Bob "Hound" Kelly - Nilan Fight

[Schultz]

I watched this for the first time on a Flyers 1979-80's DVD last night and was shocked to see the Hound beat and dominate Nilan in this fight. Looked like the fight was from 1980 or 1981. Any of you guys seen this one? It could be on Youtube but I don't have time to check.

[I like Boobs]

I'm pretty sure the fight did take place in the 1979-80 season and it was Nilan's first fight in the NHL. I vaguely remember that Kelly landed the better shots while Nilan got the takedown. Found a little blurb from Nilan on the fight:

In October 1979, while playing for the Nova Scotia Voyageurs, Nilan beat up the Maine Mariners’ Glen Cochrane, who was the AHL’s heavyweight champ at the time. In February, 1980, the Canadiens figured they could use some of Nilan’s toughness and called him up. His first NHL fight was against the Philadelphia Flyers’ Bob “Hound Dog” Kelly.

“I put him down and that was it,” Nilan told Basu. “That was the start of the whole thing.”

[2,5,10GameMatch]

Nilan definitely lost more than he won in his early days, 1980 version of early Rob Ray.

[GOON 21]

2,5,10 i would not put Nilan on same level as Ray


Il agree and say he struggled a lil bit early on, but he was not as bad or took as many beatdowns as Ray did. Ray actually struggled for 4 seasons or so before improving, Nilan wasnt as bad or struggle as long imo


BTW i get my Kellys mixed up all the time lol

[fansince65]

I have met Kelly on several occasions when the Flyers play their EX games in London , he is one of the most likable ex players you ever want to meet .
Back a couple years ago we at a game with my son and a couple of his friends that are rabid Flyer fans , they had their pictures taken with Kelly and Dave Schultz , Kelly took his Stanley cup ring off and let the one guy wear it while he had his picture taken with him , made his day ..

[battleship25]

Yes Schultzy, I have that fight too..no idea where it is though ..but yes Kelly's fast start was his trademark. He had very fast hands, surprised me how he handles Brian Sutter ..it's that fast start - he 'll hit you with 10 shots before you know what's going on.

[hockey doc]

We bump into the "Hound" at almost every Flyers home game, he's a great fan public relations guy, loves to talk to everyone. You wouldn't believe how small he is in street shoes, hard to imagine him fighting some of the players he fought throughout his career.

[fansince65]

Originally Posted by hockey doc

We bump into the "Hound" at almost every Flyers home game, he's a great fan public relations guy, loves to talk to everyone. You wouldn't believe how small he is in street shoes, hard to imagine him fighting some of the players he fought throughout his career.

The Hound is about my size in height , he is around 5-10 , but in weight he is built like a firetruck , he weighs a good 200 plus pounds , big hands , he is very deceiving in his size , he is 62 years old now and doesn't look his age ..