Enforcer Advent Calendar – December 8th – Lyle Odelein
For an array of reasons, December 2020 will be a month none of us will ever forget. The toll this pandemic has taken on society has been different for every individual in every part of the world. Regardless, we can all relate to experiencing some anxiety, stress and fear about the uncertainty of things. That’s why it felt fitting to put out the ‘Enforcer Advent Calendar.’ These warriors dealt with the aforementioned emotions night-in and night-out to a degree that only they can truly comprehend. I get it – it’s been tough not being able to go out with the boys, see a good game and cheer-on a good scrap, but that doesn’t mean we can’t celebrate the past. It sucks because enforcers are sometimes forgotten by fair-weather fans but, luckily, the diehards will always chant their name in the arenas and on the streets. Whichever side you land on, here’s a reminder of a few legends.
December 8th – Lyle Odelein
In music folklore, the ‘27 Club’ refers to legendary musicians that tragically passed at the age of 27. Jimi Hendrix, Jim Morrison, Janis Joplin, Kurt Cobain and the latest, Amy Winehouse have the unfortunate distinction of being a part of this club. In hockey terms and for Canadian fans, 27 means something different. It’s been 27 years since a Canadian team has lifted the Stanley Cup and 27 Canadians on the Montreal Canadiens team were the last to hoist the Cup in 1993. Lyle Odelein was one of those Canadians and the Saskatchewan native was anything but a bystander during this historic run. During the 1992-93 season, Odelein led in penalty minutes and was second on the team in +/- with +35. Combining those stats with Odelein playing every single game throughout the regular season and playoffs = inevitable team success. Although Odelein was never flashy, loud or a showman, he always cleared out the crease, was strong on the puck, and never hesitated to throw down with the big fellas.
Lyle Odelein vs Gino Odjick – February 10, 1992 – 2nd period – 3:26
After Todd Ewen made it 5-1 at the start of the second period, hockey fans anticipated some rough stuff would ensue. Luckily for fight fans, patience wasn’t Gino Odjick’s best virtue so he didn’t bother waiting until the next shift. Instead, he started the party while the 5th goal celebration was still happening – Odelein gladly accepted the invitation. The two tangled up at the opposing blue-line and, even though Odjick started the fight strong with some rabbit rights, most landed on Odelein’s helmet. After Odelein was able to shake his helmet off, he let off a big right hand while keeping Odjick’s arms locked up. Maybe he just needed to feel the wind in his flowing locks, but the turning point of the fight was when Odelein showed off his head movement, ducked two left hooks by Odjick and capitalized with two right jabs. He then followed that combination up with two big right hooks that forced the linesmen to intervene. The former Moose Jaw Warrior clearly didn’t want the fight to end and had to be restrained from going after Odjick. Frankly, this just wasn’t Vancouver’s night. The Canadiens kept Pavel ‘The Russian Rocket’ Bure off the board, capitalized on undisciplined penalties with 4 power-play goals and had their teammate, Odelein win a fight he had no interest being part of. That was the final nail in the coffin of an 8-3 blowout. The fans at the Montreal Forum knew they had a tough and talented squad and, while they would fall short in the Division Finals of the 1991-1992 season, Habs’ fans knew they were on the precipice of greatness.
