# Bob Paradise

Robert Harvey 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."

## 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. 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.

## Career statistics
### Regular season and playoffs

| | | | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Regular season | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs | Playoffs |
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1959–60 | Cretin-Derham Hall High School | HS-MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1960–61 | Cretin-Derham Hall High School | HS-MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1961–62 | Cretin-Derham Hall High School | HS-MN | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1962–63 | Saint Mary's College | NCAA-III | 17 | 7 | 15 | 22 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1963–64 | Saint Mary's College | NCAA-III | 15 | 7 | 14 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1964–65 | Saint Mary's College | NCAA-III | 18 | 12 | 18 | 30 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1965–66 | Saint Mary's College | NCAA-III | 17 | 6 | 8 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1966–67 | Muskegon Mohawks | IHL | 42 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 47 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1967–68 | Minnesota Nationals | USHL | 24 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 43 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1968–69 | United States National Team | Intl | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1969–70 | Omaha Knights | CHL | 61 | 3 | 14 | 17 | 98 | 12 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 27 |
| 1970–71 | Montreal Voyageurs | AHL | 72 | 0 | 9 | 9 | 107 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1971–72 | Cleveland Barons | AHL | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Seattle Totems | WHL | 54 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 80 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1971–72 | Minnesota North Stars | NHL | 6 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 |
| 1972–73 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 71 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 103 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Atlanta Flames | NHL | 18 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1973–74 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 38 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 39 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1974–75 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 78 | 3 | 15 | 18 | 109 | 6 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 17 |
| 1975–76 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1975–76 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 48 | 0 | 8 | 8 | 42 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 14 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1976–77 | Washington Capitals | NHL | 22 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 20 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1977–78 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 64 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 53 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | Binghamton Dusters | AHL | 16 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 12 | — | — | — | — | — |
| 1978–79 | Pittsburgh Penguins | NHL | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 4 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| NHL Totals | NHL Totals | NHL Totals | 368 | 8 | 54 | 62 | 393 | 12 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 19 |

### International

| Year | Team | Event | | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM |
| 1968 | United States | OLY | | 7 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 1969 | United States | WC | | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 30 |
| 1977 | United States | WC | | 9 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 |
| Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | Senior totals | 24 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 38 |

## Transactions

* June, 1970 – Signed as a free agent by Montreal.
* May, 1971 – Traded to Minnesota by Montreal with the rights to Gary Gambucci for cash.
* June 6, 1972 – Traded to Atlanta by Minnesota for cash.
* January 4, 1974 – Traded to Pittsburgh by Atlanta with Chuck Arnason for Al McDonough.
* November 26, 1975 – Traded to Washington by Pittsburgh for Washington's 2nd round choice (Greg Malone) in 1976 Amateur Draft.
* October 1, 1977 – Traded to Pittsburgh by Washington for the rights to Don Awrey.