"He was the SCARIEST Hockey Player there Ever Was", said one Enforcer 

@TwistedWristerHockey Good work on getting all the clips for the Link video here & telling a succinct yet compelling overview/summary of Link up to date as far as you could find. For an update/epilogue to your good video, I note here that Link spent this past winter working at a coal mine in British Columbia. He phone called me today & I saw him in person as recently as last Sunday March 17 2024 for lunch at a Dairy Queen. Link & I became acquainted during the winter of 2015-2016, and built up a friendship since then, that includes going for lunches, & texting & phone calls with the conversation usually being about warfare history. However, I do have about 20 audio-taped interviews I did with Link about hockey - along with screenshots of our hockey talk texts - as part of Link and I picking away at creating a Link memoir. Link is concerned he'll have premature memory loss because of his many concussions, so to catch Link's still clear memories, I've been inputting Link's memoir in progress into my laptop. Link this past week in a different phone call discussed with me how many NHLers from his era & earlier ended up impoverished &/or in chronic pain. In Link's case his decades of hockey battered physique has since hockey had almost 2 decades of hard labor jobs (plus earlier labor jobs that were sprinkled in during his hockey career) add to the wear & tear to the point of chronic pain, but also help keep him big & strong. Link likes fighting but never boasts to me about fights he's had, including multiple in his age 50s, e.g. alone vs. a bar manager & the bouncers (he's 55 now). He'll just say a fight kicked off, and he'll tell me if he got yet another assault charge. But he won't detail the fighting action. Fighting is I think for Link central to his essence, but he doesn't discuss it with bravado. Link is a humble predator of predators. Link told me he learned second hand as a youth to never boast about one's own fighting prowess. He said he was at a party as a teenager, where a dude was bragging about his fighting skills to the point he got tested - and pummeled. Seeing that dude get humble pied impressed upon Link to never boast about fighting. Here's two verbatim Link quotes he said a few years ago in his early 50s: "I like to booze & brawl" & "Rules are meant to be broken" Cheers, Rainer 'Rain' Stratkotter - Link & I invite people to e-mail their Link stories to us at rainstratkotter@gmail.com if you'd like them to be potentially added to his memoir. Thank-you 🍀

cool story! thanks! makes sense, the last thing you said. siblings can oftentimes be sooooo different

@rickszabo4312 Hi Rick I sent Link your Crazy Jack & Link story today, and he then called me to tell me your story is correct, and he added that Crazy Jack & him became friends after that scrap.

I was one of those kids. He was really nice, funny and signed autographs for us. Sad to think he struggled so much.

I'm not shocked to hear that an on-ice enforcer is a real nice guy off it. I mean, afterall, they have a way to get their aggression out, so... yeah - it makes perfect sense.

He was such a nice guy during after-game skates with the KC Blades. He'd carry my 5 yr old daughter around on his shoulder.

which book is that? "Enforcer"?

@rossogden9920 Link called me today & I most recently saw him in person for lunch at a Dairy Queen last Sunday March 17 2024 in Edmonton. Link spent the past winter working at a coal mine in B.C. He's 55 now & at lunch last week told me he's currently 260 pounds big & strong looking as usual. I've been meeting up with Link starting winter 2015-2016. Most of our conversations are about warfare history, not hockey. He never boasts to me about any of his fighting history. He's very humble about that.

In Pitt Meadows?

Yes Pit Meadows.@@crushingalldeceivers

Thats a great story...where was the Game? Eastridge or Valco?

The same Gulotta that was so feared by everyone but quit during a bout with Mike Tyson cause he was getting his butt kicked? Lol if so i can see it! And knew that Tyson butt whooping was his karma for something! Every dog has his day

@@QueensNewYorkguy He had mental problems... The idiot was from Poland and would ride up to our Sports Bar on a Harley Davidson with Swastikas painted on the Fenders... He ended up falling off it several times and totaled it.. The idiot didn't realize Poland was stop #1 on Hitlers World Tour.. Maybe the guy changed as he got older who knows, but he was not likable at the time..

