959 (age 65) Lanigan, SK, CAN ( 1959-02-15 ) NHL Draft 14th overall, 1979Philadelphia Flyers | ||
Phantoms youth and brian propp
Brian Phillip Propp (born February 15, 1959) is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey left winger who played 15 seasons in the NHL from 1979 until 1994.
Contents
- Phantoms youth and brian propp
- Brian propp and bill lahr talk the benefits of financial planning at archetype advisors on 1490 wbcb
- Playing career
- International Play
- The Guffaw
- Post playing career
- Personal life
- In popular culture
- WHL Awards
- NHL Awards
- WHL Records
- NHL Club Team Records
- NHL Records
- Post hockey career
- References
Propp was born in Lanigan, Saskatchewan, and grew up in Neudorf, Saskatchewan.
Brian propp and bill lahr talk the benefits of financial planning at archetype advisors on 1490 wbcb
Playing career
Propp started career with the Melville Millionaires of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and broke the scoring record with 75 goals and 92 assists for 168 points in 57 games playing on a line with Kelly Dean and Dwayne Tuberfield. He then moved on to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, at the same time when the team was one of the most dominating clubs in all of Canadian Major Junior Hockey. When Propp was with the team it produced future NHLer's such as Brad McCrimmon, Bill Derlago, Laurie Boschman, Dave Semenko, Glen Hanlon, Ray Allison and Walt Poddubny. Propp himself won two league scoring titles. At the end of his third season, he was drafted 14th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.
Propp made the Flyers the next season, and proved his mettle in the NHL right away. He managed to score the game-winning goal in his first career game against NY Islanders goalie Billy Smith in the second period and had an assist in the game for a 2-point night. He played on a line with legends Reggie Leach and Bobby Clarke in his rookie season for his first 20 games and then was put on a line with Ken Linesman and Paul Holmgren and that contributed to his quick success. It would not be the last time Propp played with two elite players, as he played with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux for most of the 1987 Canada Cup Canadian team that won the tournament.
Propp in his rookie season would go on to beat Richard Martin's left wing rookie scoring record with 75 points in 1979-80 season. In the playoffs, he led all rookie left wingers in goals (5), assists (10), and points (15) in the 1980 playoffs which the Flyers lost in the Stanley Cup Finals in Game 6. Propp made it to the Stanley Cup Finals 5 times in his career unfortunately 3 Dynasties (NY Islanders, Edmonton Oilers, Pittsburgh Penguins) stood in the way and had too many talented players on their respected club teams.
In 1987 Propp had scoring success when he finished runner-up to Wayne Gretzky in the 1987 Playoff Scoring. He also led all left wingers that NHL post-season in games played (26), goals (12), assists (16), points (28), plus/minus (+11), power-play goals (5), short-handed goals (1), game-winning goals (3), and shots (104). The Flyers lost to the Oilers in Game 7 of the Stanley Cup Finals.
In Game 1 of the 1989 Stanley Cup playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, which his Flyers lost in six games, Propp sustained a concussion from a hard, but unpenalized hit by Montreal defenseman Chris Chelios, where Chelios hit him with his elbow. Propp fell to the ice hard, hitting his head against the ice. Though Propp missed only one game, his teammates maintained their anger at Chelios. Finally, with 1:37 left in regulation in Game 6, Flyer goaltender Ron Hextall took matters into his own hands, slamming Chelios into the boards and pummeling him with blows, apparently in retaliation for the hit on Propp. Eventually, Hextall was suspended for 12 games. Propp was never the same after sustaining the concussion that would plague him for the rest of his career as well as other injuries. Propp was having a career playoff year when he scored 14 goals in his teams first 15 games and was scoring over 1.5 points per game until the Chris Chelios elbow to the head which resulted in a serious concussion. He was never the same player after that hit.
It took him until his 11th season to fail to score at least 65 points in a season, and that was the year when he was traded away by the Flyers. However, in his 10-plus seasons with the club, he was more or less the catalyst of the team, performing in all situations and wherever the team needed him.
