NHL players you've met

[BoDangles 0]

Does Patrice Cormier count? Met him at a local bar here in St.John's. Most of the ice caps team was there, he's a nice guy friendly with anyone and everyone.

Played against him twice back in either Pee Wee or Bantam, can't remember. He was good, but dirty.

Have met:

Eric Lindros

Glen Murray

Glen Healy

Brad Marchand

Working at a high end golf course has its pirks.....besides the free golf.

[AlphaSierra 1]

Used to work at the Blues practice rink for years as a kid. Top 5 that left impressions.

Rick Zombo, best guy I met in all those years. Stand up, down to earth. After hearing I liked the stick and pattern he gave me enough to custom order 12 of my own. He gave me 12 on top of that.

Wendel Clark- Took a ride in my old VW, shot the hay for an hour, and ended up giving me a spare shirt after I dumped a soda on mine.

Brett Hull- Head the size of an arena, rude (to both fans and teammates), all around *&^%$#^.

Kelly Chase - Can't say enough about Chaser either. He went out of his way for fans, me, teammates, even other fighters in the league. I always thought it was funny how alot of the big fighters were actually really good friends.

Todd Ewen- Stopped his 944 on the way home from the rink when he saw me walking home (I was 13, but lived at the rink), gave me a ride the rest of the way.

Most of the guys in all those years were surprisingly down to earth and approachable. I would even get to skate with some of the injured guys to give them someone to pass to (if they were skating solo), and they always ended up turning the hour into a training session for me.

[shotty 7]

My brother was in Pittsburgh for the Winter Classic and got a chance to hang around the Capitals a bit.

First of all, most perceptions of the images of players on the Caps are completely false.

Its funny I thought Mike Green would be a douche, but turns out he is a gem. My bro said he's one of those guys who just gets it.

Brooks Laich may be the most likable person alive.

Backstrom is also another guy who is really nice.

Bruce Boudreau is a good guy. Genuinely is interested in other people.

Ovechkin is actually a real good guy off the ice. Bunch of people were asking for his autograph, but he doesn't sign for adults, only kids, which I can respect.

Semin is apparently the worst. Won't give fans the time of day.

this belongs in the other thread, "nhl players other people have met"

[Vulcan7905 88]

When Lemieux played for the Devils there was an Autograph signing and he took the time to talk to My Dad and I because he remembered us from the Philly game the week before. I wore an Air Brushed Lemieux Shirt and my dad wore the Jersey. When he saw the two at the Flyers stadium he skated over to the glass and threw over some pucks he was practicing with since we were really out of our element being there wearing Devils gear. Something I will never forget from my childhood.

[wHATcOLOR 0]

cool topic.

Chris Nilan - met him in a fishing tackle store during the summer when i was about 12. he put my two brothers, a friend, and me in a headlock and posed for a picture

Adam Oates - friend of mine met him on the golf course, he invited him and a friend (me) to go skating w/ him. he drove us up to this rink, we played with a bunch of old-time bruins, and he drove us back. just amazing. so much fun, guy was hilarious and kind.

Wayne Gretzky - met him in a hotel lobby in vancouver during the olympics. wasn't planning on saying anything to respect his space, but a few people talked to him and he seemed very open to it. best ambassador for the game of ice hockey i could imagine, genuinely interested in a conversation and very gracious. won't ever forget that

[Slapshot9123 0]

One memory I have always had wasn't an actual meeting but, something that has stuck with me my whole life. I was sitting front row at the blue line front row with my father when the hawks were playing the ducks and I had to be 6 or so. We were watching warmups and I was eating a huge tub of popcorn just staring at the ducks warming up. Teemu Selanne skated up to me with his mouth wide open pretending to grab a handful of popcorn from me. He later gave me a puck as warmups was ending.

I skated with Dustin Byfuglien for a goalie clinic that his coach former AAA coach runs. He was a really laid back nice guy. Really down to earth and approachable. Ended up shooting with him for a few hours then hungout in the locker for a bit.

I played with Chelios' and Belfour's kids back in mites, don't remember too much. Chelios was really nice and would sign anything for anyone in the rink as long as it wasn't during the games. Belfour was a bit of a prick if I remember correctly.

I met John LeClair while his son was playing against one of local travel teams when I lived away from home playing juniors. I ran into him after stretching outside and walking back into the lobby. I just stood there in shock, went up to him asked him why he was there he answered and I said it was a pleasure meeting him shook his hand and went on with my business.

