Playing career

Propp started career with the Melville Millionaires of the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League and broke the scoring record with 75 goals and 92 assists for 168 points in 57 games playing on a line with Kelly Dean and Dwayne Tuberfield. He then moved on to the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL, at the same time when the team was one of the most dominating clubs in all of Canadian Major Junior Hockey. When Propp was with the team it produced future NHLer's such as Brad McCrimmon, Bill Derlago, Laurie Boschman, Dave Semenko, Glen Hanlon, Ray Allison and Walt Poddubny. Propp himself won two league scoring titles. At the end of his third season, he was drafted 14th overall by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 1979 NHL Entry Draft.

Propp made the Flyers the next season, and proved his mettle in the NHL right away. He managed to score the game-winning goal in his first career game. He played on a line with legends Reggie Leach and Bobby Clarke in his rookie season, and that contributed to his quick success. It would not be the last time Propp played with two elite players, as he played with Wayne Gretzky and Mario Lemieux for most of the 1987 Canada Cup Canadian team that won the tournament.

In Game 1 of the 1989 Stanley Cup playoff series against the Montreal Canadiens, which his Flyers lost in six games, Propp sustained a concussion from a hard, but unpenalized hit by Montreal defenseman Chris Chelios, where Chelios hit him with his elbow. Propp fell to the ice hard, hitting his head against the ice. Though Propp missed only one game, his teammates maintained their anger at Chelios. Finally, with 1:37 left in regulation in Game 6, Flyer goaltender Ron Hextall took matters into his own hands, slamming Chelios into the boards and pummeling him with blows, apparently in retaliation for the hit on Propp. Eventually, Hextall got suspended for 12 games. Propp was never the same after sustaining the concussion that would plague him for the rest of his career as well as other injuries.

It took him until his 11th season to fail to score at least 65 points in a season, and that was the year when he was traded away by the Flyers. However, in his 10-plus seasons with the club, he was more or less the catalyst of the team, performing in all situations and wherever the team needed him.

In the 1980's he led all left wingers in the NHL and was first in 10 different categories such as, games played (750), assists (465), plus/minus (+308), game winning goals (55), shots (2529), defensive point shares (16.0), playoff goals (52), playoff points (112), playoff power play goals (18), and playoff shots (267). Propp was ranked 2nd in Goals (356), points (821), even strength goals (238), shorthanded goals (20), goals created (322), offensive point shares (54.4), point shares (70.4), playoff games played (116), playoff assists (60), playoff plus/minus (+17), playoff even strength goals (31), and playoff shorthanded goals (3). In all of the major categories in the regular season and playoffs he has made the top 3 among left wingers a remarkable 29 times in that decade.

The 1990-91 season was when Propp was a member of the Minnesota North Stars. Propp scored 73 points and helped the team to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Pittsburgh Penguins. Brian moved past Bobby Hull on the all time playoff scoring list among left wingers to become the highest scoring left winger in nhl playoff history on April.12.1991 as Minnesota North Stars beat Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 in Game 5 in the series as he scored the game winning goal on Dominik Hasek. He only played 68 games the next two seasons, and even took a sabbatical to play in Switzerland in 1993. During his time in Switzerland, he played for Team Canada in the Spengler Cup and helped them to win the tournament.

Propp played for the Hartford Whalers during the 1993-94 NHL season. Although Propp only scored 29 points, it was a productive season for him as he played both his 1000th NHL game and scored his 1000th NHL point in his last NHL season.

Propp holds a very dubious achievement in that he went to the Stanley Cup Finals five times, with Philadelphia in 1980, 1985, and 1987, with the Boston Bruins in 1990 and with Minnesota in 1991, without ever winning a Stanley Cup. He also played in the NHL All-Star game five times.

During the NHL labour stoppage in 1994, Propp played as a player-coach for HC Anglet in France. After the lockout, however, Propp did not return as a player to the NHL.

Propp finished with 1,004 points over 1,016 NHL games over 15 NHL seasons, and ranks second in Flyers history in goals (369, behind Bill Barber), second in assists (480, second behind Bobby Clarke), and third overall in games played in a Flyers uniform (behind Barber and Clarke).

"The Guffaw"

Propp was known for his unique goal celebration dubbed "The Guffaw". After scoring a goal, Propp would skate towards center ice, place his right glove under his left arm and raise his right arm in a waving fashion. While making the gesture, Propp would say, "Guffaw!". Propp credits the celebration to comedian Howie Mandel. During an Atlantic City show Mandell suggested it would be great if, instead of cheering and clapping, everyone just waved their arms and said, "Guffaw!" Propp adopted "The Guffaw" and it became his signature move first appearing the 1986-87 season. To this day, Propp still signs autographs with the "Guffaw" slogan.

Post-playing career

In 1999, Brian Propp was named to the MasterCard Canadian Junior All-Time team, which also included Mario Lemieux, Guy Lafleur, Bobby Orr, Denis Potvin, and Bernie Parent. The team was selected based on play in the Canadian Hockey League. Also in 1999, Propp was inducted into the Philadelphia Flyers Hall of Fame. Propp was inducted into the Saskatchewan Rural Hockey Hall of Fame in 2002 and in 2003 he was inducted into the Saskatchewan Provincial Hall of Fame. Propp was inducted into the Saskatchewan Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014 and also inducted into the Philadelphia Sports Hall of Fame in 2014.