In the 1980s he led all left wingers in the NHL and was first in 10 different categories such as, games played (750), assists (465), plus/minus (+308), game winning goals (55), shots (2529), defensive point shares (16.0), playoff goals (52), playoff points (112), playoff power play goals (18), and playoff shots (267). Propp was ranked 2nd in Goals (356), points (821), even strength goals (238), shorthanded goals (20), goals created (322), offensive point shares (54.4), point shares (70.4), playoff games played (116), playoff assists (60), playoff plus/minus (+17), playoff even strength goals (31), and playoff shorthanded goals (3). In all of the major categories in the regular season and playoffs he has made the top 3 among left wingers a remarkable 29 times in that decade.
The 1990–91 season was when Propp was a member of the Minnesota North Stars. Propp scored 73 points and helped the team to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brian moved past Bobby Hull on the all time playoff scoring list among left wingers to become the highest scoring left winger in nhl playoff history on April.12.1991 as Minnesota North Stars beat Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 in Game 5 in the series as he scored the game-winning goal on Dominik Hasek. He only played 68 games the next two seasons, and even took a sabbatical to play in Switzerland in 1993. During his time in Switzerland, he played for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup and helped them to win the tournament.
Propp played for the Hartford Whalers during the 1993–94 NHL season. Although Propp only scored 29 points, it was a productive season for him as he played both his 1000th NHL game and scored his 1000th NHL point in his last NHL season.
Propp holds a dubious achievement in that he went to the Stanley Cup Finals five times, with Philadelphia in 1980, 1985, and 1987, with the Boston Bruins in 1990 and with Minnesota in 1991, without ever winning . He also played in the NHL All-Star game five times. During the NHL labour stoppage in 1994, Propp played as a player-coach for HC Anglet in France. After the lockout, however, Propp did not return as a player to the NHL.
Propp finished with 1,004 points over 1,016 NHL games over 15 NHL seasons, and ranks second in Flyers history in goals (369, behind Bill Barber), second in assists (480, second behind Bobby Clarke), and third overall in games played in a Flyers uniform (behind Barber and Clarke).
International Play
Brian Propp has represented his country five times in international play.
"The Guffaw"
Propp was known for his unique goal celebration dubbed "The Guffaw". After scoring a goal, Propp would skate towards center ice, place his right glove under his left arm and raise his right arm in a waving fashion. While making the gesture, Propp would say, "Guffaw!". Propp credits the celebration to comedian Howie Mandel.
During an Atlantic City show Mandell suggested it would be great if, instead of cheering and clapping, everyone just waved their arms and said, "Guffaw!" Propp adopted "The Guffaw" and it became his signature move first appearing the 1986-87 season.
Post-playing career
In 1999, Propp was named to the MasterCard Canadian Junior All-Time team, which also included Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, and Bernie Parent. The team was selected based on play in the Canadian Hockey League. Also in 1999, Propp was inducted into the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame. Propp was inducted into the Saskatchewan Rural Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002 and in 2003 he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Provincial Hall of Fame. Propp was inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014 and also inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.
A resident of Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey, Propp unsuccessfully ran as a Republican in 2007 for a seat in New Jersey General Assembly in the 7th Legislative District in Burlington County. He is currently Director of Strategic Relationships for Wolf Commercial Real Estate in Marlton, New Jersey.
Personal life
Propp has two children with his wife, Kris. He has a son, Jackson, and a daughter, Paige. Propp is a second cousin of Dylan Wruck of the Iserlohn Roosters.
In popular culture
In The Goldbergs 3rd season episode "12 Tapes For A Penny", the character Barry Goldberg (Troy Gentile) is wearing a Philadelphia Flyers jersey with Propp's name and number 26 on it.
WHL Awards
NHL Awards
WHL Records
NHL Club Team Records
NHL Records
Post-hockey career
Propp is currently the Director of Strategic Relationships at Wolf Commercial Real Estate in Marlton, New Jersey. He also worked as a broadcaster for the Philadelphia Flyers for nine seasons, finishing in 2008.