#92: Terry O’Reilly Interview PART 2: The Raw Knuckles Podcast

#92: Terry O’Reilly Interview PART 2: The Raw Knuckles Podcast

Hey everybody thanks for listening to Raw Knuckles podcast please like follow And subscribe so my question was to you Chris what would have been like to to have a teammate like Terry O’Reilly because I know you admired him like I did as a kid but what was that what

Would that been like for you oh you know it would have been awesome right someone that is a good leader someone who shows up to play every night a great example of um what you know I like and I can’t take credit for this but I like what

Um Martin St Louis the coach of the Canadian says that there’s guys that play hockey and then there’s hockey players he’s a hockey player when I stepped on the ice I never backed down and I never stayed down and I was vicious and I was malicious and I don’t

Care he’s a freaking mad man look at him going to town that’ll be so uh Chris one thing I wanted to ask you before we get on to the now the the you kind of the Tough Guy questions is I didn’t know this till recently you had the

Game-winning goal in uh Team USA and the Canada Cup 5-2 win over Sweden uh what was that like well um it was awesome to be able to represent your country uh especially a guy who um played the game the way I did in in a international competition to be

Able to get that opportunity it was awesome it was you know listen I remember that year and Badger Bob we’re playing Canada five time me that gry mu how CH that team was ridiculously talented Ray coffee I mean they they were incredible and um I remember Bader

Bob saying you know we need some they got a great talented team they tough team too they had talk at when the clock we’re playing exhibition games against them I don’t know how many we had and Badger Bob I remember um going to the trials working my ass off and I made a

Place for myself and he ended up cutting Bret Hull y he cut Bret Hull kept me and I remember Bret Hall come out and said you imagine they keep ning over me but Bret Hall was a fat [ __ ] that’s why he didn’t make the team okay not because Brett Hall isn’t a

Great goal scorer but he was a fat [ __ ] and B tell us how you really feel yeah well that’s it that’s how I you know and then he’s going to [ __ ] on me because they keep me and um I had three points I had two goals and three assists in five

Games not bad for a plumber and and yeah we didn’t win the tournament um but it was just awesome to represent your country and get that opportunity Bader Bob I remember he sent Brett Hall down in Calgary because he was so fat he came to Camp he was way

You know and you know I give that guy credit for addressing that with him because the guy probably wouldn’t had the career he hadn’t I mean he would have but I mean he he got him early he got his attention early yeah so yeah and

I didn’t like how he he melted off uh about me making the team because he didn’t instead of looking at yourself and saying here’s why make it have you come across him since he said that uh I’ve seen him yeah I don’t care you didn’t hit no I actually played golf

With him and Chell I’m disappointed in the training camp and you know yeah he anyway all right I don’t want to get going on that one Terry what was what was the most you ever made as a player financially uh about 390 and in that time I’m sorry yeah no uh my first

Contract was like the 2way contract if I made the Bruins it would be 27,000 and if I played in the miners in the American Hockey League it was 18 or 19 it was it was short money well back then you know and then so you said 390 was or

Three something like that about 390 that’s my answer to whatever anything cost a silly answer but I got a $25,000 signing bonus to sign my first professional contract because St Louis had offered me a four-year scholarship to go to play play for their bilans and and go to school there and that was

Worth $25,000 if I figured out what the tuition was for four years I told the Bruins that I told Gary Young was scouted me and was trying to sign me and I said if I sign this contract I know I’m going to the miners because they

Just won the Stanley Cup so I’m going to be giving up $25,000 guaranteed in education uh for $188,000 plan in the miners and uh without hesitating at all he gave me a $25,000 bonus just to sign the contract to turn pro basically giving me a scholarship up front and uh so I signed

It and started playing for the boss race so what was the high highest you ever made was it like 275 or something uh yeah it was around 200 yeah at the time was that good money uh it was it was good for [Laughter] me okay so and Chris what was the

Highest you were ever paid um 3 25 I think ball park that was at the end in New York I’m g go back and talk to Harry I think he money well Harry didn’t pay me so I don’t think Harry like to pay anybody this what I that was in New York

Yeah he was fiscally responsible yeah you know you both have you both have a tie in New York because uh Chris you said the most devastating part of your career was leaving the Canadians and you felt like you were it it broke you and then you ended up in

New York and then Terry ended up being an assistant coach there but when you left New York what happened why why did you leave and why did you want to be traded um I was snake bit there but God I hurt my knee my third game ligament I broke

My arm twice I had a groin that hockey hernia te how did you break your arm twice uh first I went into the net in Montreal head first and I got my arm up and I snapped it yeah and then um I was playing a playoff game uh against the Islanders

