It seems odd at first that Brian Propp, considering who he associates with and why, would link himself to something he calls the ‘guffaw.’

This is, after all, someone who skated around on the same line with revered people named Leach and Clarke, and Gretzky and Lemieux, and who now works in tandem with respected organizations to make health care more affordable and available to people in need.

In fact, since this famous Philadelphia Flyer -- who spent 11 of his 15 National Hockey League seasons in orange and black -- advanced to the NHL finals five times in pursuit of Lord Stanley’s Cup, you’d think Propp would have a more reserved, refined salute to success.

Nope. It’s the ‘guffaw.’

Propp discovered the celebratory gesture during a Howie Mandel comedy routine in Atlantic City. It would become the left winger’s signature move after a score, and it got plenty of ice time since he had at least 65 points in each of his first 10 seasons.

Propp, now 49 and enjoying his ninth year doing radio commentary of Flyers’ games on WIP-610, remembers the birth of the ‘guffaw’ this way:

Mandel had asked the crowd to confuse the comedian that would follow him by doing the guffaw, rather than clapping or laughing.

“He (Mandel) did the guffaw movement with his right arm,” says Propp. “He started with a short left to right wave followed by extending his arm straight up to the ceiling. It definitely confused the next comedian.”

“I'll never forget my first goal at the start of the 1986-87 season. I had the usual crowd of players congratulating me after the goal, then I broke away from the pack and headed to center ice. I put my right glove under my left arm and did the guffaw as I skated toward center ice. I said the word ‘guffaw’ as I was doing it. I had finally done the guffaw and it became my signature mark after scoring.”
 
These days, Propp’s efforts do not involve tooting his own horn at center ice before 20,000 people.

He works quietly, for instances, on the boards of NHS Human Services, a provider of community-based behavioral healthcare that serves the special needs of over 50,000 children and adults annually, and the Shore Memorial Health Foundation that mobilizes community charitable support for Shore Memorial Hospital in Somers Points.

Propp also co-chairs the Strong Kids Foundation for the YMCA of Burlington County.

Even when he has expanded his business opportunities, it often has been in the health-care space. Most recently, he joined up with Radnor, Pa.-based Crawford Advisers, the health benefits consultant that touts itself as the “insurance industry thought-leader.”

And as an advisory board member to Magellan-Hill, a telecom company in the Delaware Valley, he’s involved with its U Care Now program, in which a percentage of a client’s monthly bill is donated to a participating charity.

“I am happy to support an innovative company like Magellan Hill,” says Propp. “It not only helps businesses sort out their communications needs, but also is committed to being a good corporate partner and giving back to the community.”

All of Brian Propp’s good works these days seem like something to cheer about, possibly even worthy of a robust guffaw.