Throwback: "The Mother of All Elbows" - Pavel Bure's Big Hit on Shane Churla (May. 4, 1994) (CBC)

After being pestered all game by Churla, Pavel Bure took matters into his own hands, or rather, his elbow, and slammed the Stars captain in what would be later called, "The Mother of All Elbows" by Don Cherry.

[@sniper161718]

Churla took a run at Bure while Bure was down right before that. Fuck around and find out

[@BoastfulCoast]

This was in game 4 of a 5 game series. Churla had spent the previous three games taking runs at and slashing Bure, and the refs were not making calls at all. Absolutely correct though he fucked around and found out, went from one of the toughest, most feared guys in the league to a mouse who played 10 and 11 games over the next two seasons before retiring. He was never the same.

[@derekobrien5481]

It was game 2@@BoastfulCoast

[@BoastfulCoast]

@@derekobrien5481 my bad, it was in game 2. Thanks for pointing that out.

[@Pierreboro]

@@BoastfulCoastthat game was part of the 1994 playoffs. He played 127 regular seasons games after that elbow, until 1997.

[@kenmasters2025]

@@BoastfulCoast this is what I hate about nhl playoffs. refs are fucking garbage. it becomes a goonfest, and skill is suppressed.

[@kranmaster]

Churla threw the first elbow (2:33). Live by the sword, die by the sword.

[@TheTempleOfBoom]

exactly , poetic justice ..F Churla .

[@brettfavreify]

Abso-f---lutely.

[@EugeneM-ek1yc]

It puts a smile on my face

[@DiMo28]

The best $500 Bure ever spent.

[@chrisconnell8464]

Bure got fined a whopping 500$ and no penalty on the call!! Old NHL at its finest...

[@canadasugardaddysugardaddy1797]

Brian Burke was head of department player safety. He wasn’t going to suspend his boy Bure. Burke drafted Bure in Van

[@DaRkw1ngCS2]

The absolute epitome of taking a number.

[@RJKYEG]

Ron McLean said, on Spittin' Chiclets, that this was the moment Don Cherry began to like Pavel Bure.

[@Disrtict6]

McLean " you say its good what Bure did to Churla? Cherry "At least he is taking care of himself"

[@BoastfulCoast]

Churla was never the same.

[@September2004]

MacLean said that and yet even after that Cherry still accused Bure of holding out on the Canucks before Game 7.

[@vanirishband]

The mother of all elbows

[@mr2_mike]

Dale Hunter has some beauties too.

[@brettfavreify]

As they used to say, Churla "got his bell rung."

[@cm8989]

Pavel Bure was doing his best Gordie Howe Impersonation.

[@teddym9136]

That was “The People’s Elbow” before the Rock made it a thing

[@canadasugardaddysugardaddy1797]

Churla was smelling what Bure was cooking

[@OxycodoneHelpsMyBack]

Idk how I never saw this until now but it's immediately become my favorite elbow in history.

[@YouTubeaidsreal]

I always respected Bure for this. Even tho it was crazy dirty shit. They were fcking him up big time this series and dude just plan had enough and did some crazy 90s shit where you wipe a dude out without the puck and dirty heads hot to boot. Love the 90s

[@blabberer8950]

Cheap Shot Churla got some of his own medicine!

[@baber6070]

how tf did he get up

[@bobprobert353]

Because it's Churla who has the guts of a slaughter house.

[@DJNAZZZZTY]

Slowly

[@BoastfulCoast]

Salts

[@zico81]

Bure taking care of business

[@canuckster24]

Running at a player who's already laid out on the ice, Churla deserved to get his bell clocked.

[@shawnlavigne9069]

That's a superstar taking care of business and sending a message!

[@Ghatzi91]

Good, clean hit in my opinion. Way to send a message and set the tone. You don’t touch a player like Bure and get away with it.

[@IREFUSE9]

Churla threw his share of elbows, I remember that hit vividly. It was a beauty.

[@imronburgundy69]

This is easily one of the dirtiest hits I've ever seen lol, clear interference, launched off his feet and elbowed directly to the head

[@nundzi1548]

@@imronburgundy69 still beautiful.

[@imronburgundy69]

@@nundzi1548 I'm assuming you thought the same about Wilson on Sundqvist or Cooke on Savard then lol

[@nundzi1548]

@@imronburgundy69 yeah, I like don cherry brand of hockey. Its been quoted by Ron mclean this is the moment Don started to like Pavel, everyone likes when a star player protects themselves, and universally liked if there smaller. Sorry but Bure is a hall of famer. Guy made his own shots and never actually played with legit playmaker in Vancouver,.Florida or new York. If you don't like it -- don't watch and grandstand old highlights on youtube.

