Nicest and rudest NHLers you've met

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by paragon

I agree.

From what I have read, most hockey players are better people than I am. I don't know, if I could cope with their lack of privacy.

Yeah, it'd be tough. But then I'd clean up the map of the Hawaiian Islands I just dropped on my super model wife with a handful of crinkled hundreds and it'd be ok.

[bigalspratty]

This past Stampede week, I was in Nashville North with some friends and looked over and saw Shea Weber there. Walked over just to say hi and he shook my hand and didnt say anything. When I said I was a fan of his game he said "Who do you think I am?" and turned back to chatting up some girl in the bar. Needless to say my impression of him was none too good.
On the flip side, there is the obvious choice of Jarome. All the stories we here about him doing good in the community and for people, you can tell he was raised well and treats everyone nicely. We all have our off days though and I can see where sometimes he might not be as friendly as other times but overall seems like a nice guy.
I got to know Dion during his time in Calgary and have to say while he is a fairly intense guy, he was always pleasant to talk to and signed an autograph whenever someone asked. He may not be the most approachable guy and yes, he can be kind of a dink, but whenever he was around kids who just wanted a picture with him or just someone who wanted to shake his hand, he always seemed to make time for a quick chat. I think the impression some people have of him is that he is a ######.... While I dont disagree with that, I do have to say that sometimes people just dont want to be bothered and if you catch them when they just want to blend into a crowd, making a public spectacle of someone can be a poor decision on your part.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by bigalspratty

This past Stampede week, I was in Nashville North with some friends and looked over and saw Shea Weber there. Walked over just to say hi and he shook my hand and didnt say anything. When I said I was a fan of his game he said "Who do you think I am?" and turned back to chatting up some girl in the bar. Needless to say my impression of him was none too good.

Maybe because he wasn't Shea Weber and just some random guy wondering why this weirdo is saying stupid things to him.

[jaydub74]

Bigalspratty: Are you sure you're not a stalker? following these guys around, chatting them up. Maybe you should consider that fact they want some privacy? and what do you get out of a handshake and a hello anyway? The opportunity to brag to your internet friends about how you met so and so and shook their hand. Lame.

[jayswin]

lol......stoker

[Southside]

Originally Posted by bigalspratty

This past Stampede week, I was in Nashville North with some friends and looked over and saw Shea Weber there. Walked over just to say hi and he shook my hand and didnt say anything. When I said I was a fan of his game he said "Who do you think I am?" and turned back to chatting up some girl in the bar. Needless to say my impression of him was none too good.
On the flip side, there is the obvious choice of Jarome. All the stories we here about him doing good in the community and for people, you can tell he was raised well and treats everyone nicely. We all have our off days though and I can see where sometimes he might not be as friendly as other times but overall seems like a nice guy.
I got to know Dion during his time in Calgary and have to say while he is a fairly intense guy, he was always pleasant to talk to and signed an autograph whenever someone asked. He may not be the most approachable guy and yes, he can be kind of a dink, but whenever he was around kids who just wanted a picture with him or just someone who wanted to shake his hand, he always seemed to make time for a quick chat. I think the impression some people have of him is that he is a ######.... While I dont disagree with that, I do have to say that sometimes people just dont want to be bothered and if you catch them when they just want to blend into a crowd, making a public spectacle of someone can be a poor decision on your part.

He spends the season in Nashville and the off season in Nashville North?

[OutOfTheCube]

When I worked at the Saddledome as an usher we would run into players every now and then. My favorite story was from 2005. Now I started the season up in the nosebleeds, and the easiest way to get from there to our staff room below the ice was the staff elevator. So that's what we used. The cool part was going right past the visitor's dressing room when you got to ice level!

So Calgary was losing, but scored two quick goals before the end of the second period to take the lead. Second intermission was my break so I headed down to eat my dinner. On the way back up before the third I'm approaching the security guard at the door to the visitor's dressing room and I say something like "Yeah, two goals, that's a little more like it!" and he respons with "Oh yeah, I don't think he's too happy about it!" I come up to where the door is and Chris Pronger is there working on his stick. Enormous human being. He obviously glances at my name tag and jokingly says "Yeah Kevin, you better watch your back!"

