Within the realm of hockey, I’ll freely admit that I’m equal parts transfixed and perplexed by the gentlemen who have chosen to fight each other. In addition to what we now know about brain injuries – spoiler: they suck and have knock-on effects later in life that we’re just now starting to grasp – it’s also a very odd way to make a living.

The most perplexing category of enforcer, in my mind, is the unique subcategory of frequent fighters who went to Ivy League colleges. Examples of this group include Princeton University products Kevin Westgarth and George Parros, as well as Harvard University alumnus (and two-time Calgary Flames player) Neil Sheehy.

As we wait Ryan Lomberg’s return to the Flames for his second tour of duty, let’s delve into Sheehy’s unique history.

A dual citizen, Sheehy was born in Ontario but raised in Minnesota, and he ended up playing his international hockey for the United States. He spent four seasons at Harvard (1979-83) and went undrafted, but ended up signing with the Flames during the 1983 off-season.

He made the jump to pro and seemed to find a niche fairly quickly as a fighter. It’s a bit ironic that a Harvard defender became an enforcer, but his willingness to drop the mitts earned him attention during his minor league stints with the CHL’s Colorado Flames and the AHL’s Moncton Golden Flames, leading to him getting a foothold in the NHL fairly quickly. He ended up spending four and a half season in the Flames system, including 187 NHL games, 44 NHL points… and 606 NHL penalty minutes.

In early January 1988, midway through a season where the Flames would ultimately capture the Presidents’ Trophy as the best regular season team in the NHL, they made a five-player swap with Hartford. They sent Sheehy, Carey Wilson and prospect Lane MacDonald to the Whalers in exchange for Shane Churla and Dana Murzyn.

Sheehy finished out the season with Hartford, then was traded to Washington that off-season. He spent three seasons with the Capitals, though he missed almost all of the 1990-91 season with a slew of injuries – first a broken leg and ankle, then a herniated disk in his back.

Sheehy wasn’t re-upped by the Capitals after his injury-filled season, but he ended up catching on with the Flames in free agency during the 1991 off-season. He split the 1991-92 season between the Flames and the IHL’s Salt Lake Golden Eagles.

Sheehy was fine during the 1991-92 season, but he didn’t do enough to work himself into the Flames’ long-term plans and so he went back into free agency. He eventually caught on in Slovenia, where he played for a year before retiring following the 1993-94 season.

Since hanging up his skates, he’s become a player agent, with his most prominent clients being Anders Lee and Casey Mittelstadt.