Propp Filled the Net Consistently
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Tuesday, August 3, 2021 brandonsun.com REPORT GAME RESULTS BEFORE 9 P.M. PHONE 204.571.7442 FAX 204.727.0385 Sports EMAIL [email protected] TRY TO BEAT THAT!: THE 1978-79 BRANDON WHEAT KINGS Propp fi lled the net consistently Propp BY PERRY BERGSON football, he would probably be the quarterback of the Blue Brian Propp’s fi ngerprints Bombers. He was just a natu- drawing remain all over the franchise ral athlete, and his body was records of the Brandon Wheat almost ideal. He wasn’t overly Kings, and it’s hard to see that stocky but he was strong.” changing anytime soon. DAVE McDONALD: “(Brian) a bead In 213 regular season games was an unreal goal scorer and — he missed just three contests he wanted to win. I do remem- BY GREGG DRINNAN in his entire three-year Western ber one time we were playing Hockey League career — Propp in the playoffs and I scored a This story originally piled up an amazing 511 points. goal. He came by me and said appeared in the Dec. He also had 77 points in the ‘Well, it’s about time.’ (laughs) I 16, 1978 edition of the playoffs and 11 at the 1979 Me- guess I hadn’t scored in a while. Brandon Sun. morial Cup. It’s a team game and everybody By the end of this He even had a seven-goal has to score, not just the one Western Hockey League game as a rookie on Jan. 25, line. It’s a team effort no matter season, Brandon Wheat 1977. Kings’ Brian Propp — Brian Propp what. He was very smart with In 1999, he was named to the the puck and he had a great barring injury — will own MasterCard Canadian Junior shot, low corner, far side, he eve ry major offensive All-Time team alongside Mario not the smoothest skater and would put it there lots.” catego ry in the circuit’s Lemieux, Guy Lafl eur, Bobby didn’t have the best hands in DAVE CHARTIER: “I roomed record book. Orr, Denis Potvin and Bernie the world but scored because with him and Allison. I was the And the most amazing Parent. The WHL named him he caught goalies off guard so rookie, I was 17 years old, and about it is that Propp will the 14th best player in league many times. He could score wherever we went I had to sleep have done it in just three history in 2016. from anywhere. His shot was on the fl oor because they would seasons. In the 1979 draft, the Philadel- deceiving, he was tenacious, put ice in the bed or do what- Going into Sunday phia Flyers grabbed him 14th he was around the net for re- ever for the rookie to make it a night’s game with Saska- overall in the fi rst round, and he bounds … I bet 150 (of his little tougher. Brian was one of toon Blades at the Key- went to play 1,016 regular sea- points) were from inside the the best players with the puck. stone Centre, Propp is son games over 15 seasons, and circles or closer. He had under- He knew how to put the puck in the league-leader in goals 160 more playoff games. rated skill. What a junior career the net. He was a tough kid. He (45), and points (97). The He retired following the 1994- and what a junior player. He had the mentality that this was 19-year-old left winger is 95 season in Europe. was reliable game in and game Brandon Wheat Kings star Brian Propp had plenty of opportu- going to happen and he just did in search of his second Propp pursued opportunities out. You knew you were going to nities to work on his goal-scoring celebration during the 1978- it. He scored a lot of goals and consecutive WHL scoring in business and later real estate, get the best of Brian Propp and 79 season. (Brandon Sun File Photo) played a lot of minutes.” title and, if he continues and has recovered well from a his work ethic.” BRUCE PENTON (Brandon his current pace, he will stroke he suffered in 2015. He WES COULSON: “Brian was used to worry about with Brian RICK KNICKLE: “It was a line Sun): “(Brian) was very strong, reach that goal easily. lives in New Jersey. phenomenal. There wasn’t any- was that we would be up by a of guys who were all different.” a very good skater, and had a Last year, Propp won MIKE PEROVICH: “What can thing he couldn’t do. He could bunch of goals and he would RAY ALLISON: “Everybody shot, he had those three things. the crown with 183 you say? The guy is unbeliev- skate, he could shoot, he could get bored. He would just kind was so worried about Brian that He wasn’t like Mike Bossy type points, the second high- able. It was a pleasure to play pass and it was effortless. It of smirk and look at me and fl ip you ended up getting a lot of the scoring and he wasn’t Eric Nest- est total in league history, with Brian and watch him every seemed effortless to me. There the puck straight into the air so junk (rebound goals).” erenko-type strong but he was behind Saskatoon’s Ber- night … You just had to give it to were other guys who had to the goalie would have to go into DAVE STEWART: “Just a nat- up at the top of the list on ev- nie Federko, who skated him and it was in the back of the work really hard — and I’m not the corner to play it, and then ural. Brian had that knack. He ery category, and he was a very to 187 points in 1975-76. net.” saying he didn’t work hard — he would go and nudge the reminded me of (Ron) Chip- good skater, he was strong on But, so far, there is RAY ALLISON: “Propper was but it seemed to come natural- goalie. Then everybody start- perfi eld and those guys. He was his skates, you couldn’t knock no comparing Propp’s pretty simple. He just scored ly. He scored goals whenever he ed pushing and shoving and just a natural goal scorer, and him off. He would be getting per formance last year, goals, and all you had to do was wanted to, it seemed like.” the big scrum started. There’s there aren’t too many. He was a checked from two sides and still with his effort this cam- get him the puck. It wasn’t com- TIM LOCKRIDGE: “Propper Propp, smiling on the side not good guy. We had some fun.” hang onto the puck and get the paign. A year ago, after plicated or anything like that. was a free spirit when it really doing anything. He started the DON GILLEN: “(Brian) was shot away. I’m not surprised he 29 games, Propp had 74 The man lived to score goals. down to it. Without being too s— and didn’t fi nish it. He just like a machine. He was just con- went on to have a great career points, on 22 goals and 52 That’s all he ever wanted to do harsh about it, he just didn’t did his thing. He wasn’t con- sistent every day. He was a good in the NHL because of those assists. This time around, and he was good at it. I think I give a s— about anything going frontational. I don’t think he ball player, he was a good golfer. three attributes.” his goal pro duction is up played on his line for most of on around him. He was so easy ever got into an argument or At the last reunion, he won the 23, to 45, while his as- three years and all I had to do going, and nothing seemed to confl ict with any of the guys on golf tournament. Every sport he » [email protected] sists’ total is the same. was get him the puck, and if he bother him. The one thing I the team.” did, he did it well. If he played » Twitter: @PerryBergson His 97 points represent could get the shot off, he could an increase of 23. score with the best of them.” If Propp were to keep STEPHEN PATRICK: “Brian up his present pace (3.34 was the most intense guy, even ON THE ICE points-per-game), he in practice. Sometimes we do SEASON IN REVIEW Brandon was without injured forwards Dave Chartier and and Kelly McCrimmon (suspension) out of the lineup, would finish the season three-on-three and it would be Dave McDonald, plus Kelly McCrimmon, who served the scored his fi rst WHL goal with a second remaining in with 110 goals, 127 as- me, Stewie and Abby against third game of his eight-game suspension. the middle frame. Brian Propp’s three goals boosted his sists and 237 points — all Propp, Allison and Boschman, Brandon 9 Edmonton 5 BWK goals: Propp (2), Boschman, Kempthorne, Allison, season total to 56, which includes nine game-winners. of which would obviously and I felt bad for Stewie because Game 31, Dec. 14, 1978 Kiessig. BWK goals: Propp (3), Coulson (2), Patrick, Gusdal, be league records. Abby and I didn’t help him at all. Recap: Edmonton led 3-0 early in the second period when BWK goalie: Knickle.