A resident of Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey, Propp unsuccessfully ran as a Republican in 2007 for a seat in New Jersey General Assembly in the 7th Legislative District in Burlington County. He is currently Director of Strategic Relationships for Wolf Commercial Real Estate in Marlton, New Jersey.

Personal life

Propp has two children with his wife, Kris. He has a son, Jackson, and a daughter, Paige. He grew up as the son of a Lutheran minister, Ron and Margaret who currently reside in Saskatoon. He has 4 siblings, Greg, Angela, Carol and Ron.

Propp is a second cousin of Dylan Wruck of the Iserlohn Roosters.

In popular culture

In The Goldbergs 3rd season episode "12 Tapes For A Penny", the character Barry Goldberg (Troy Gentile) is wearing a Philadelphia Flyers jersey with Propp's name and number 26 on it.

Awards

• Named to the SJHL All-Star Team (1976)
• Named as SJHL Rookie of the Year (1976)
• Named as SJHL Most Valuable Player (1976)
• Named to the WCHL All-Star Team (1977)
• Named to the WCHL All-Star Team (1978)
• Named to the WHL All-Star Team (1979)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1980, 1982, 1984, 1986, 1990)

WHL Records

• Most Goals in a single game (7)
• Most Game Winning Goals in a single season (16)
• Most Scoring Title's (2)
• Most Consecutive Scoring Title's (2)
• Most Assists by a Rookie in a single season (80)
• Most Goals by a left wing in the WHL, single season (94 in 1978-79)
• Most Assists by a left wing in the WHL, single season (112 in 1977-78)
• Most Points by a left wing in the WHL, single season (194 in 1978-79)
• Most Career Playoff Points by a left winger (77)
• Most Career Hat Tricks by a left winger (13)
• Most Power Play Assists by a left winger (59)

NHL Team Records

• Philadelphia Flyers team record for Most game winning goals in a single season, (12 in 1982-83)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most shorthanded goals (7)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most goals in one game (4)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most power play goals in one game (3)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most points in single post season (28)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most assists in a playoff game (4)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most assists by a left winger in playoffs career (60)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most points by a left winger in playoffs career (112)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most power play goals by a left winger in playoff career (18)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most short-handed points by a left winger in playoff career (4)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for most assists by a left winger career (480)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for Highest Points Per Game Average by a left winger career (1.07)
• Philadelphia Flyers team record for Highest Playoff Points Per Game Average by a left winger career (0.97)
• Minnesota North Stars/Dallas Stars team record for most power-play goals in a playoff year (8) in 1991

NHL Records

• Most career assists by a left winger in the playoffs (84)
• Most career points by a left winger in the playoffs (64 goals, 84 assists, 148 points)
• Most career power play goals by a left winger in playoffs (27)
• Most goals by a player not to make stanley cup finals in playoffs (14)

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

				Regular season						Playoffs
Season	Team	League		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1975-76	Melville Millionaires	SJHL		57	76	92	168	36		—	—	—	—	—
1976-77	Brandon Wheat Kings	WCHL		72	55	80	135	47		16	14	12	26	5
1977-78	Brandon Wheat Kings	WCHL		70	70	112	182	200		8	7	6	13	12
1978-79	Brandon Wheat Kings	WHL		71	94	100	194	127		22	15	23	38	40
1979-80	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		80	34	41	75	54		19	5	10	15	29
1980-81	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	26	40	66	110		12	6	6	12	32
1981-82	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		80	44	47	91	117		4	2	2	4	4
1982-83	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		80	40	42	82	72		3	1	2	3	8
1983-84	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		79	39	53	92	37		3	0	1	1	6
1984-85	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		76	43	54	97	43		19	8	10	18	6
1985-86	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		72	40	57	97	47		5	0	2	2	4
1986-87	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		53	31	36	67	45		26	12	16	28	10
1987-88	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		74	27	49	76	76		7	4	2	6	8
1988-89	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		77	32	46	78	37		18	14	9	23	14
1989-90	Philadelphia Flyers	NHL		40	13	15	28	31		—	—	—	—	—
1989-90	Boston Bruins	NHL		14	3	9	12	10		20	4	9	13	2
1990-91	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		79	26	47	73	58		23	8	15	23	28
1991-92	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		51	12	23	35	49		1	0	0	0	0
1992-93	Minnesota North Stars	NHL		17	3	3	6	0		—	—	—	—	—
1992-93	HC Lugano	NLA		24	21	6	27	32		9	5	1	6	28
1993-94	Hartford Whalers	NHL		65	12	17	29	44		—	—	—	—	—
1994-95	HC Anglet	FFHG-D1		27	32	19	51	74		—	—	—	—	—
NHL totals				1016	425	579	1004	830		160	64	84	148	151
WHL totals				213	219	292	511	374		46	36	41	77	57

International

Year	Team	Event		GP	G	A	Pts	PIM
1979	Canada	WJC		5	2	1	3	2
1982	Canada	WC		10	3	1	4	4
1983	Canada	WC		10	4	4	8	6
1987	Canada	CC		9	2	2	4	2
1992	Canada	SC		3	3	1	4	2
International totals				37	14	9	23	16

[ Source: Wikipedia ]