Miroslav Frycer passes away at 61

[trellaine201]

Former Toronto Maple Leaf Frycer dead at 61 - TSN.ca

I remember him. A pretty good player. I didn’t realize the extent of his live fast lifestyle. Seems it caught up to him. RIP. To all the older folk who remember him. Pretty talented.

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[Wafflewhipper]

Athletes pass really young more times than i really expect. I remember him playing. Boggles the mind these guys are passing for me. I liked the way he played.

 

[klmdg]

Damn, 0ne of my favorites back in the day

RIP

His legendary 4 goal game against the Oilers

 

[Dog]

He was before my time RIP. Started watching nhl in early 90s. Though, still heard his name before.

 

[Mickey Marner]

Live fast, die young and leave a good looking corpse.
Former Maple Leaf Miroslav Frycer just happy to be alive

Had an epic feud with Brophy as well.

The War with Brophy

This is the headline in a 13 page long chapter found in Miroslav Frycer’s autobiography.
Frycer played eight seasons in the NHL, six of them with Toronto during the 1980s.
He scored 330 points in 415 NHL-games.

Frycer wrote that Brophy had a friendly attitude towards him when he was an assistant coach to Dan Maloney, but that it all changed when Brophy became the head coach (for Toronto).

”After about five games he stripped me of my ”A” that was given to me at the start of the season, and gave it to Tom Fergus. I was told that it would be beneficial if the ”A” could be rotated among the players. That didn’t bother me at all, it was just a letter, and Fergie was a great guy.”

”Then Brophy came up with the idea that I should get into more fights during games, and had me pummeling a punching bag for half an hour after each training, this bothered me a lot more.”

”I mean, he wanted the most productive player to turn into a fighter. "Hey listen, Johnny, you know me, and what kind of hockey player I am. I am willing to drop my gloves against anybody, but I am more valuable to the team in other ways", I explained.”

“With this our war began. Brophy made me his own personal punching bag, and began to hinder my development as a player, whenever he could.”

“Brophy didn’t like my playing style that I played together with Peter Ihnacak. We tried to be creative, criss-crossing, attacking in different way than the Canadian players, and it worked well. But in Brophy’s eyes this was “European S**t Hockey”. He wanted us to shoot/dump the puck along the boards. I barely got the puck on my own blue line before I heard him shout from the bench, “Dump the puck in.””

“What the heck, why should I play like this? " "I’ve played in the NHL for five years, and I don’t just give the puck away, if I don’t have to". "I tried to explain this to him, all in vain. Brophy wouldn’t budge”

“Another novelty that he introduced was that we had to weigh in before each game. Why not? We are pros after all, and the coach have the right to be in control. The problem was that Brophy had no clue whatsoever. This was a bit more advanced than his EHL days when a bunch of lumberjacks just used their sticks on each other. He had no advanced schooling to be a coach, and was clueless how many percent muscles and body fat we should have proportionately to our body mass/height. He gave each player a number and we were not allowed to get over it, period.”

After a game during breakfast at Marriott hotel.

“I sat at a table with Iha (Peter Ihnacak) and had a toast while drinking coffee and reading the newspapers. Suddenly, dead silence, what’s up? And I raised my head – Across me was Brophy". “I know that you did it on purpose last night. Before the game you had hookers in your room and being drunk.” My blood pressure began to rise, because it was all hogwash. But I tried to hold back. Don’t let him provoke me I told myself - please just shut it John.”

“But he continued, telling me that I was always faking everything, that I was lazy, and that they lost because of me. That got me over the top, I stood up, grabbed him by his neck and shouted, “say one more word and I’ll punch you to la-la land.”

“I couldn’t care less if he had any boxing skills or not. After that I took my keys and approached our management at another table. I’m going up (to the room) and I’ll call a cab. You in the meantime will fix me a plane ticket to Toronto. I’m not going to play for this moron.”

“They clearly didn’t expect that. “Mirko, don’t overreact, everything will be ok, we have an important game ahead of us.” “I didn’t budge though, I flew home and the rest of the guys flew to Philadelphia, only to lose 1-6.”

“Earlier I had coaches that I didn’t agree with all the time, and that’s part of sports. I didn’t see eye-to-eye with [Michel] Bergeron [Quebec], but I respected him for what he had done in the NHL. [Mike] Nykoluk [Toronto] was not much of a coach, but he was a good guy. [Dan] Maloney [Toronto] also had his moments, but was always fair. Brophy was a different kind of breed altogether.”