[@imronburgundy69]

@@nundzi1548 Oh okay cool just making sure that you're upfront about just liking violence lol considering those are universally considered dirty plays and Cherry in particular hated the Cooke hit on Savard but clearly you didn't know that That's not hockey, they have professional fighting for that so go watch that No one said Bure wasn't skilled or hall of fame level, I said that this was clearly a dirty hit, and ya no shit Don Cherry said he loved it, there's a reason why Don is considered a dinosaur and completely insufferable lmao

[@raantaas96]

As a 1980 birth, I was entering my teens as my main Guys Patrick Roy and Pavel Bure were at their very best. 2 time Conn Smythe Patrick Roy, 2 time Stanley Cup champion. Pavel Bure, Calder Trophy, 2 straight seasons of 60+ goals by that season. Bure gets TOTALLY charged by number 3 like 8 seconds into this video, at the very least interference. I TOO wouldve targeted any player with a devestating message, this case 27 Churla, but the defensive player revenged upon does not matter. ENOUGH of star players being purposefully injured by TERRIFIED defence only players!!!

[@BoastfulCoast]

While its true that Ludwig did get initial contact with Bure, what the camera angle doesnt show is after Ludwig backed out Bure tried to get up at which point Churla took another run at him while he was getting up. This was in game 4 of a 5 game series in which curla took every liberty he could against Bure, right up until he got put out. This man was never the same player went from one of the most feared enforcers in the league to a mouse that retired just 2 short (20 games) seasons later.

[@dodgeman1997]

The most beautiful thing I ever seen

[@jraa4560]

🤣

[@Pikabo0]

Stay classy Canucks fans

[@bobprobert353]

You need help. No normal person likes seeing others get hurt. Twisted!

[@crushingalldeceivers]

@@Pikabo0 Oh because Churla played with so much class

[@TacTicMint]

Everything on both ends happened directly in front of the ref less than 20 feet away and he somehow saw nothing.

[@JL-ip6zq]

didn't remember churla wearing a C. got lit up by bure. enjoyed that.

[@Gsnyderman5]

When the Stars moved to Dallas, they marketed Shane Churla for his rough and tumble play instead of Mike Modano and what he brought to the table.

[@nundzi1548]

My dads favlurite canuck highlight lol

[@falkerjones8249]

SWEET JUSTICE

[@crackermantim]

in the top 5 elbows of all time!

[@trollster2177]

His skill level was McDavid like back then.

[@kevinhood9781]

Bure was a one demetional player, skill but dont put them on the same level

[@canadasugardaddysugardaddy1797]

Bure was better than mcdavid in every way. He was faster, more skilled, clutch scorer, breakaway scorer and oh yeah, he had a mean streak and he can take a hit. And he played in the era with headhunters like Ludwig, Hatcher, and Churla doing cheap shots at him. Mcdavid would be laid out his first shift in that era

[@TheChryslerBuilding2024]

​@@kevinhood9781McDavid never played in the era of assassins like Bure did.

[@kevinhood9781]

@@TheChryslerBuilding2024 dude, defencemen werent that good just a hand full back then. Most were just big bodies. Mcdavid would go around them. He has excellent hockey sense. He would also have a body guard like gretzky. Bure later in his career cherry picked hardcore for florida. One way player like ovi but atleast ovi didn't cherry pick like bure or gretzky. Players back then barely worked out if any

[@codyi5232]

Mcdouche is a little baby compared to red army hard ass. Bure in this league would be selke art ross richard every year

[@orlo4457]

Crazy this goes uncalled

[@oiltillidie]

Russian express

[@jtp1389]

Who made Churla the captain??

[@tyronebiggums1213]

Garth Butcher was the captain of the blues when Brett Hull and Adam Oates were on the same team, but I agree making a goon a captain back then was dumb as hell.

[@tommykankare6775]

I think that is a good thing, he leads with fists 👍

[@okyouknowwhatever]

@@tommykankare6775 Dallas became a contender just after Churla left, so it seems they did relatively fine without him. Even won a Cup.

[@jockejocke1]

Bob Gainey was both the Head Coach and the General Manager, so I guess he made Churla captain.

[@MCowie]

You’d cry too if you got hit by Pavel Bure.

[@chboehm2353]

In today’s game this is a 15 game suspension and rightfully so.

One month to the day, (June 4, 1994) Pavel did the same thing. I was in attendance.

[@derekobrien5481]

That was an accidental high stick off a faceoff, he got kicked out of the game.

[@kiker0909]

Great to see. It's a shame Churla got up.

[@danielscott5369]

Man I really hope Utah gets a hockey team I love hockey so much

[@vanirishband]

Grapes approves this hit

[@99HockeyDad99]

This is one of the reasons why the nhl went to two referees

[@canadasugardaddysugardaddy1797]

Burke was the NHL discipline director at the time. No way he was going to suspend his boy Bure.

[@synergygaming65]

Meanwhile Gregory Campbell has daddy in the disciplinary office of the NHL and the league sees Aaron Rome suspended for the entirety of the SCF of 2011. Can't even escape the politics and partisan hackery in hockey.

[@xCanuckfan16x]

Beautiful

[@alyours2889]

Good clean check to the jaw!

