Bryan Joseph Watson was a rambunctious little defenseman whose heart was several times bigger than his undersized body. Serving as the Penguins’ first “policeman,” he earned a reputation for being one of the toughest players in the game. One of its supreme pests, too.
“I felt it when Bryan came to say hello in the corners,” said Pens teammate Ken Schinkel, who played against Watson on many occasions. “You always knew you got hit when ‘Bugsy’ got to you.”
Watson came by his colorful nickname honestly. As a callow 23-year-old utility player with the Detroit Red Wings, he was assigned the awesome task of shadowing Chicago’s legendary Bobby Hull in the 1966 Stanley Cup Semi-Finals.