Met Mario Lemieux the same way, I walked out of our locker room and he was just standing there I looked at some of my teammates and they were very eager to meet him. I didn't have him sign anything, didn't want to interrupt him from coaching. Just shook his hand and went on with my business again.

Met Patrick Kane while he was "dating" a girl who I live by. He was an arrogant prick. Thats all I have to say about that.

Keith Tkachuk was another that I met in a lobby of a rink. My parents were actually talking to him first. Right when I walked up my mom said "Wow I thought you were a lot bigger." I was a bit embarrassed..

I have met Bobby Hull countless times, anyone who played youth hockey in IL has done the same. He is always signing things at every major tournament. Pretty sure he hit the bottle a little too much the last time I talked to him.

[the iceman 132]

Well, I was drafted, so I went to two camps and met a bunch of dudes. They are all nice. Only dickhead was Hasek, didn't talk to me. I also played with a bunch of guys in the show and can't name one bad guy. Alex Burrows and I are still good friends. One of the funniest dudes going.

Who drafted you?

[doublemajor 0]

I got to meet Toews, Oshie, Frattin, Commadore, Stafford, Both Parise boys, Taylor Chorney, Chris Porter, and Chris VandeVelde all before leaving UND (I used to go to about 10 games a season). All of them are nice. But the nicest person I've gotten to meet is Colton Gillies of the Minnesota Wild (he stayed at my hotel) I knew who he was when he walked in the door. Even grabbed a card and signed it for me without me even asking.

[MarsB 33]

Eric Weinrich's home rink was were I played during college; he came in to town and played pick up with us once back when he was with the Blackhawks. I was on a red eye flight to Pittsburgh a few years back with Malkin; it was right after Russia was knocked out in the olympics. Of course he get's mobbed anytime he's out in public in the burgh, but people gave him a little extra berth given the circumstances. Was cool to have him collect his Team Russia equipment bag next to me at the baggage claim.

[ArrogantOwl 7]

Met Brian Propp and Bernie Parent at the taping of last weeks' Propper Hockey.

[Jason Harris 31]

I played with Chelios' and Belfour's kids back in mites, don't remember too much. Chelios was really nice and would sign anything for anyone in the rink as long as it wasn't during the games. Belfour was a bit of a prick if I remember correctly.

Because Balfour was being inducted, he played at the HHOF's Legends Game this year. I wouldn't say he was a prick, but what I found funny was even the other players interacted with him in way that they knew he's wound slightly different than the rest of us.

[Blueandgold26 1]

Met Patrick Kane while he was "dating" a girl who I live by. He was an arrogant prick. Thats all I have to say about that.

Yeah, I've never actually met Kane but being from Buffalo where he spends his off seasons, I've heard from a few friends that he's an egomaniac and acts like a hard guy downtown.

I've met a few Sabres

Paul Gaustad is a pretty cool guy.

Mike Weber is really genuine and took pictures with everyone and made sure everyone got everything they wanted signed before he left.

Leino was really cool and talked to everyone.

Kaleta was cool.

Enroth was quiet but friendly, as was Sekera.

Gerbe was another really cool guy, very short, but muscular. Drew Stafford was another guy who looked noticeably muscular.

Zack Kassian was different, He took the time to take pictures and talked very little but seemed like a block head.

[Powerfibers 8]

Gaustad is super cool. He is okay when kids come around, and he is very genuine. Met Ennis a while back, and I think he was a really nice kid. I think he surprised anyone knew who he was.

[Law Goalie 147]

Because Balfour was being inducted, he played at the HHOF's Legends Game this year. I wouldn't say he was a prick, but what I found funny was even the other players interacted with him in way that they knew he's wound slightly different than the rest of us.

Funny Belfour story... he was once at a goalie camp with a bunch of kids half his age, and they went on a four-mile run. About halfway through, he was, well, a little over the hill - until someone made a crack about him being such. He ran through the field, finished first, and promptly blew up his guts all over the finish line -- my guess is, largely just to make everyone else run through it.

He's one of those ultra-competitive guys who, thanks to his rather passive position on the ice, can be incredibly driven without really hurting anyone but himself. The only guy he apparently ever deferred to was Valdislav Tretiak.

[hampshirepuck 2]

Steve Leech

Zdeno Chara

Terry O'reilly

All Great Guys

[L.F.O.D. 0]

Terry O'reilly

Ken Hodge

Ray Bourque

All at different times. All are super nice guys.

