Dave Schultz (hockey player)
:''This page is about the ice hockey player. For articles about others of the name Dave or David Schultz, see
David SchultzDavid (Dave) 'The Hammer' Schultz (born
October 14,
1949 in
Waldheim,
Saskatchewan) is a former National Hockey League ice hockey player.
Schultz earned the nickname "the hammer" for his aggressive style of hockey. He was one of the most notable enforcers on the
Philadelphia Flyers' infamous "Broad Street Bullies". After winning two
Stanley Cups with the Flyers (1973-74 and 1974-75). ‘The Hammer' drifted through several teams (
Pittsburgh Penguins,
Los Angeles Kings and
Buffalo Sabres), looking for a permanent position. When different GM's tried to find some ‘muscle' for their fledging clubs, his was a popular number to call.
Schultz was not just an enforcer in the traditional sense, in that he scored 20 goals for Philadelphia in 1973-74. He also scored the series clinching goal in overtime in the first round of the
1974 Stanley Cup Playoffs against the
Atlanta Flames.
Schultz epitomizes the "hockey tough guy" and is renowned as one of hockey's greatest enforcers.
The same as any other professional athlete, Schultz had some interesting experiences. Here are just two:
*Towards the end of
Tim Horton's career, Schultz attempted, at age 25, to pick a fight with the 44-year-old Horton, who was much smaller (5'9" and 190 pounds) and known for a more gentlemanly style of enforcing (he never got more than 150 penalty minutes in a season his entire career, even though he was famous for powerful hits). Horton initially refused to fight, but eventually accepted after repeated confrontations, where he defeated the younger and stronger man handily by throwing him to the ice and sitting on him until the referee ended the fight.
*After injuring his wrist in a fight, Schultz once put boxing wraps on his hands for protection. As things usually went, Dave had several fights in ensuing games, while wearing the wraps. However, soon after, enforcers in both the
NHL and
WHA started wearing similar hand protection. This was not to protect an already injured hand/wrist, but to prevent themselves from injury in a fight. Soon after, this trick became popular, both the WHA and NHL passed what became known as the "Schultz Rule" - thus, banning the boxing wraps' short lived career in professional ice hockey.
*Co-Authored a book entitled
The Hammer with
Stan Fischler that provides insights into the world of a professional ice hockey enforcer.
*Holds the NHL's
Most Penalty Minutes in a Season record with 472 penalty minutes during the
1974-75 season.
*
Career Stats At HockeyDB
