- Former Capitals forward Bobby Gould has died at age 69
- Gould played 600 games in Washington between 1981 and 1989 and is remembered for breaking Mario Lemieux’s jaw in a 1987 fight
- Read below for more on his career with the Capitals, Flames and Bruins
Bobby Gould, a fixture on the Capitals’ wing through the 1980s, has died at 69.
The Capitals announced his passing Saturday. Gould played 600 games for Washington between 1981 and 1989, reaching the 20-goal mark four times and posting a career-high 50 points in 1986-87.
The team shared a statement on Gould’s career and what he meant off the ice:
“A consistent scoring threat, he reached the 20-goal mark four times and recorded a career-high 50 points during the 1986-87 season. Beyond the rink, Gould was valued for the relationships he built and the positive impact he made on those around him.”
Here’s the post from the Capitals:
Gould was born in Petrolia, Ont., and was drafted by the Atlanta Flames in the seventh round in 1977. He moved with the franchise to Calgary, then landed in Washington in a trade on Nov. 25, 1981.
Fans of a certain age know him best for a March 1987 scrap with Penguins star Mario Lemieux. Gould gave up about six inches and 25 pounds, and he broke Lemieux’s jaw with a right uppercut. Lemieux spent the night at George Washington University Hospital and didn’t fight in the NHL again for nine years.
Gould was asked about the fight by The Washington Post’s Robert Fachet in 1987 and said it was never his plan to hurt anyone.
“The first thing that came to mind when he said, ‘Let’s go,’ was that I could get him off the ice for five minutes. I never thought about hurting him.”
Gould finished third in Selke Trophy voting in 1987. The Capitals traded him to the Bruins in September 1989, and he helped Boston reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1990. That was his last NHL season after 11 in the league with the Flames, Capitals and Bruins.
We at Gino Hard send our condolences to Gould’s family, friends and former teammates.