[hunterphfr 12]

Guy Boucher

I need to figure out how to resize it, if I posted it as is right now I'd be banned for a year. But I have a really cool picture of Guy Boucher giving a pre-game speach to the Peewee team my son plays on.

Most of the Lightning players and coaches kids play for a rival organization. Ohlund and Roloson's sons currently play against my son's team. Obviously travel allowing it is not out of the norm to see a Lightning player at the local rinks. Being in a non-hockey environment, the hockey circle is fairly small. Crossed paths with the following at some point or another, to name the ones I can remember.

Andreychuk

Clarke

Ohlund

Roloson

Tucker, coaches and runs clinics in the area (currently in Italy I believe)

Crossman, runs practices for organisation my son belongs to

Dingman

[theGhost 0]

Have yet to meet an NHLer but I chaplain the local ECHL team, so hopefully within a few years I'll know a few. They are all great guys, hard to imagine any of them becoming a prick if they made the show... Ghost

[Apes44 7]

Yeah, I've never actually met Kane but being from Buffalo where he spends his off seasons, I've heard from a few friends that he's an egomaniac and acts like a hard guy downtown.

I've met a few Sabres

Paul Gaustad is a pretty cool guy.

Mike Weber is really genuine and took pictures with everyone and made sure everyone got everything they wanted signed before he left.

Leino was really cool and talked to everyone.

Kaleta was cool.

Enroth was quiet but friendly, as was Sekera.

Gerbe was another really cool guy, very short, but muscular. Drew Stafford was another guy who looked noticeably muscular.

Zack Kassian was different, He took the time to take pictures and talked very little but seemed like a block head.

I knew Weber back when he was in High School before he went to Windsor, i second what you say about him being a good guy! Skated with him a few times too and even though he was heads above everyone he toned it down to make sure everyone had fun! Hes one of those guys who you can root for even when you arent a fan of the team because hes such a great human being!

back in high school i worked in the room for the penguins and got to meet Mario, Kovy, Straka, and that whole crew. Never met a player who was a jerk...except Patrick Roy, asked to take a pic with him (his eqm ok'd it first as that was what we were told to do, since at least 10 things with Mario's signature went out with it each game for the visitors) and Roy was just rude about it, found out later through my personal fav on the team Ville Niemenen that even after morning skates on game days Roy is just super focused (or so he told me) when Nimo got the pic signed for both me and the other game day only guy.

Ovechkin was alright when I met him a few years ago, Backstrom turned me into a huge fan because he couldnt have been nicer and friendlier, probably talked with me for 25 min before one of the coaches was told him he had to go to the bus!

Ran in to Orpik and Dupuis at Starbucks both were really friendly

[pzilla3 0]

Ken Daneyko on a train leaving Penn Station.

[Powerfibers 8]

Coached against Mike Peca yesterday, nice guy. His father in law is my dentist and he is a great guy, so I am not surprised. Heard Mike is a real pita on the ice though.

[Katzenjammer 1]

Grew up playing with Amonte on a daily basis.

And with a bunch of other players who went on to play in Europe.

Played with Oreilly a few years back.

[Dougie8 0]

i played against Nugent Hopkins in midget. I was at the bar this summer, and ran into Andrew Ladd, Kris Versteeg, Troy Brouwer, and Colin Fraser. They were out for Ladd's bachelor party, ended up partying with them all night.

[the_sock 1]

Went to high school with Dominic Moore. He was in my class from grade 9 to OAC. Never thought he would make the show and stick. Great guy, nice, quiet and smart. He was a very small kid until grade 12 when he grew up. All three of his brothers went to Harvard.

Went to school at the same time as Spezza, was just a young kid when I was there. Nice guy, like a puppy, always smiling. My boss has a text book signed from him as a joke back then.

On a side note, my boss was chirped by Carey Price at the all star game...priceless.

[bagsbie 8]

I've met a few NHLers over the years, mostly from Russia. One recent meet, last night, was Dmitri Orlov and Alex Semin. They were having dinner at a friend's restaurant in Boston while I was there with my 5 year old (really went there so my son could meet the guys, since my friend told me about their dinner plans ahead of time). Apparently, Alex Ovechkin was supposed to be there as well but ended up as a no-show... Took a couple of snaps of my little guy with them. Funny, when they asked my son who he was rooting for the next game he point blank told them Boston Bruins. I thought that was priceless... Anyway, Semin signed a ton of autographs for a bunch of people on the way out...