The Beantown Bruins are proud to select as
#4 RW Joey Kocur
Known for his physical play, Kocur is one of the most penalized players in NHL history amassing a career total of 2519 penalty minutes in stints with the Detroit Red Wings, the New York Rangers and the Vancouver Canucks. Kocur retired at the end of the 1998–1999 season.
Kocur is best known for his devastating right-hand punch, compared by some players to a train. In fact, since he so frequently hit players with his right hand and often landed blows on their helmets or teeth, his right hand was often in quite poor condition.
Pound for pound he was one of the strongest fighters in the NHL. In an interview with Donald Brashear, Brashear described how Kocur had cracked his helmet with his punches, and though his helmet had absorbed most of the blow, he still felt serious pain in his gums, even on the other side of his face, leaving him unable to eat for a day or so. His punches often seriously injured players, such as Brad Dalgarno of the New York Islanders, whose orbital bone was fractured by Kocur.