“Brophy’s vocabulary was “exemplary”. To him we were just a bunch of motherf***ers and bastards. I would have a more intelectual conversation with someone who finished fifth grade in school than with Brophy. Brophy’s basic word was f**k in all shape and forms. Once when we lost a game against Minnesota he managed to get the word in 57 times in a span of six minutes during an interview. To me, who had played for educated gentlemen as Ludek Bukac and Pavel Wohl it was quite a cultural change.”

“Brophy was also like a lunatic in the dressing room. He could enter the room during an intermission, totally out of his mind, ripping off his jacket and shred it to pieces. Or he would take off his watch and trash it against the floor. Trash cans flew around the dressing rooms constantly and we didn’t even raise an eyebrow. I also remember how he came into our dressing room once with blood trickling down his hand, just because he tried to tear down a plexiglass partition while being in a state of rage. In Los Angeles, he once was hit in the head by a puck, his grey hair filled with blood, but he never noticed and kept on shouting, being in total trance.”

“Brophy with his almost perverse style of coaching most definitely didn’t mean any harm. He loved hockey and wanted to win, no one can take that away from him. He wanted to get the best out of us and get us going, but he chose the worst possible path for that. Especially the young guys were not prepared for that. Al Iafrate was a nervous wreck before each game and I had to calm down Gary Leeman to ignore the madman and concentrate on his own game instead.”

“Brophy was old school even by NHL standards in the 1980s. The game was heading in a totally different direction, where Edmonton ruled with fast and technical hockey. But Brophy still wanted to play the type of hockey that ruled in the lower leagues. To provoke your opponent, put fear in him and beat him up". "Knock him off his feet, let him end up in a wheelchair!" "With these instructions he sent his big guys to the ice.”

“When we let in a lot of goals from the goal crease area, he gave us lessons on how to avoid it. He used Chris Kotsopoulos and Val James, a big black guy who joined us from the farm team occasionally, to demonstrate how to defend. Brophy grabbed the stick with both hands and chopped them in their kidneys until they fell down, and again, and again. “if you don’t master this, you don’t have any reason to be out on the ice", he shouted.”

“One of our new players (1987/88) was Dave Semenko who used to be Wayne Gretzky’s bodyguard in Edmonton and a great fighter. He was a tower of a man, but a very kind person who wouldn’t hurt a fly off the ice. Semenko was a humorous and intelligent guy. I really liked him and we got along very well. As a player Semenko was exactly Brophy’s kind of guy. At least it seemed that way.”

“Brophy envisioned that Semenko would beat everyone up. Dave however was not a bad player at all and wanted to finish his career by playing real hockey. In Edmonton he protected mainly Gretzky and didn’t fight unnecessarily. When Wayne was hit or taken advantage of, it was Semenko’s task to set things straight so it wouldn’t happen again. He gave his star some much needed space on the ice. Here Brophy wanted him to attack the opponents star players. This was against Dave’s code of honor. Get back at someone?, fight another tough guy?, ok, that’s all fine. If it helps the team to get going, why not? But he refused to fight without a reason and just be a hired gun for Brophy.”

“It didn’t take long before Dave asked me over a couple of beers, “Oh my god, what kind of lunatic is coaching us?” “In Edmonton he was used to winning and comfort, in Toronto he didn’t find either of those things. After another confrontation with Brophy, he decided to quit hockey, even before the season finished.”

After getting traded from Toronto

“Before training camp I stopped by Maple Leafs Garden to get my equipment. As I walked in there, I bumped into Brophy. Our farewell was short but honest.”
“F**k You !”
“F**k You !”

 

[ToneDog]

Sad news. RIP Mirro.

 

[Mess]

 

[Mess]

Two transplants and the wild hockey life of Miroslav Frycer

Lance Hornby
Publishing date:Oct 27, 2018 •

The conversation with Miroslav Frycer begins on a light note about the 14 he wore as a Maple Leaf.

“No matter what happened in Toronto, at least I can go back and say my number is retired,” he laughs on the line from Znojmo in the Czech Republic where he now coaches. “I hope Dave Keon won’t mind.”

