American ice hockey player
Ice hockey player
Robert Harvey "Bob" Paradise (born April 22, 1944) is an American former professional ice hockey defenseman who appeared in a total of 368 National Hockey League (NHL) regular season games between 1971 and 1979. Internationally, Paradise played for the American national team at the 1969 and 1977 World Championships, as well as at the 1968 Winter Olympics. He is a member of the United States Hockey Hall of Fame.
Playing career
Paradise originally signed as a free agent by the Montreal Canadiens after playing for the United States national team at the 1968 Winter Olympics and 1969 Ice Hockey World Championships. He was later traded to the Minnesota North Stars in 1971 where he made his NHL debut. He also played for the Atlanta Flames, Washington Capitals, and the Pittsburgh Penguins before retiring in 1979. He was also a member of the US national team at the 1977 Ice Hockey World Championship tournament.
In a 2007 interview on The Sports Network, New York Islanders great Clark Gillies named Paradise as "the toughest guy you ever fought."[1]
Personal life
Paradise grew up in Saint Paul where he earned all-state honors in football and hockey while attending Cretin High School in Saint Paul.[2] He also turned down a professional baseball contract from the Boston Red Sox in 1965, choosing instead complete his education at St. Mary's College. While at the school, Paradise continued to develop his hockey skills, becoming an all-conference performer in the Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference for four consecutive years.
Paradise is the son-in-law of United States Hockey Hall of Famer Bob Dill. His brother Dick Paradise is also a former professional hockey player.
United States