And um I was coming through the middle looking back for pass and Kim bomb got stood up on me and I went to get my arm up because he’s went to Elbow him in the face as he was coming at me and had his stick up and my arm um broke his stick

And I broke my arm again same place right next to it yeah the guy said you’ll never break this arm again where it calcified well you’ll never break it in that spot but if you break it again it’ll be next to it and it happened so

Yeah and I was snake bit with injuries um um and I wanted always as a kid to play for the Boston Bruins and I I I sent a little Canary out to do a little investigating for me to see if I could get out of there I was supposed to

Sign a new contract with Neil Smith he didn’t want to sign me um he said I’ll sign you at the end of the season I talked to him about it he said I can’t do it you know the injury I said well I don’t want to play here anymore

Then you did give me a word that we’re gonna do the contract and he said well I’m in a tough spot you’ve had these injury I said well I’m in a tough spot too I don’t want to be here anymore so I kind of we went back and

Forth and then um you know they called on me and I ended up I remember I was up Vancouver uh salmon fishing and um they called my mother called cuz there no cell phones back then but my mother called the people I was with and

She let me know I had my dad there with me and that I got traded to the bees and that was at your request correct yeah and what made you what what made you because you I fulfill my dream of playing for the Boston Bruins that’s all

I ever wanted to do when I was a kid not play in the NHL play for the Boston Bruins and yet you’ve said that you felt like a turn coat like you know because everybody was throwing stuff at you in the stands when you were the canadi Ians

And NY sucks and you know all that stuff and then and then you felt like what what am I doing here at one point at least that’s what you had said but my father didn’t my father didn’t want me to come back my father said don’t don’t

Come back here after the [ __ ] you went through there just and I mean that I always wanted to be a bruin come on and um you know I in in hindsight would I do it again yeah like I I’m grateful that Harry and and Mike I know Mike had a lot

To do with it um brought me there give me that opportunity I only wish it was when I was 20 years old yeah like when it all started because I got there at the end I was beat up I was I was beat up and

And you know I I I felt I still did my job but I I felt I I couldn’t give as much as I would have liked to because it it was a perfect team for for me you know and being for the rest of his life he’s a

Member of the Boston Bruins alumni and that’s a great group to have you ever alumni oh yeah I have yeah when I was living back home they had me there it was awesome and a great group of guys group you know he’s running it now Nifty

Ran it for a few years and Bob swing and uh great bunch of guys super buch guys lot of lot of fun games and a lot of money raised for Charities yeah and Terry you had said that uh towards the end of your career you you thought you stayed two years too

Long you said you’d lost the step and had blown my uh knee out that was a major reconstruction uh all the ligaments and some cartilage I I had a cast on my leg from from groin down to my ankle it had a the at first it was a solid cast and

After a couple of months they switched it to a cast with a big metal hinge so that it could Flex a little bit but I didn’t think uh I never got back to the speed I had before that injury uh and you know at that time in my career

With my age and the game was getting faster you know game was the they were raining in the fighting and depending more on uh speed you know and that was so that worked against me as well and then you I think you even got hurt while you were getting

Rehabilitating you were training so hard that you got a hernas from training that was uh I was training one one thing that you do when you have a kn injy is you do a lot of those leg raises you sit on the bench and put weights on and you put your feet

Under the the bar and lift lift your knees up off the ground to straighten your legs up you’re you’re working on your quads and uh but also is working on your lower abdomen and I had a sharp pain in the right right growing area went to see the team doctor and he said

You got a hernia and uh we’re going to have to op op on that and then I said well if you have pain there does it travel all the way over to the other side and uh he said no let me look at that he said oh you got two heras so so

They wanted to operate I had already been in for a shoulder repair uh and uh they wanted to operate uh on one hernia and have me come back in two or three weeks and do the other one and that would have been three surgeries spread out over the summer and the last one

Would have been very close to training camp and I said that’s not going to work I fix them both at the same time he said that that’s going to be very painful and I said well go through it once so they did the double hery repair and gave me a

Little bit of an extra start at training camp but not much and one more injury story is that I think I remember you telling me that you got into a fight with Bennett wolf and you pulled your uh rotator cuff during the fight and you went to the

Team trainer doctors whatever they told you it’s fine there’s nothing wrong you played almost the entire the rest of the season uh and then the doctors said you were fine and then you went to an independent doctor and they said oh you’ve got a torn rotator cuff and and

Then you got a phone call from Tom Johnson if you if I remember correctly it’s a long time ago that you told me this do you mind sharing that story well the it was right around Christmas the holidays and I got into a scrap I I got my right hand tied in to

