The RinkFor the not so ready for prime-time players, coaches, referees, and the people that have to live with them. Discuss experiences in local leagues, coaching tips, equipment, and training.
We'd hang out at the Church St/Wood doors after games and wait for players & get autographs. Damphousse would always sign for everyone no matter the size of the crowd. Back in the day he was my favorite Leaf and after countless times of seeing me there we became friends.
Super cool guy & when he got traded to Edmonton he sent me autographed cards. The best was Sun Feb 16/92 when Edm came back to play the Leafs... after the game I waited as usual for him. Well he walks out with Daniel Marois and invites me to have something to eat with them at The Golden Griddle across the street from MLG --- and he even picked up the tab for me.
Met Doug Gilmour in 2010 at York University for the Alzheimer's Charity Tournament... nice guy, let me take a pix with me & autographed some cards. Chatted about the 92/93 team... good times!
Matt Cooke once came to a family dinner when I was 8, that was pretty cool but he had to leave early. I trained with Colton Gilles one summer when he was about 16. I was probably 11 or 12. He was obviously in a different group, but we had the same time slot at the gym during the day. I bumped into him two summers ago after he was with the Wild, and he still remembered me. Pretty cool.
I also got to meet Duncan Keith at OHS 3 years ago, he was a really nice guy. I also went to school with Brendan Dillon, who played his first game of the season in the Stars last game against St.Louis.
Met Lanny McDonald. Pleasant guy. Gordie Howe. Most humble, down to Earth athlete I've ever met. Dion Phaneuf was a nice guy, just a little socially awkward, like he meant well but was raised by wolves or something lol. Ted Lindsay was a genuinely awesome guy. I'm good at spotting phony courtesy and fake niceness (is that a word?) and he was totally for real. Iginla was very pleasant. Theo Fleury was a total jerk when I met him as a kid, but I've heard he flips moods like a light switch and sometimes he's great. But a lot of people are like that. Imagine if you made a mistake and acted like an idiot and it was the one time someone ran into you. You'd be an idiot for life in their book.
I've met several Blues (past and current) players over the past few years;
Andy McDonald, Lee Stempniak, Doug Weight, Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, Scott Young, Jamie McLennan, Ty Conklin (hilarious btw), Carlo Colaiacovo, Barrett Jackman, Brad Winchester, Brad Boyes, Alex Pietrangelo, Cam Janssen, TJ Oshie, Erik Johnson, Patrik Berglund, Jamal Mayers, Ben Bishop, Lars Eller, Aaron Palushaj, Keith Tkachuk (another funny fella), Alex Steen, David Backes, Jaroslav Halak, Eric Brewer, BJ Crombeen.
The only @$$hole that I've come across was Paul Kariya..
I've met several Blues (past and current) players over the past few years;
Andy McDonald, Lee Stempniak, Doug Weight, Chris Pronger, Al MacInnis, Scott Young, Jamie McLennan, Ty Conklin (hilarious btw), Carlo Colaiacovo, Barrett Jackman, Brad Winchester, Brad Boyes, Alex Pietrangelo, Cam Janssen, TJ Oshie, Erik Johnson, Patrik Berglund, Jamal Mayers, Ben Bishop, Lars Eller, Aaron Palushaj, Keith Tkachuk (another funny fella), Alex Steen, David Backes, Jaroslav Halak, Eric Brewer, BJ Crombeen.
The only @$$hole that I've come across was Paul Kariya..
Why is that? I always had the impression that he was a nice guy lol.
He's not a player, but I sat next to Ken Hitchcock on a flight from Ottawa to Vancouver, and we chatted about the post-lockout NHL, his lack of a job (at the time), and he seemed like a genuinely good guy.
This would've been early 2010...real good guy...feel bad he hasn't gotten another job in the NHL, but it's only a matter of time, right...?
Hope so.
Wait - you know he's the coach of the St. Louis Blues and is nominated for the Jack Adams as coach of the year this year, right... ?
I think the only guy who came across as an asswipe to most folks is Brad Stewart.
I think Stuart is just quiet and introverted. Every time I see him in interviews he just seems like a quiet guy who doesn't like to talk much and that can come off as asswipish.
I think Stuart is just quiet and introverted. Every time I see him in interviews he just seems like a quiet guy who doesn't like to talk much and that can come off as asswipish.
Heard from some guy who played drop-in with him before. Apparently he tries really hard, takes full on slappers and talks **** to goalies.
Met most, to all of the maple leafs team of 1998-99 season down in Tampa.
The only one that was a dick was Mike Johnson. Everyone else stopped and signed autographs and was cool.
Tie Domi was above and beyond, the guy loved the attention and was great to be around.
Back up goalie Jeff Reese was a gem, even though he wasn't a big name; he went out of his way to make one family happy by saying to meet him back there after the game for a signed game stick.
I used to play at the same facility where the Kings practiced. They were all good guys and were more than happy to assist the local youth teams. Some were in a foul mood from time to time but I'm not going to judge them based on a bad day.
Marian Gaborik Was super grumpy...I didn't even bother asking for an autograph Ryan Callahan: Amazing! Signed my jersey, signed a puck AND took a photo with me. I called him "Captain" (last season when he had the "A") and he just chuckled. Derek Stepan: Was the first player I met so I was "nervous" and didn't say much. Signed my jersey Brian Boyle: Funny. He's a pretty big guy in person but kinda quiet. Signed my yearbook Torts: Shook his hand. He seemed super serious. Brandon Dubinsky: Met him in the lobby of the Garden after a game, his dishoveled hair. Signed a puck for me Vinny Prospal: Hilarious! Signed my Rangers Yearbook. Matts Zuccarello: Was like his 2nd week with the team, he's like a midget in person Mike Sauer: Very polite. Signed the yearbook Artem Anisimov: Signed the yearbook
I was inches from Henrik Lundqvist but he was literally mobbed...every single female Rangers fan within a mile radius automatically flocked to Henrik the moment he got out of his car so unless I wanted to be trampled by a stampede...I decided to keep my distance.
Last month, I played in a charity game against the Bruins Alumni team. I was on the first shift, playing left wing, and lined up against Rick Middleton. We shot the **** before puck drop and he's still got some moves. He pulled off some ridiculous move and scored, so I skated up to him and jokingly said "Hey Rick, you show Seguin that move?" and he laughed, saying Seguin would get rocked if he did that. After the game, my buddy and I went to the car, and sure enough, Rick was next to us. We talked for a little bit before heading to the bar, where all the Alums, including Rick, would be there. We got to the bar and told the bartender what we wanted, and she got out beers, saying we were all set and pointed to the gentlemen at the bar. Sure enough, Rick bought us beers. We got a picture with him before he left.
I met Gordie Howe about 15 years ago. He was nice, seemed down to earth and would make a good neighbor. Ron Stern played in Milwaukee before the NHL. He was a really funny guy. He joked that one half of hockey players couldn't sign their names!
Gino Cavallini was really nice. He autographed my jersey after he was retired. I took some pictures. I ran into him again 1 or 2 years later at the same event and gave him a picture that I had taken years before when he was still playing. He was about to autograph it and I said "No, that one is for you to keep". He seemed surprised and thanked me for the photo.