Didn't Golata lose a match because he threw a combo on Riddek Bo's nuts? Or am I thinking of someone else?

@@MrProng999 Yeah that's him..... He was disqualified TWICE! Both times he fought Riddick Bowe he was disqualified for low blows.... And on both occasions Golota was easily winning the fights and aheads on the Judges Scorecards... LOL

@@thewintergardener2873 that was so viscous, I still get chills thinking about it

You too?

I worked with him at Oj pipelines about 7 yrs ago. He is a beast and a scary guy. I was lucky enough to be liked by him as we had a few things in common. The first thing I was told by my supervisors,Forman and almost everyone else on my crew, don’t go to the bar with him. EVER!! Hey link if by chance you’re readying this it’s Len you operator at o.j

@VinnieBarbarino1369 Hi Len, Link called me today & I most recently saw him in person for lunch at a Dairy Queen last Sunday March 17 2024 in Edmonton. Link spent the past winter working at a coal mine in B.C. He's 55 now & at lunch last week told me he's currently 260 pounds big & strong looking as usual. I've been meeting up with Link starting winter 2015-2016. Most of our conversations are about warfare history, not hockey. He never boasts to me about any of his fighting history. He's very humble about that. A few minutes ago I screen-shotted & text message attached your hello to Link you posted here. He's in Edmonton helping a friend renovate a house while waiting to go to camp in Fort McMurray. Link is not an e-mail or social media guy so he got me to e-mail the NHLPA on his behalf while we were at DQ last Sunday regarding getting his NHLPA pension (65 games pay in) payout + interest. If you want to send Link more detailed greetings &/or work opportunities I can forward them to him. Cheers 🍀

I´m already waiting to see Jarkko Ruutu video! Jarkko was The Real Finnish Dude with the eternal twist! :)

@@MarkTBird Yeah. Read his book couple years ago. Some funny stuff there and interesting background info.

Terve, hyvä Suomi! Missä tällainen artikkeli on ollut?

@@jussik466 Tervepä terve. Veikkauksen asiakaslehden sivustolla. Tuli luettua se innolla kun siinä oli mukana Kuortanelaislähtöinen Urho " Earl" Heiskalakin josta tuli Flyersien ensimmäinen gooni. Oon siis ittekin sieltä. Urhon samanniminen isän veli oli Suomen ilmailun pioneerejä ja kaatui talvisodassa puolustaessaan Tamperetta hävittäjän puikoissa. Lisäksi oli ainakin Wayne ja Chico Mäki, Pronger Juha Viding ja joku muukin.

@@jussik466 Tervepä terve. Veikkauksen asiakaslehti. Mukana oli lisäksi ainakin Wayne ja Chico Mäki, Juha Viding, Chris Pronger ja näin Kuortanelaisena kiinnosti ennenkaikkea Urho Heiskala jonka sukujuuret ovat täältä. Urhon samanniminen isän veli oli Suomen ilmailun pioneereja ja hän kaatui talvisodassa hävittäjän puikoissa Tamperetta puolustaessaan

Kocur can't feel his right hand - Nerve Damage.

@@IHaveTheSchwartz - Some of the people he hit with it can still feel it to this day though.

I do have propert as the goat enforcer. He could fight like no other and actually score. If Probert fought any player more than twice, he eventually beat them up after that.

@@worer850 Probert was the better fighter overall (the best ever imo), but Kocur was more dangerous in a short encounter. Joey broke bones and ended careers with his mortar shell right. He was a pretty solid player too with a great shot. He had a 16 goal 20 assist season in '89 and was a good playoff performer. Still though, Probert was undoubtedly the better player and I agree he was the best and most respected enforcer ever. Some of his fights are legendary.

Absolutely!😮

One of best fights I ever witnessed was Kerry vs Malkoc in Swift.