His jersey and he was a big boy and he he shook me a little bit and I lost my balance and dropped and it jerked my arm way up here and tore the rotator cuff so but I didn’t know that had the team doctor look at it and he said oh it’s

Just a sore shoulder rested for so I missed three games and then I came back and you know I said it’s still sore uh coach said can you play I said I can play uh but it’s I I can’t make a rink wide pass I could not take the puck and

If I was over in the right boards make a hard pass over to the left boards and I said I can’t shoot I can pass short passes I can just use your feet Terry just use your feet I can’t I can’t shoot the puck so if you want me to play with

Those limitations I I will play and so they played me for the rest of the year and uh after the last game was over I said to the team doctor uh Bert’s erand he I said Bert this shoulder is still terrible you know oh Terry the season

Just ended yesterday just go home and rest it for a little while rested for a month so I count I put a mark on the calendar you know 30 days it didn’t get an ounce better I called them up and said bir this shoulder isn’t getting any better so they took me in

And uh scoped it to see what was going on in there and while I was under they had to really cut it open and repair it so I I thought I was going in for an exploratory surgery and I I woke up and Bird was there and he said I’m sorry

Terry I didn’t catch this your rotator cup was torn right off I I’m heavily medicated they’ve just opened me up and sewn this whole thing back together and I’m I’m I’m in a big splint where I can’t move my arm and uh the phone rings and it’s on my right

Side and I’m trying to get over there and answer it how how are you feeling I said uh not bad I just came out of ser tree I’m a little groy and he said uh Terry why did you wait so long before you went and get that

Fixed I I was I was under pain medication you know I did I hear that I looked at the phone and I just click you know played the whole season torn up like that kept saying the day of the playoffs or the season was over you know something wrong something wrong

Something wrong okay uh Terry I wanted to ask you about um Derek Sanders and you’ve shared a couple of stories and and we’ve read about them uh about the incident in the locker room and uh would you mind sharing that as well as your conversation with him after when he

Came back to the Bruins um and had a long conversation with you if if you remember that stuff but I do John you know Derek has come a long way back and sure I want to you know well it’s it’s in it’s in magazines it’s in it’s not

Like you’re telling something out of school I know uh we didn’t get along uh and I was a rookie and uh I had a corn on my I had poor fitting skates I had a corn on my big right toe and I came in after the warmup and took

The skate right off and I put my right foot over my left foot and if you ever see cartoons when somebody gets hit with a big hammer you go it’s going boing boing you know this well my toe I could swear I could see it just going up and

Down it’s screaming at me and I’ve got my eyes closed I’m leaning back like this waiting for the pain to dissipate and uh Dan canny is going around Dan cany making sure everybody has put their spare stick in the in the rack uh because you have you have to have a

Second stick ready during the course of the game in case you break one the trainer hands you a fresh stick uh and he turns to Derek says Derek uh you’re the only one that doesn’t have a spare up here and I’m sitting beside the rack with my sore toe

In the air and Derek reached in front of him picked up his spare stick and just slammed the end of it and it spiraled through the air landed right on my toe and I like a Jack In The Box I was up six feet in the air and cursing at

Him you know why don’t you just walk it over to the stick rack like a normal human being and he said go fck yourself and uh I crossed to dressing room in record time I was on like a cat and I was separated Esposito hudge and well there’s there’s three

Guys that Pride me off of them uh so it was it it was pretty pretty serious and then didn’t he get up and kick you in the face well see that that John I I really don’t want to yeah he did he didn’t have his skates on me he

Kicked and split my eye open and uh I went in and got stitched up before the game I’m getting stitched up and uh I’m sitting there I was terrible during the game I couldn’t even think about the game I was just thinking gee my career is is over and Boston you

Know I started a fight in the dress room with not just one of my teammates but one of the teammates of the championship team you know I figured I’d come out on the sh and the stick with that one so I’m sitting there after the game sort of

Running through this analyzing it I said well if I’m gone I’m going to go out swinging I crossed over the room and drilled them again then they closed in and three or four guys are hold me back and I said Derek you’re not always going to have

Three or four guys to hold me off you whenever I see you I’m going at you you know and since then we’ve we’ve patched things up he he has done a tremendous job as you have Chris in in controlling his demons and making a comeback and speaking in schools and

Really really become an asset for a lot of young people that are suffering from some sort of addiction so my question was to you Chris what would have been like to to have a teammate like Tero riy because I know you admired him like I

Did as a kid but what was that what would that been like for you oh you know it would have been awesome right someone that is a good leader someone who shows up to play every night a great example of um what you know I like and I can’t take credit for this

