Joe Kocur

Canadian ice hockey player
The basics

Quick Facts

IntroCanadian ice hockey player
PlacesCanada
isAthlete Ice hockey player
Work fieldSports
Gender
Male
Birth21 December 1964, Calgary, Canada
Age60 years
Star signSagittarius
Stats
Weight:223 lbs
Awards
Stanley Cup 
Sports Teams
Detroit Red Wings
New York Rangers
Vancouver Canucks
The details

Biography

Joseph George "Joey" Kocur (born December 21, 1964) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player. He is best known for his activities as a fighter and enforcer, as well as being one half of the "Bruise Brothers" with then- Detroit Red Wings teammate Bob Probert, during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Career

Known for his physical play, Kocur was one of the most penalized players in NHL history, amassing a career total of 2519 penalty minutes in stints with the Detroit Red Wings, the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks. Kocur officially retired at the end of the 1998–1999 season. He served as a video coach to Scotty Bowman from the 2001 season until Bowman's retirement following the 2002 season. Under head coach Dave Lewis, Kocur served as an associate coach along with Barry Smith; he was not asked to return after the hiring of coach Mike Babcock.

Kocur was best known for his devastating right-hand punch; he so frequently hit players with his right hand, often landing blows on their helmets or teeth, his right hand was often in poor condition.

In an interview, Donald Brashear described how Kocur cracked his helmet with his punches; though his helmet absorbed most of the blow, he still felt serious pain in his gums even on the other side of his face, leaving him unable to eat for a day or so. Kocur's punches often seriously injured players, such as Brad Dalgarno of the New York Islanders, whose orbital bone, cheek bone, and jaw were fractured by Kocur.

Kocur left the NHL following the 1996 season and was playing in the International Hockey League when the Red Wings brought him back during the 1996–97 season after captain Steve Yzerman recommended him to head coach Scotty Bowman. Although he did not fight as much as in his younger days, Kocur brought an element of toughness to the Wings that had been lost with the departures of Probert and Stu Grimson. Kocur scored goals in the 1997 and 1998 Stanley Cup finals series, helping the Wings win the Stanley Cup both times. Kocur had previously won a Stanley Cup ring as a member of the 1993-94 New York Rangers.

Post hockey career

Kocur is president of the Detroit Red Wings Alumni Association and is active in its efforts to raise money for children's charities in Metro Detroit. In 2010, he created Kocur Enterprises and is a manufacturer's representative of specialty products serving commercial, industrial and municipal markets in several states. In 2012, he started his own charity called "The Joe Kocur Foundation for Children". The foundation holds an annual charity softball game in Highland Township Michigan every August.

Family

Kocur lives in Michigan with his wife Kristen, son Liam, and daughter Kendall. Kocur is a cousin of former NHL player Wendel Clark and former NHL player and coach Barry Melrose as well.

In media

Along with former teammate Bob Probert, Kocur is featured in a book entitled Bruise Brothers by Bob Duff .

Kocur makes occasional cameo appearances playing adult league hockey in Waterford, Michigan. On December 31, 2013, Kocur appeared in the second game of the NHL Alumni Showdown at Comerica Park in Detroit, part of the Hockeytown Winter Festival leading up to the 2014 NHL Winter Classic. Kocur, who wore the number 26 sweater during his playing days, honored his deceased Bruise Brother, Bob Probert, by wearing Probert's number 24 sweater.

Career statistics

  Regular season Playoffs
SeasonTeamLeagueGPGAPtsPIMGPGAPtsPIM
1980–81Yorkton TerriersSJHL486915307
1981–82Yorkton TerriersSJHL47202141199
1982–83Saskatoon BladesWHL62231740289623525
1983–84Saskatoon BladesWHL69404181258
1983–84Adirondack Red WingsAHL500020
1984–85Adirondack Red WingsAHL4712719171
1984–85Detroit Red WingsNHL171016431015
1985–86Adirondack Red WingsAHL962834
1985–86Detroit Red WingsNHL599615377
1986–87Detroit Red WingsNHL7799182761623571
1987–88Detroit Red WingsNHL6377142631001113
1988–89Detroit Red WingsNHL60991821330116
1989–90Detroit Red WingsNHL71162036268
1990–91Detroit Red WingsNHL52549253
1990–91New York RangersNHL500036602221
1991–92New York RangersNHL5174111211211238
1992–93New York RangersNHL65369131
1993–94New York RangersNHL712131292011217
1994–95New York RangersNHL4812371100008
1995–96New York RangersNHL3812349
1995–96Vancouver CanucksNHL70111910000
1996–97San Antonio DragonsIHL511224
1996–97Detroit Red WingsNHL34213701913422
1997–98Detroit Red WingsNHL636511921840430
1998–99Detroit Red WingsNHL3925787
NHL totals82080821622519118101222231

Achievements

  • 1994 Stanley Cup Champion (NYR)
  • 1997 Stanley Cup Champion (Detroit)
  • 1998 Stanley Cup Champion (Detroit)
  • 2002 Stanley Cup Champion (Detroit as video coach)
The contents of this page are sourced from Wikipedia article on 05 Apr 2020. The contents are available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license.