[@gleasongman]

A time when hockey was played men, almost as good as 80's hockey.

[@dodgeman1997]

Lol what a beauty...man I wish I got to see him play live.

[@cdnsilverdaddy]

He was unreal .. I was there against the Jets in his first game and he was flying .. everyone stood up and knew we had a superstar

[@gri7]

I got to see his 4th game ever and many after. Never seen another player like it

[@itsthizzbaby]

hahah the bully got bullied amazing

[@user-vv5wc5br5s]

Чистый силовой) НХЛ 90х прекрасна. Сейчас дети стали слабее. Каши меньше едят, одни чипсы хуипсы.

[@Ann-ku1tc]

Сейчас представить, чтобы это хиппсторское поколение вроде МакДэвида, Хьюзов или Беддардов , кого-то хитовало - смешно становится.

[@BrodieTheBeastDailly]

Love it! Always have always will

[@10.11.9]

"Shoulder to the jaw . . . "

[@DJNAZZZZTY]

Thats some future CTE for sure for Churla

[@L0uisRp]

He didn't play much after that

[@joycenkenes]

that was payback for sure .. back in the day churla gets up and back in the game

[@TheChryslerBuilding2024]

He earned it.

[@jwill55kings]

I don't even think he got 2 minutes for this lmao

[@vaultsuit]

Andy Van Hellemond did not see it

[@calgary2800]

This is why enforcers are needed in hockey. You don’t want superstars throwing elbows

[@itsthizzbaby]

way to go Pavel!

[@Sky-Goldberg]

Оджик должен был ответить на выходки Чурлы

[@BobbyBoucher228]

Bure be like, catch you with an elbow, how bout that.

[@KevsShwaShwa]

Clean as it gets!

[@willb6913]

Pavel knew how to stick up for himself.

[@user-pw5xe6nr4g]

Как Чурла с головой остался?😊 Мощный удар, но 27 номер молодец)

[@flagtheoffense]

Hockey

[@rodmacrae3611]

You mess with the bull you get the horn. Churla deserved it. He had been leaning all over Bure up and down the ice and had made a couple dodgy ones too. Boom boom out goes the lights. Churla couldn't do a thing because Gino was watching him. Hahahahaha

[@imronburgundy69]

Literally just lays two clean hits and then Bure responds with this rat maneuver. But ya lol concussions are so funny. The NHL never has any consistency with applying it's rules because of this dumbass culture

[@hectoracevedo4545]

Churla couldn't do anything because he was concussed. A cheap shot is NEVER justified. Gino never challenged Churla on any of the clean hits Churla delivered to Bure. It's a stain on Bure''s career and on Andy Van Helmond too.

[@tylermain3244]

​@@hectoracevedo4545 nah pay back is a bitch. Got what he deserved.

[@samspade1841]

Karma!

[@tonyprosick6558]

Skating blindly in opposition end of ice lmyassoff throw your weight around then parrot around the other end of ice lmyassoff ejucation ain't cheap keep your head up kid you are now in the nhl lol

[@ThePerpetualStudent]

Good Lord!!

[@ralphieunderwood2166]

👌

[@cyalexwang1421]

FAAFO

[@ryandenton190]

Dirty hit... Canucks fan here, but that was a dirty hit...

[@jacksonvelocity]

I’m not a fan of either team and wasn’t around then. How is anyone justifying this? Burr deserves 5 min with Tom Wilson for that disgrace

[@tyronebiggums1213]

This was the mid 90’s and the rules and what the referees would and wouldn’t let go were different as were how justice was handled on the ice as well. So Bure delivering a dirty hit to a dirty player who made a career with dirty hit was seen as justifiable in the mid 90’s when players were expected to police the game themselves and stand up for themselves even if it meant crossing the line to do it. So yes today that hit would be a 5 and a game plus a lengthy suspension but back then it was just part of hockey and maybe 2 minutes for elbowing at the most.

[@bobprobert353]

@@tyronebiggums1213 It was great times when hockey was fun.

[@tyronebiggums1213]

@@bobprobert353 for sure I remember the rivalries between my blues and the red wings and the hawks and how nasty those games would get and get chills thinking about how loud the old arenas would get when shit hit the fan. Plus all the fighting in the stands. What a fucking time to be alive.

[@bobprobert353]

@@tyronebiggums1213 I'm English and was a teen in the 90's but it made me the person I am today did Probie

[@tyronebiggums1213]

@@bobprobert353 the showdowns between Tony Twist and Bob Probert were some of my favorite fights and battles and Tony Twist was one of the few enforcers who could match and beat Probert in a fight, obviously the cocaine and steroids certainly help though with toughness.

[@Dr._De_Bill]

HEADSHOT!!!!! PERFECT!!! FROM RUSSIA WITH LOVE!!! I CAN WATCH TO THIS HIT FOREVER!!!

[@itsthizzbaby]

ha ha ha ha ha hahahahahahahahahaahahahahahahahhahaa