But I like what um M St Louie the coach of the Canadian says that there’s guys that play hockey and then there’s hockey players he’s a hockey player and and to have uh him as a teammate would have been awesome you know especially in our in our era to

Have somebody riding like I’m just going into Boston or Philadelphia and going to teams that had a few guys like we had some tough guys on the team when I was there but there weren’t a lot of guys that fought me and then cter came along and then Shane Corson was a tough

Kid who could handle himself but John Cordic when he came honestly I felt more threatened that I was because the Canadians um you know we didn’t have two or three guys Larry could take care of himself and you know we didn’t have any dmen that were really Fighters um Mike MC could fight

But you know it wasn’t a fight fight how long was Lup in there uh who feel was lupy in oh ly I ly was there my first year he got traded when I came yeah I had a couple scraps with him yeah you scrapped him a few times and I was with

Was a good fighter Mario could fight yeah Mario could fight but he you know B gy didn’t fight but he was a tough guy to play against you know it was really hard excellent skater played played the body hard you but Taz um yeah I would would have

Loved him as a teammate but guy like John Cordic when John came in God Rest his soul um I kind of felt a little more threatened because I was getting a little bit older like 26 yeah and I they’re getting ready to bring a new be that old now right I know

Really God 27 he died from a drug overd uh yeah he was with uh he was in Quebec City in a um I think we’re losing Cherry yeah we are again he’s playing games okay there he is he um I believe he was he was in a hotel room in Quebec City

Making noise or something he just broke up with a girlfriend I I don’t know the whole story but I think he um was drinking and doing drugs and the police came and I don’t know what happened but was he a good teammate with you did you

Guys get along yeah I get along fine with John but he was John never wanted to fight and you know he was told if he ever wanteded to make it in the NHL he had to fight and you know it was no secret he was on steroids and yeah you

Know that [ __ ] make you crazy right there you know I don’t know could he have done the job without the steroids I don’t know because that stuff does make you aggressive um I’ve never been on it but I know the effects of it um and yeah

But you know he’s a good kid but he he struggled with it a bit his dad didn’t want him to fight really he didn’t like that part of it John you know he did it because it was his only path because you know and no no disrespect it’s just he

He wasn’t as good a player you know as other guys that could play before I don’t know too many guys that enjoyed that part of the game you know they did it yeah but they I enjoyed it to be honest with you I en I

Enjoyed as long as I could play and I’m not going to sit here and say it it was easy I didn’t have a tough time with it I did but I genuinely and really I I really like sticking up for my teammates and I know it was a hard job and everything

And it got tougher as I went on but I I don’t know I just think there’s something admirable admirable about that when guys like you like myself and other guys around the league are able to defend their teammates and and help guys out who who lack in that area and yeah I

Agree with you Chris but it’s very hard if the coach chooses to sit you uh at the end of the bench like that way yeah yeah oh yeah saying that yeah yeah I hate that to play hockey you’re just go be sent out when somebody’s bullying one

Of your teammates yeah that’s to me that you know that was I couldn’t do it I I said that at the beginning I could never I I wouldn’t have play wouldn’t I would have been they would wouldn’t have been able to deal with me I wouldn’t have

Been a I had one coach that uh treated me that way and I had a chat with him so and at the time I know Chris during the playing days with interviews you said you didn’t want to take fighting out of the game because it kept you know

It kept players honest uh no stick work all the other stuff but Terry at when you were playing did you think it should be taken out of the game not completely uh what what I loved about the game is you have you have two players competing against each other so hard and so

Intensely that they’re willing to drop their gloves I’m not saying that they have to drop their gloves and fight but the level of intensity to play in a National Hockey League is there a fight can break out any any minute any shift uh If you eliminate that

Completely uh I don’t think you’re fully testing the courage of the players the the I I’m talking about all the players the skill players that are eligible for the lady Bing they have to play in that atmosphere against some of the toughest meanest guys uh and how they play how

They keep their mind on their game and perform under those circumstances I think it’s as a fan of hockey I like looking for that and in today’s game do you think fighting should still be in it for both of you I I don’t think they should eliminated completely because then it allows some

Really underhanded stuff to go on I know there’s three officials on the ice but you can still get away with little butt ends and Spears behind behind the play that are only addressed by somebody’s teammates you know so that’s my feeling yeah well I couldn’t agree more again um

Those days the guy sitting on the bench going on fight I never like that uh those stage fights that stuff but um I believe it should stay in the game uh I don’t like brawls I never liked them I’m glad they they were able to ctail that

And take that out of the game but the 90s and 2000s there you saw that you know a lot of heavyweights guys that just you know they worked out to to fight on the ice not play those stage fights kind of and then now I don’t think it should be

