Few Penguins players passed or today created more commotion on the ice than defender Paul Gordon Baxter. A born Christian who embraced the spiritual principle that it is better to give than to receive, the resident of Winnipeg has staged sufficient punishment to earn an astronomical 2526 minutes in the Sin Bin in the course of his 13-year-old career.
The rough style of Baxter often overshadowed his skills. With a hard shot and good attacking instincts, he noted 10 goals and 40 points (together with 384 penalty minutes) during his only season in Junior Hockey. Hungry for talent, the Cleveland Crusaders of the World Hockey Association, the 19-year-old defender has taken a deal.
The 5’11 ”200-ponder caught the eye of the penguins in 1974 when he provided himself Steve Durbano During a fight -filled preseason with the Crusaders. Intrigued by Baxter’s mix of toughness and talent, the pens selected the rough young person with their third choice in the 1975 amateur design. Baxter was reluctant to jump ship. He would play for four full seasons in the WHA and earn a lot of fame as the Penalty King of the circuit.
Baxter was already a veteran with the battle at the age of 25 and finally joined the pens as a free agent in the summer of 1980. His stint with the black and gold had hardly started when he suffered a potential career-wide-aanid injury. On November 5, 1980, Linesman Bob Hodges Accidentally skated over Baxter’s hand while he splits a fight between the rugged defender and Toronto Rick wasThe demolition of four tendons in Paul’s right poles.
“I don’t feel any pain,” Baxter said from his bed in St. Francis Hospital. “I’m sure it’s going well. The big guy takes care of me.”
No. 4 turns out to be prophetic, returned to the line -up after the holidays and came forward as one of the top defenders of the pens. With its characteristic toughness, the fast Southing Southpaw served 204 minutes in the slammer in just 51 games.
Baxter was just warming up. In combination with equally combative partner, Pat -priceThe warlike blue-liner called a competition-leading 409 penalty minutes in 1981-82, the second highest total in the NHL history. It is remarkable that “Baxie” has found time to count nine goals and 43 points.
Soft pronounced the ice rink, De Hard Nosh Defender showed a special talent for using the opposition. On October 29, 1981, He struggled those Philadelphia’s losing Behn WilsonThe temporary separation of the baddie from the flyers from his senses and encouraging a wild five-five fight. Three weeks later Montreal Tough Guy Chris Nilan Locked a puck to him. On December 14, Rangers Behemoth Barry Beck The couch left to involve the peppery pen defender, in the process that a six-game suspension earned.
Even fans came into the deed. During the emotionally charged Playoff series against the islanders in the spring of 1982, Baxter’s ultra-physical piece pulled the death threats from a crazy New York Partisan.
Asked to reconcile his style-by-leather style with his faith, he replied: “People think that being Christians means being gentle and mild, but they do not realize the courage and toughness that Jesus has shown in his life.”
Baxter remained productive in ’82 -83 and was a very respectable 11 goals. However, he plummeted to a min-49. Determined to clean the house, GM Eddie Johnston Brought the experienced defender free.
Paul spent the following four seasons with Calgary, where he was a chief antagonist in the infamous Flames -Oilers “Battle of Alberta” fete. Baxter was a sparkling plus-39 in ’84 -85 to exchange his reputation as a solid NHL defender. He helped Calgary reach the Stanley Cup final the next season before he retired.
Baxter was considered a top candidate for coaching and served as an assistant for various NHL clubs in the nineties and early 2000s. A coveted task for the coaching of head, however, remained a step away and his star gradually decreased.
Deadly power
During the ’81 -82 season season, Penguins defenders Paul Baxter and Pat Price were considered by opposing teams as versions of the last day of the famous Outlaws Frank and Jesse James.
Undoubtedly the most despised player of the NHL, Baxter piled up a competition-leading 409 minutes in the Slammer-it highest in total single season in club history-Including 21 fighting Majors. Price was also not a Caspar -Milquetoast. The warlike 6’2 “200-ponder served 322 minutes in the Sin Bin while he dropped the mittens 19 times, Including a spicy Go with Devils Toughie John Wensink.
No opponent was spared the wrath of the duo, not even the double Stanley Cup champion New York Islanders. During the late stages of a wild 7-2 Penguins victory in the season finale, Baxter bleed the nose of large Dave Langevin With a flurry of the left.
The raw treatment continued while the two teams squared in the semi -final of the Patrick Division. Baxter and Price are loyal to the shape, combined for 42 penalty minutes during the hard fought five-game set. Baxter was a certain thorn of the title defender and hit the attackers of the islanders with hard body controls.
Then it was revealed that the combative couple had been the target of not one, but two death threats. The first threat was received on the switching board of the Civic Arena on April 12, 1982. The second was called the next day, two hours before the decisive game 5 on Long Island. Both incidents were immediately reported to the NHL security office, which contacted Detective Joseph Clark by the police of Nassau County. A detail of 22 people was immediately sent to the Nassau County Coliseum.
“They have done an excellent job by protecting our players without let them know about the threats,” said Penguins General Manager Baz Bastien. “Fortunately, nothing has happened.”
“We wondered who those guys hung around us all day,” said Price. “Do you believe that? Welcome to New York.”
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