But the ensuing tale goes down a few rabbit holes. Frycer’s time in the Toronto spotlight and public battles with coach John Brophy led to his descent into alcoholism, eventual liver and kidney transplants, amid personal turmoil and two divorces. His NHL career was done at 30, he faced death at 40 and thus he’s grateful to be alive to tell the whole story as he reaches 60.

Two transplants and the wild hockey life of Miroslav Frycer | Toronto Sun

 

[Clark4Ever]

RIP Mirko

I have fond memories of watching him light it up for the Leafs in the early part of his career when I was a kid. He was part of a great line with Peter Ihnacak and Walt Poddubny in the mid 80s.

 

[Clark4Ever]

Damn, 0ne of my favorites back in the day

RIP

His legendary 4 goal game against the Oilers

I still remember that game vividly.

 

[Sittler 27]

Was fun to watch, fast and a great skater. Would fit great on this team

 

[klmdg]

I still remember that game vividly.

Me too

I was laid out on the shag carpet in front of the console in shock and awe

 

[zeke]

Aw man, that was my first favorite Leaf as a kid. sad.

 

[The Iceman]

He played with a lot of heart and formed a great line for a few years with Ihnacak and Puddubny who passed away at 49 years old.

Frycer was part of a declining asset running transaction by inept Leafs management.

For those that followed the Leafs back then Paiment came for future 66 goal scorer and Leaf legend Lanny MacDonald.
Frycer was acquired for our rugged stud winger in his prime Wilf Paiement.
Wilf both reached 200 minutes in penalties with the Leafs and 40 goals.

Frycer went for 39 games of defenseman Darren Veitch
Veitch went for Keith Osborne

So this trade tree went from a Hockey Hall of famer Lanny MacDonald to Keith Osborne through utter stupidity.

 

[Tlo1]

My favourite Leaf jersey. Actually my only Leaf Jersey. RIP.

 

[Marshy]

Was a light in a very dark time for the franchise. Probably watched every televised game he played for the Leafs. Rest in peace gone too soon.

 

[the squared circle]

Rip Mirko Frycer.

 

[The Nic]

Frycer was a very talented and entertaining player... rest in peace Mirko.

 

[justloveleafs]

By far and away MY favourite player. Insanely talented.

Bout ten years ago, my real estate friend, who has built most of the custom built houses in Kitchener, and huge Leaf fan, told me that Mirko was a massive alcoholic. I never knew that.

He was here way too briefly, but man, he was what we see now, THEN.

 

[Gary Nylund]

Was a light in a very dark time for the franchise. Probably watched every televised game he played for the Leafs. Rest in peace gone too soon.

This. RIP.

 

[therealkoho]

Former Toronto Maple Leaf Frycer dead at 61 - TSN.ca

I remember him. A pretty good player. I didn’t realize the extent of his live fast lifestyle. Seems it caught up to him. RIP. To all the older folk who remember him. Pretty talented.

Mirko could stickhandle in a phone booth as Harry Neale used to say, he really was a great talent and put together some really good seasons for the Leafs. Excellent skater with above average speed and had a wicked wrist shot. If it weren't for the injuries and maybe the fast living, the guy could have had a career somewhat akin to a Miro Satan, he just didn't seem to have the discipline and drive to take him to those heights

RIP Mirko

 

[justashadowof]

I always got the impression that he wasn't happy to record a goal or an assist unless he had deked his way through the entire opposition team first. The guy had some shifty moves.

 

[justashadowof]

I still remember that game vividly.

I also remember a certain Saturday night game against Edmonton a few seasons earlier where the Leafs thrashed the Oilers. Greg Terrion looked like a world beater that night shadowing Gretzky and scoring twice.

That Leafs' team in that video had its fair share of forward talent: Clark, Courtnall, Leeman, Thomas, Vaive (injured), Frycer plus a young Iafrate on defense. Damphousse came in the next season. With better defense and goaltending those teams could have been way better teams. The team's defense was always such a hodgepodge of recycled defensemen with in-over-their-heads high draft picks.

 

[deltamachine]

One of me and my brother's favourite players growing up. We always called him Frycer Creature.

 

[Leafsfan74]

Former Toronto Maple Leaf Frycer dead at 61 - TSN.ca

I remember him. A pretty good player. I didn’t realize the extent of his live fast lifestyle. Seems it caught up to him. RIP. To all the older folk who remember him. Pretty talented.

Was quite talented when the Leafs didn't have much. Had one of the coolest sounding names too. I've read about some of his party stories, it was certainly a different time.

RIP.