Taken up for just the reasons terate you know I I I it’s no longer a tactic uh and I think to leave it in is a good thing because the rats will come out [ __ ] will happen and I I believe that intensity part where two guys are battling so hard against each other

They’re so pissed at each other maybe one gets an edge on maybe one gets a little elbow in his face and pisses him off and then he does it again he gets mad and he finally says you know what we’re going and you settle it I think

That I like and yeah I don’t think we’re going to see the other stuff ever come back but I don’t think they should ever takeen out for that reason the tough guys in today’s game the tough guys have to be able to skate like the wind

Because the game is so much faster now you know yeah and uh so I got a question for you we talked about coaches asking you to fight but did you ever have a teammate come to you and say hey I this guy won’t leave me alone can you help me did that ever

Happen never never um I never did andless listen I think being a guy who does that job if you’re if you’re not aware of what’s going on yeah you’re not willing to take care of it yourself then team wouldn’t have to tell you that because you you got a

You’d see it yeah you’d see it it would be more likely to go up to him and say don’t worry about that guy we’ll take care of it now today you may not see it because you’re looking at a [ __ ] iPad but you know they’re on the bench like

Oh I hit the post yeah right and you guys were both both coaches I know that at one point Chris you had a you were an assistant coach under jacqu Lamer I think yeah and Terry you were the coach with the Bruins and then assistant uh with Glenn sather and uh shanfeld and

What was that like for you Chris to be an assistant coach uh was it hard for you to very hard and what was the reason I took the place of um Larry Robinson two different personalities I wasn’t a defenseman but again you don’t have to not [ __ ]

Rocket science changing demon um but I don’t have the personality for an assistant coach lameir um who I loved and admired and respected that’s on the flip side the same way with him and he gave me an opportunity you know we went over the systems that he has in place and you

Know he sat down with me I told him you know he how would you explain it to the team if you had to do it and I showed him what I do and he had the confidence that I could the players felt as though they had two head coaches and

And you know a couple of guys Dano I fought didn’t Stevens I fought both of them didn’t care for me two defenseman and John mlan and they were big devil guys with Lou and they they’ve made it difficult and it was the year after Stanley Cup and I’m not make

Making excuses I’m taking full credit for my inability to be assistant coach um but it’s that Stanley Cup you know you win the cup and they say the hangover yeah some of those guys just didn’t didn’t dig in The Following season they won the cup they achieved something that

Was I believe they would have never achieved if lame wasn’t there and um they kind of quit on him would you have wanted to be a head coach well I did I went down to East Coast hockey league and I coached there for two years I got coached Year my

First year had expansion team I loved it I enjoyed it um and the team moved from Maryland down to Jackson Mississippi and I didn’t want to go to Jackson you got to be willing to just go anywhere and at that time I I didn’t want to make the move I

Was hoping to get to the American League and Pat Burns was the coach of the Bruins Michael Connell was uh GM and Pat was really pushing for me for the job in Providence and Peter Lavette was also in the mix and uh Pat called me the night

Before and said um you’re G to get a call from Mike tomorrow you got the job blah so I was really happy and then I got called the next day and um Mike told me that I didn’t get the job Peter laet got theob up and I’m there

Okay I got it and I get it he told me the reason he um got it one they like his coaching ability but um the Ed Anderson the owner of the Providence Bruins um Peter played down there I think for four years and they became pretty close and Ed wanted Peter

Over me so I get it and I didn’t get that job and and I didn’t go down to Jackson I just walked away you had said that uh at one point you said you love jacqu Lam he was a great coach and you loved him but you also said Mike milberry was your

Favorite coach is he one of my favorite coaches lame was my favorite coach and why did you like Milbury as a coach I just um and not because he put me on the allstar team I didn’t want him to let me preface by why is that by the way why

Didn’t you want because I didn’t belong there I didn’t belong there I wasn’t an ala and um I understood why Mike was doing it and um he had that respect he named Brian scrin guys that are you know I think kind of like Mike guys that work their ass off to try and

Stay in the league and get to the league and then stay there I think he saw that and he admired that in players but um you know I liked him as a motivator and not that I had to be motivated so much but other guys I liked him um he understood the

Game um he he um was able to to you know go on the board and show you what you did wrong or what you have to correct he was good with systems I I really liked him I liked his demeanor I did and a lot of people think I’m nuts

Mike Mike’s a smart guy yeah he’s a very intelligent guy and a lot of people you know you know this about him that I remember when you know that whole thing come up with Allen eagleson and you know Mike was talking hey this guy we want him out blah blah blah and everybody’s

