Former Washington Capitals forward Bobby Gould has passed away at age 69. The team announced the sad news on Saturday evening.
Gould, an Ontario native, joined the Capitals via trade from the Calgary Flames during the 1981-82 season. He had played just 20 games with the Flames after they drafted him in 1977, but his NHL career took off with the Caps.
In Washington, Gould played 600 games over eight seasons, recording 304 points (145g, 159a). He scored more than 20 goals four times and received Selke Trophy votes in five of those campaigns, including a third-place finish in 1987.
The Capitals released a statement on Gould’s passing:
The Washington Capitals organization is deeply saddened by the passing of alumnus Bobby Gould. Gould spent eight seasons with the Capitals from 1981 to 1989, appearing in 600 games. A consistent scoring threat, he reached the 20-goal mark four times and recorded a career-high 50 points during the 1986-87 season. He later played for the Boston Bruins, helping the team reach the Stanley Cup Final in 1990.
Beyond the rink, Gould was valued for the relationships he built and the positive impact he made on those around him.
Our thoughts are with his family, friends and former teammates during this difficult time. He will be remembered fondly, and we extend our heartfelt condolences to all who knew and loved him.
Gould is also remembered for a March 20, 1987, fight with Penguins superstar Mario Lemieux. Despite being a much smaller player, Gould broke Lemieux’s jaw during the bout, forcing the legendary center to spend the night at George Washington University Hospital.
Lemieux would not fight again in the NHL for another nine years.
“The first thing that came to mind when he said, ‘Let’s go,’ was that I could get him off the ice for five minutes,” Gould told The Washington Post’s Robert Fachet in 1987. “I never thought about hurting him.”
Gould also played one NHL season with the Boston Bruins, four CHL seasons with the Tulsa Oilers, Birmingham Bulls, Fort Worth Texans, and Oklahoma City Stars, and one AHL season with the Maine Mariners.
In Capitals franchise history, Gould ranks 22nd in goals scored (134), 37th in assists (142), 31st in points (276), and 28th in penalty minutes (476).
RMNB sends our condolences to the Gould family.
