Bob Probert’s Family Spread His Ashes in Joe Louis Arena Penalty Box

There was a lot of emotion in the air as the Detroit Red Wings bid farewell to their historic home on Sunday, and for those close to the late Bob Probert, it was another chance to pay respects to the man they love.

Following the final game at Detroit’s legendary venue, Probert’s family spread his ashes in the Joe Louis Arena home penalty box. It’s a fitting resting place for the remains of maybe the most legendary enforcer in the history of the game and one of the most beloved players to ever wear the red and white.

Probert’s widow Dani went on CKLW AM 800 on Monday to discuss the emotional weekend for her and her family and the “spur of the moment” decision to spread her late husband’s ashes in The Joe.

“Had no plans whatsoever of sprinkling his ashes anywhere, I just hadn’t been able to let that part of him go and it was the emotions and being with my hockey family and sitting next to Cheli [Chris Chelios],” she said.

“We went into the penalty box, just Chris, Joey and myself and it was incredibly emotional and it just seems so fitting, it was the perfect time.”

Probert spent nine of his 16 NHL seasons with the Red Wings from 1985-1994, and had a respectable 384 points including 163 goals throughout his time in Detroit and Chicago. The penalty box was definitely Probert’s second home at Joe Louis Arena, a place where he spent 2,090 minutes during his time in Detroit while amassing exactly 3,300 in his career—ranking fifth all time. He was as pure as an enforcer as there was in the old era, when players of his ilk had serious influence over games by not only protecting the team’s best players, but often playing beside them.

The forever-loved Probert, who retired in 2002, sent shockwaves through the hockey world when he suffered a heart attack and died in July of 2010 at the age of 45 while boating with his children.