Shut up milbery [ __ ] shut up you you know and he was on the Money Mike was the only [ __ ] one who was on the money with that other than you know some other guys in Boston but Mike spoke about it and everybody around the league was [ __ ] badm mouting him like

Because he wanted eagleson out hello you you’ve read Russ Conway’s book I didn’t but I’ve read I read the article and stuff they had an Eagle tribute but have you read that John no I haven’t yeah it’s great book uh it’s got everything that eagleson did you know he was just

In it for himself yeah um and and Ray Bor told me I I got to meet Ray Bor with uh with Terry one day and he told me that uh the best coach he ever had was you Terry what was it like for you as a coach uh did you enjoy

Being a coach uh was it hard for you being a player the way you played maybe having players that that didn’t want to do that but it you know I several players told me they really enjoyed playing for you but what was it like uh

Did did you enjoy it I I enjoyed the learning experience uh never learned uh as much about the game as I did in that three-year period just Johnny conip was my assistant and uh and a great assistant at that right yeah and I actually said said to John you you’re

Not my assistant we’re co- coaches you know uh but he he knew the game the technical part of the game uh specially teams power play penalty killing faceoffs he had a Playbook with a gazillion plays a gazillion uh practice drills and I was the uh I was the sort

Of the police force uh we would talk about the way we wanted to play and explain it on the chalkboard out in the ice John was a good teacher and then I would say does everybody understand it everybody understand what we’re doing everybody nods and I said okay because if anybody doesn’t follow

This program you better have a real good reason when you come off the ice and you didn’t stay within our system you better have a real good reason or you won’t be getting back out on the ice I was a disciplinarian and we had some success with that yeah you did

Yeah okay so I would like to if we could um share my screen and start with the first scrap that you guys ever had together and a couple others I tried to find the one that had the uh where you you went after Peters even though it

Really didn’t happen that way but there it is the video is nowhere so there’s only a gif on Twitter that I found but um I’m gonna share my screen and then we can go down the list and then I’m gonna ask you about each player uh because I

Know for instance you said you had Glenn Cochran uh you know when you were in the miners and you cut him open and you both fought him since then and then Terry um said the first time he ever really suckered anybody was with Glenn Cochran

Uh if you remember that and so I want to go I want to go through those uh if you guys don’t mind so let me share my screen so this is the very first wrap you guys have and I think Chris you were a rookie at the

Time uh yes I am okay so I’m going to play this this is the one I think I win the draw too I don’t think there was a draw but here we go I’ll show you as cleanly and as well as we have seen him so there’s another indication why you

Should shoot more nylan and O’Reilly ready to square off so young Nyon goes with O’Reilly earlier it was Jonathan well he caught O’Reilly a good one but O’Reilly came back with some solid lefts and so they are both going out and making a name Chris Nyan number 30 from West rockbury Massachusetts I

Think it’s quite a story that he’s made it here to the Canadians he made it obviously as a checker and batler and he went toe-to-toe with O’Reilly okay so uh one of the things I wanted to ask you because you you’ve described you said that that was the hardest you’d ever

Been hit by Terry um yeah but I was more interested in the dialogue afterwards I don’t honestly I don’t remember what was said I I don’t know I remember Terry in The Penalty Box going to me like this he pointed at his left and I knew he was a lefty and

Here’s what I’ll tell you um I fought Stan earlier and then I okay um and I remember both sentimen got kicked out of the face off Circle and Bob gainy went to go in I said no let me go in because I I I felt like you

Know I’ll beat him on the draw see what happens and then I when I whacked his stick he looked at me like what the [ __ ] you doing kid and so away we go now I’m going to tell you this was a turning point in my career and it was a big

Learning experience for me um one my pride was [ __ ] shattered when I get the penalty block I um I was bleeding like the blood was just pouring out of my head I I went at him I threw that first punch and then I knew he a lefty and I just

Left myself wide open and when I got to the box I thought about it and whatever we said I don’t I don’t remember but from that point on I said if I fight like that every night I’m not not going to stick around long I’m going to end up

Breaking my jaw getting my [ __ ] teeth knocked out breaking my nose just something bad’s going to happen I have to use my head and from that point on and most of the guys were bigger than me Taz and I height wise you know a couple inches maybe but

Um I knew he was a lefty and from that point forward I made a concentrated effort to know what every guy threw where his strengths were and um I would try and take that strength away at the beginning of the fight and then pick my way through the fight then I started

Being able to throw a left a little bit I was better righty than Lefty but I could have the stun gun once in a while and then I started throwing uppercuts a little more I I switched things up those do the damage the uppercuts yeah because