I loved Joe Paterson. Jay Wells and Kenny Baumgartner were two of my favorites also.

Another tough ombré was Steve McLaren.

Al Tuer and Joe Paterson , two of my favorites from their time playing in Binghamton in the AHL. Tuer with the Whalers and Paterson with the Rangers. The Rangers were loaded with fighters that year.

@@AlicePearlJam Absolutely James & Alice'!!....... Paterson WAS A GAMER (Sadly, His NHL Career Fight Card was WAY TOO SHORT!! * ) & Of Course ALL (3) 80's ERA Forum Kings!! 👊🔥

Link definitely has a very above average thick boned looking head/skull as I saw just a few feet away as recently as at our Dairy Queen lunch together last Sunday. I'm cited by friends as a "big boned" 6'1"-6'2"ish usually 220ish pounds German but when I put my hands by Links' mine look puny. The first time I talked with Link was winter 2015-2016 (but I'd seen him around prior), we happened to be seated side by side at a lunch. My right hand was on the table by his left hand. The size difference freaked me out to the point I started my first ever conversation with Link by remarking to him how thick boned & big his hands are - and skull!! He confirmed he was German like me (he's 1/2 German, 1/2 Finnish). We've been friends ever since. Link phone called me today to talk a bit more about his two trips to Finland (in 1978 & 1987) & tell me that after his age 16 fight with giant age 40ish Crazy Jack at a mining camp (that a witness posted about online) that he became friends with Crazy Jack. Link does not boast about fighting, I brought up the Crazy Jack story I read, and Link simply replied that the story was true as told by the witness, and that the epilogue is that after their fight Link & Crazy Jack became friends. I've seen Link get rudely disrespected by a male stranger a few years ago at a cafe - Link's Viking savage character came out & it was terrifying to see up close. Link is as I describe it a 1000ish A.D. Viking warrior mistakenly placed a 1000 years ahead in a time & places that don't often legally & otherwise synch well with his "I like to booze & brawl" (verbatim to me a few years ago) character.

Peluso Was A Charter Member of The NHL"s "Fighting-"CATCHERS" Club" (if Ya "Catch Drift" etc??....). One of The ELITE/Bad Tempered/Game n' Fearless"/" Drop' Em' & GO" (w/Anyone/Anytime!!) Yet Would NEVER (Seemingly!!) WIN a friggin' Fight (He Had TERRIBLE BALANCE SADLY!!).... Would be kind of "Neat To Name a few "OTHERS" in the Club thru The Years etc.... This Is For Video Hockey Fight Legacy Golden Era Of Fights (ie: Late 1960's -LATE 1990's Era) Member Fans Only!!👊🔥 Here's a Couple (Off Top Of Head") ""Game'-Knuckle Eaters" to get Any/All Started Here: 1) Terry Harper 2) Keith Magnuson 2) Tiger Williams 4) Eddie Shack 5) Basil McCrae 6) Lindy Ruff 7) Andre Dupont 8) Jim Korn One Note:: ALL These Guys WERE Tough Humans NO DOUBT.... (They just NEVER Seemd to WIN Their Fights.....) We'd Love to Hear some Others Guys....Do Tell.....👍🍻

Twist and Gaetz had a couple of good fights in the minors that I think you can find on the internet... when I used to go to IHL games in Salt Lake in late 80s/early 90s those two were kinda regarded as the top fighters of the league.

darren Langdon toke care of all them

CooooOOOOOOkie Crisp!

Life doesnt get much better

So? This is about Link.

​@TrentBrent-vu6mn idiot . At the end of the document, he asks if there are suggestions we could make for future videos .