Lyle Odelein vs Kelly Chase – October 19, 1992 – 3rd period – 12:52
Full disclosure: this next fight wasn’t the most exciting, but its importance demands recognition. Prior to taking the ice that night in Montreal, the Canadiens sat 3-3-1. Unbeknownst to them, they would rattle off a hot streak and sit at 16-5-3 in their opening 24 games after this game. Lyle Odelein was a cornerstone in this success because he showed teams they couldn’t come into his building and bully his team, which was necessary to win in the 90s’. After the Canadiens rattled off 4 straight goals in the 3rd, Todd Ewen hammered Ian Laperrière into the end boards. After what must have felt like taking on the whole city of St. Louis, Kelly Chase targeted and jumped Ewen. During the mayhem Odelein immediately stepped to his teammate’s defence and traded blows with Chase. This is notable because Odelein wasn’t a heavyweight and he was willing to fight them all. 90s hockey needed players to fill roles they wouldn’t normally fill and for Odelein that role was fighting enforcers that often outweighed him by 10, 20 or even 30 lbs. Fortunately on that Monday night in Montreal, two Saskatchewan boys battled it out – one from Quill Lake, the other from Porcupine Plain – and it was an even battle. When the two Prairie products emerged from the brouhaha, they exchanged a couple blows but neither landed any significant shots. Battling an opponent without a jersey isn’t easy and he handled himself well, so judges would argue that Odelein should be given the slight edge. While it’s impossible to anoint this as the moment that placed the Canadiens on their Championship course, the hot-streak that followed wasn’t accidental. The NHL knew the talent the Canadiens had with Vincent Damphousse, Brian Bellows and Patrick Roy, but Odelein helped establish the respect needed to ensure their talent stayed safe.
Lyle Odelein vs Matthew Barnaby – December 26, 1998 – 1st period – 13:26
Matthew Barnaby was a thorn in Lyle Odelein’s side for years, on-the-ice and off. One year after this tilt and after years of battling against each other, the instigator from Ontario took the trash talk public by telling the press that Odelein looked like Cornelius from Planet of the Apes. Kudos to Barnaby for the clever chirp but – not one to bite his tongue – Odelein quipped back, “You should look at his wife! She’s gawd-awful to look at.” Did either cross-the-line? Maybe, but all’s fair in love and war. The tension between these two had been building and before Barnaby went to Pittsburgh he wanted a dance with his long-time partner. And what better day than Boxing Day. After a less than entertaining scrap, the two enforcers emerged from the penalty box, looking to atone for their previous performance. They squared off and immediately began grabbing and jostling until Odelein’s jersey came off. This allowed the Saskatchewan native to let off an unrestricted left and a couple right hooks that sent Barnaby to the ice. Announcer, Rick Jeanneret showed his biases that night (homer). The irony? When Rob Ray played for the Sabres and his jersey came off quickly, you wouldn’t have heard a peer from Jeanneret. But on this day, Odelein’s jersey removal was an absolute outrage. But that was the 90s. Announcers didn’t need to hide their biases – they just blindly supported their team. Barnaby would be traded to Pittsburgh at the deadline and Odelein to Phoenix the following season. The two were never shy about their disdain for one another, but finally buried the hatchet this year when Odelein appeared on Barnaby’s ‘Unfiltered’ podcast for an entertaining discussion between two rugged former NHLers.
Odelein would go on to play for over 15 years in the NHL, including being named Captain in the Columbus Blue Jackets’ inaugural season. The former Canadiens draft pick had countless battles during his time in the NHL, including fighting the likes of Bob Probert, Tony Twist and Tie Domi. Ironically, his hardest battle would be inflicted by a cactus. Yes, a cactus! The retired defenceman was on a golf trip in Arizona when, just like many of us have done, he shot one in the rough. Going to retrieve his ball, he was pricked by a Jumping Cactus and – just like many of us – didn’t think anything of it. After days of feeling sluggish and weak, he finally went to the emergency room where he was told he had a blood infection that had travelled to his heart and that his organs were beginning to shut down. After slipping into a coma, a cardiac surgeon came up with an impromptu plan to replace his heart valve and do a double organ transplant in hopes of saving the former Stanley Cup winner’s life. Thankfully, it was a success. It took $8 million in operation costs and nearly 6 months for him begin walking again, but after a year of rehabilitation he was back playing golf with his friends and family. Every enforcer knows they could lose a battle on any given night. Odelein survived Probert. He wasn’t about to lose to a damn cactus.
Twitter:@Jonesinthezone