You have a tendency in a fight you have a tendency if you get take a couple punch punches you have a tendency to drop your head yeah and then you’re you’re open for that real whammy so that that honestly that was a turning point

For me as far as the way I fought I said if I’m going to last and do this every night or every other night or whatever I have to use my head and be a better technical fighter and um that um I I yeah and I applied that and you

Had you had two or three fights with Stan Jonathan and I I was surprised when I because I didn’t I never saw you as a kid I moved from New Hampshire who I I was at Boston Bruins nut so you started after I moved to Arizona and there was

No hockey in Arizona so I I really didn’t get to know you till much much later but I was so surprised that you hung in there even with Stan three different fights uh and Stan was very tough and and Terry that uh even though he was small

He was as strong as any he was as Broad and and strong as any man in the NHL his waist up right waist up he was like a wedge very very powerful and uh a lot of guys underestimated his strength and his toughness I mean if you

Punched him in in the face wouldn’t budge he would smile that’s very concerning if you’re you know and uh he just didn’t slow down so okay so here’s another clip I’m going to share I think this is one of these where let’s see here oh here’s the one

Of the unfortunately I don’t have the video it’s more of a gift so there’s no sound this is the Pete Peters incident I’d love to get the commentary from both of you especially Terry after the game so this is very brief and that’s it so um Chris what what were

You what happened in the back I think it was uh you know Peters did a lot of acting on that on that here’s what happened Pete Peters gave me the stick between the legs one time and I let it go I didn’t do anything that time and

Then he did it again and and I turned around I said I went by at a after Play In the Zone I saidd do it again I’m going to take your [ __ ] head off [ __ ] you we had the face off we lose the draw they get the puck Boston’s going the

Other way I start I’m going on the back check to go ahead of my defenseman keeping behind me and I said you know what I said I was going to [ __ ] get him again he give me another jab back of the leg so the plays going up our and I

Turned around I said said [ __ ] this and I came back and I cross checked him and then you know he had a [ __ ] cage on it was not like he was going to get hurt but I just making a point and then I turned around and thing

It’s the play went on for a little bit up the other it’s like the bees had a power play because of me and then all of a sudden I seen Terry coming and Collins was trying to get in the way and my back is in the corn I’m like okay and he’s

[ __ ] raming down the ice and I said I got to protect myself I had my back to the wall and I know Kevin was trying to get in the way but it’s not like I I I had to throw a punch he was coming at me

And I remember what he did that first game when he hit me and I didn’t want to get that again and I’m gonna tell you my hand hurt for two weeks I fought two nights later in Philadelphia day Brown I was like my every bone in my hand went right

Up it felt like right up to my shoulder I couldn’t hold my stick my hand hurt so [ __ ] bad um yeah that’s a hot head too you know yeah I did that with a few guys hurting their hands with my face but [ __ ] and and listen I it went down I didn’t throw

Another Punch or anything and um you know I I I remember the next day in the news paper you had said some there was something in the paper about you gave p PE to [ __ ] in the room cuz you would told him to leave me alone or

Something apparently well I said to him know I’m I’m in the medical room getting sewn up by the doctor and Pete came in and uh you know sorry sorry Terry and I said Pete what what started that you know like uh he says well I gave him the

Stick uh and I I said okay now just keep in mind for future reference if you give the stick to any tough guy in the league you’re not the one that’s going to finish the fight with him you’re what you’re doing is volunteering one of your teammates to

Take that guy on so I want you to think about that before you stick anybody again so yeah and you know I me geez I I’ll never forget that night and I just like you know [ __ ] my back was to the wall like no that was my I love Terry O’Reilly I I

Mean my fault for coming in that fast and hard you know I was out of control because I yeah I saw you had to get there right lay in the ice and uh so didn’t uh I threw caution to the wind skated right into that that you that was a good

Punch it hurt yeah but you know like in and I say that because no I really had so much respect for you as a player and as a person and what you were dealing with in your life too with your son Evan and you know that because

I spoke to you a couple times and not out of trying to soften Terry up because nothing’s gonna soften him up it was out of true um you know not empathy but Sympathy for the the your son and what Evan was going through and what you were

Going through as a dead and I couldn’t imagine having to play the game and then Coach the game and also have that on your mind constantly so I had the utmost respect for you as a a human being and a person I did and obviously

The way it played the game but thank you Chris away from them and and my mother Lov Terry oot was she mad at you for punching me out like that no she wasn’t but um she was kind of happy she said that kind of evens a

Score he made you bleed you made him bleed yep yeah so Terry I asked Chris uh what it would be like to have you as a teammate what do you think it would be like to have Chris as a teammate I would rather have him as a

