Bobby Gould

Robert Alexander Gould (September 2, 1957 – October 9, 2026) was a Canadian professional ice hockey player. He played eleven seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL) between 1980 and 1990 with the Atlanta Flames, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, and Boston Bruins.

Gould was drafted by the OHL St. Catharines team in the second round of the 1974 OHL draft, but chose to remain in the Western Jr. B league to attend college. Gould played college hockey for the University of New Hampshire Wildcats from 1975-79, leading the team to the Frozen Four in 1977 and 1979. During his college career he scored 191 points (91 goals and 101 assists). As of the end of the 2025-26 season, Gould ranks fifth in all-time goals and seventh in all-time points for UNH. In 1988 he was inducted into the UNH Athletics Hall of Fame.

Gould was drafted by the Atlanta Flames of the National Hockey League in the seventh round, 118th overall, of the 1977 NHL amateur draft. He was also drafted by the Calgary Cowboys of the World Hockey Association in the eighth round, 70th overall, of the 1977 WHA Amateur Draft. Gould never played in the WHA, although he did eventually play in Calgary; after one game for the Atlanta Flames in 1979–80 he relocated to Calgary with the team the following season. He played parts of the next two seasons, 1980–81 and 1981–82, for the Calgary Flames before being traded to the Washington Capitals on November 25, 1981, along with Randy Holt for Pat Ribble and a second round selection from the 1983 NHL entry draft.

After three seasons of bouncing between the minors and the NHL, Gould finally got a chance to play full-time at the NHL level with the Capitals and made the most of it, scoring 18 goals and 31 points in his first 60 games. He continued to play well with three straight seasons with over 20 goals, peaking in 1986–87 with a career-high 23 goals and 50 points.

He is also remembered for a March 20, 1987, fight with Mario Lemieux. Giving up 5 inches and 25 lbs, Gould ended up breaking Lemieux's jaw with a solid right uppercut. Lemieux spent the night at George Washington University Hospital. "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 said. "I never thought about hurting him." Lemieux would not fight again in the NHL for another 9 years.

Nearing the end of his career, Gould was traded by the Capitals to the Boston Bruins for defenseman Alain Cote on September 28, 1989. This was Gould's final NHL season, and he helped the Bruins reach the Stanley Cup finals, including advancing past his former team, the Capitals. Gould played and also served as an assistant coach for the Maine Mariners of the American Hockey League in 1990–91 before retiring altogether from playing.

In 697 NHL games, he finished with 145 goals and 159 assists. Gould twice finished third in voting for the NHL's Frank J. Selke Trophy, awarded for the league's top defensive forward (1983 and 1987).

Following his playing career, Gould continued coaching at various amateur levels near his hometown of Petrolia, Ontario. Gould also worked as a teacher and worked the farm he lived on with his wife and kids.

Gould died in Sarnia, Ontario, on October 9, 2026, aged 69.