Fun fact..(not so fun??) Link and Johnny K both attended a treatment center for addiction and at the SAME time. They knew each other and by all accounts, got along with each other. Sad news though, apparently neither completed the program...alas, missed opportunities for those two individuals. Hopefully Link is doing alright, now and as for John Kordic, RIP. He was another tough guy, who actually had decent potential and could've been a better player than he was, if not for his demons. 🙏🙏

I played AA in Moose Jaw and fought Tubby McKracken, Joey Divisadero, Stubbs Littlefeet and Charlie Meloncollie. We hung out at Big Goose Saloon and played shinny in the parking lot with the fry cooks. I puked up a pile of poutine after I got speared in the sternum. After that my biscuit in the basket days were over. Now I just play bingo down at the bowling alley.

Twist was tough

Jim McKenzie

@@WOLFENCT receipts please

@@EricGarciastussy What do you mean? Big Mac kicked the crap out of Twist. KO'd

Yeah that was scary.

That was always an exciting line. I believe it was the 85' season where the Flyers and Bruins had a fight off of the face-off at the end of the game. The line the Flyers sent out was Dave Brown, Darryl Stanley and Glen Cochrane. Needless to say there were multiple fights before the puck was dropped. I miss those days.

I was thinking about Kordic the whole time he was mentioning Gaetz too. If Gaetz was a few bricks short of a load in the NHL, what was Kordic?

Link gets some deserved attention, but it's like people are forgetting how Probert was 'God' level.

That was Probert in his prime

He wasn't the same player after the car accident.

@@daniel213141 I see. So he got a sort of brain damage?

@@WarioSaysSo Yes, speech impairment and partially paralyzed down one side of his body if I recall. Doctors were astonished with his recovery and that he returned to playing hockey in a relative short period of time, but by all appearances, he wasn't the same player.

@@daniel213141 That os interesting indeed- To bad that he could not push his miracle a little further, but he really had a saving angel on his side!

​@@WarioSaysSoHe was brain damaged as a kid.

He certainly had his demons, but the car accident is essentially what killed his NHL career.

No kiddin! I've seen a lot of comments from folks who either used to work with him or had a story about him from someone else they knew.

if Chuck Norris ever said "excuse me" it was to Link Gaetz

Kocur is a plastic surgeons best friend.

Nick was a psycho!

Link is 55 now & currently a big & strong 260 pounds. He phone called me today & I most recently saw him in person at lunch with him last Sunday March 17 2024. He spent this past winter working at a coal mine in British Columbia. Would you like me to arrange Link giving Jake an update "To the Jakester from the Linkster"!?

@@Rainer_Stratkotter I've been trying to find the picture we thought in my mom's photo collection?..We've been trying to hunt it down. My sons mom passed away recently and it may have gone with her husband back to France ? Anyway he was awesome to us...I'm very glad to hear has found a way to live away from hockey....I'm glad his story is on the right track. That is awesome! Thanks so much for the update!

@kllbll85 Condolences regarding your son's mom recently passing 🕊️💟 I will let Link know of your fond memory of his signing a personalized note for your son "To the Jakester from the Linkster" & your happiness for him currently doing okay 🍀🌅

@@Rainer_Stratkotter Thank you!

I was so confused about the pronunciation 😆, but I'm glad I watched some tourism videos to help me.

@TwistedWristerHockey in English, it's Three Rivers or TR. But the French words speaking in English., it was good.

Not really

💯 percent correct on that !

Yeah, there was some good knockout moments that I chose to omit - just because of RU-vid's picky content guidelines.

@@TwistedWristerHockey Better off playing it safe.

I don't remember him handling Probie and Kocur that well, those boys had their hands full. Back then nobody beat up the Bruise Brothers. Thanks for the share, awesome

Al Stewart also had a great top 10 hit, the Year of The Cat. Proving you can throw hands and pen some great music.

@@bobportnoy8304 I had no idea that former Devil and Bruin was also a 78 year old Scottish singer

NHL 94 theme for Sega Genesis!

@@TwistedWristerHockey hah, I new it was Genesis Music and something I heard, just couldn't quite place it. Wow... That was a throwback to my teens