Kelly Chase was one of the most feared enforcers in the NHL during his career—and even afterward. He is still considered one of the toughest players ever to skate in the league. Sometimes, however, his temper got the better of him—like the time he asked a referee to meet him at a bar for a fight.
When people think of NHL tough guys from the 1990s, a few names immediately come to mind—Joey Kocur, Bob Probert, and Tony Twist, to name a few. But Kelly Chase may have been the most feared of them all.
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Never backed down
During his 458 games with the St. Louis Blues, Hartford Whalers, and Toronto Maple Leafs, Chase racked up 2,017 penalty minutes. He never backed down from anyone, making him invaluable to his teammates.
Unsurprisingly, Chase had some strained relationships with league officials during his career. Usually, though, there was mutual respect off the ice. There was, however, one referee he simply couldn’t stand: Shane Heyer. Heyer officiated 2,016 regular-season games and 214 playoff games—but that didn’t stop Chase.
”Pissed med off so bad”
Speaking on the Ice Guardian podcast, which he co-hosts with former Blues teammate Brett Hull, Chase recalled one night when he texted Heyer:
“I wanted to kill Shane Heyer. He pissed me off so bad. And then he said something to me: ‘You’re lucky I saved you so many times.’ Like I hoped some linesman would come in and save me from someone,” Chase said on the podcast.
Kelly Chase invited referee to a barfight
He went on to explain:
“Well, I got a little out of line in the Shane thing. I did send Shane a text that said, ‘Listen, I go to the same place every night after the game, so if you think there’s some reason I need to be protected, just come by and let me know.’ I shouldn’t have done that. I told about five other guys too, because I sure as shit didn’t need anybody babysitting me.”
You can watch the video below.
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