Teammate than play against him you know same here yeah yeah he he plays the game the way I always felt that it should be played play as hard as you can defend yourself defend your teammates and uh have fun I think and and you both worked really hard on your your ice

Hockey skills you both wanted to be players you didn’t just want to be a fighter you really after practice Chris you were telling me how ja Lamer would work with you and Bob gaining would work with you and Larry and everybody else and Terry I remember you telling me the

Story that uh Phil Esposito would grab you by the back of the Jersey when you were skating and practice to say hey slow down you’re making us look bad um at at training camp a lot of back then in the day I have to you know training

Camp was to get yourself in shape training camp was longer guys took it easier in the summer uh as opposed today these guys are training you know 12 months out of the year uh and I came at my first training camp I came trying to make the Boston Bruins They just won the

Stanley Cup so they had a good summer so I’m on the ice when the coach blew the whistle to go I was going and the the veterans on the team they were a little little sluggish and I really uh showed the difference you know if any anybody was watching I was going

90 mil an hour and these guys were going 34 speed so couple guys told me to slow down and uh I I didn’t answer to them because I didn’t want to be disrespectful but I was thinking if I slow down I I don’t make this team so and you you had one

Altercation and if there’s more I’d love to know it but I think it was with Carol vadney um in practice and I’ll ask you Chris the same thing but aside from Carol vad did do you have any issues with any other players you know where it

Was a PO that you were teammates with yeah uh well normally if if somebody used their stick on me I would punch them in the head you know I didn’t like to use my stick so if somebody slashed me or cross checked me I would drop my

Glove and boom you know it tended to buy me a little more more room a lot of guys thought we better not do that to this guy uh so I was playing in a scrimmage against Pi McKenzie and he he got his stick up pretty high and clipped

Me across the shoulder and I turned and saw that it was Johnny McKenzie and he was about half my size and so I’m not going to do anything about that and then later in the scrimmage I’ve got the puck and uh no Bobby or had the puck and he’s

You know how he could maneuver well I’m chasing him down he turns to his right and I take my right hand and start jamming his right elbow so then he turns to his left and I take my left hand and now I still have my right hand over here

I’ve got the stick in my hand but I start jamming his left arm and bobb’s a smart guy he knows that my right hand is here my left hand is here my jaw is wide open he came back with an elbow just about knock me out you know but I said

Lesson learned you know don’t leave yourself wide open like that and that’s bobor I’m not going to do a thing I did it with him no the third one uh yeah Carol bney uh I we we were playing scrimmage and I came in and fell uh as a

Play was made on on his net he was playing D against me the play reversed and started heading down towards my goal I’m picking myself up off the guys he’s defenseman he’s just behind me and I just on all fours getting up and he shortened up on his

Stick and cross checked me right on the back of the neck sent me face first back onto the ice so and then he followed the play so by the time I caught up to him he was just over Center I and I’d left my gloves Back In The End Zone and uh you

Know I tuned them up pretty good because there was a real vicious play that that uh what he just done and you know I needed to make some sort of statement so that these guys wouldn’t take any more Liberties and was that pretty much the only time that you

Had an alteration either in were like training camp somebody coming in and trying to make a name for themselves and go after you well I I had that little scrap with Derek right but uh no that was about it how about you Chris on any of the teams um

No just training camp stuff like Jeff rub came in training camp and stuff like that and I’d fight but not with teammates I had one incident with a teammate Stefan ree he was a rookie and um he was kind of floating in practice you know not pushing

It and we were we were scrimmaging and I ran him in the corner and knocked him flat in his ass and he was pissed off and I was going back up the ice and he came by and he give me the stick he didn’t hit me with it but he just missed

Me and I [ __ ] gave him a two-handed right in the back of the knee and he went down and then everybody come in and you know then I almost got surge told me he said I almost sent you home on that road trip because of that but when I find all the

The circumstance I decide to keep you with the team cuz he thought it just it was for nothing you know yeah yeah but it was you know that’s that’s what started it so I anyway that was the only time Al alive I’m alive I’m alive I’m alive not

Dead solders to the left solders to the right hey everybody thanks for listening to Raw Knuckles podcast please like follow And subscribe

Join us this week for one of our most anticipated episodes: Part 2 of our interview with Terry O’Reilly! In this part, our friend John Vatistas talks to Chris and Terry about the fights they had against each other, salaries, and coaching!

See Part 1 here: https://youtu.be/7aVY4KM9aXw

Time Stamps:

0:00 Intro
4:17 Salaries
6:42 New York
17:55 Feuds
22:18 Chris and Terry as Teammates
31:26 Coaches
40:20 Reacting to Fights
52:30 Players, Not Just Fighters

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