So I've always kinda liked Pronger for that since then

[saskflames69]

ive only met 2 NHL'ers in my lifetime. Brayden and Luke Schenn. They taught me how to skate. Of course this was before they were famous.

[BigDogg]

Very last day of high school, I finish my final exam, return my books to the library. As I'm walking to the car I get a phone call from my Mom, she's down at Milestones on the inner harbour for lunch and tells me that Jarome is sitting two tables away from her and to get my Iggy jersey and a camera and haul ass.
So I made it down there in record time (breaking some traffic laws along the way), sure enough he's there sitting with some buddies. Apparently he was in town for a friend's wedding. I saw that he was eating so I figured the polite thing to do would be to obviously wait until he's finished his meal before I bother him. I remember just sitting there frozen trying not to gawk at him too much haha, I was pretty star struck.

Finally mustered up the courage to get up and talk to him. As I'm walking towards him he sees me coming, immediately gets out of his chair, with a big smile on his face, and goes to shake my hand. All I remember saying to him was that he was my all time favourite player and that I would really appreciate it if he could sign my jersey. He signed it for me and noticed that my Mom had a camera in her hand and asked me if I wanted to take a picture with him, he made me an offer I couldn't refuse lol. After the photo he shook my hand again and my Mom's.

Just a true classy professional, he didn't have to sign/pose for a picture but he did and he did it without making it seem like it was a chore for him. It made me feel ridiculously happy and gave me a memory I'll hold onto forever.

I've met many of the old timers through their circuit, Lanny was always awesome and I have a great picture that he took with me when I was a kid, great guy.

Guy Lafleur was awesome too, real funny guy, and I'm pretty sure he was hitting on my Mom lol.

I deal with the Courtnall brothers quite a bit through my work, they use Macs and need our business to fix them when they screw something up. Kinda your prototypical clueless jocks who make it to the pros, like to say their full names every time I talk to them, but all around nice guys.

[NuclearFart]

Originally Posted by BloodFetish

Pfft. Must have been Brandi's.

I was thinking more No. 5 Orange...

As for the Dion opinion, chat with anyone who went to high school with him. Sounds like he's always been like that.

[someguy51]

Great thread. I enjoyed reading everyone's stories.

Rudest: Al MacInnis

Nicest: Ric Nattress. I was 11 or 12, my dad took me to a Flames game in 89. I can't remember who they were playing but Joe Mullen scored his 50th that night. I was standing in line for autographs after the game. Some kids didn't know who Nattress was. He said "does anyone know who am I?" I said "Your Ric Nattress." He said "Finally someone who knows who I am". He then went to the end of the line and signed my autograph first. He became my favorite player that night.

[Bezer]

I met Mikeal Backlund and his girlfriend tonight at the gym, very personable and very accommodating. I asked him how he was feeling, and he gave a sincere answer stating he was feeling really good and very excited about this year. Seemed like a really decent guy.

[trackercowe]

^ Is Backlund's girlfriend Swedish/hot? I imagine if the first part is true, the second part will be as well.

[Bezer]

Originally Posted by trackercowe

^ Is Backlund's girlfriend Swedish/hot? I imagine if the first part is true, the second part will be as well.

I don't think she is Swedish but as my wife asked me "well is she blonde?" and yes, she is blonde, blue eyes and good looking girl. She offered to take a picture of us together which was kinda cool.

[BBQorMILDEW]

I met Brendan Morrison today at Chinook Centre; really down to earth kind of guy. He was shopping with this two sons and two daughters. His wife seemed to be a very nice woman as well.

I knew it was him right away. I waited a couple minutes and casually approached him. I asked how he felt going into the season, he said that he's finally starting to feel better from last seasons injury. I asked him about Sven Bartschi and he said that the kid is "the real deal", he expects him to fight for a spot on the team.

There was more conversation about how he felt the team was going to perform this season. Obviously he feels strongly about the group, which is exactly what he's supposed to say.

One thing I did notice with him is that he's not built like the prototypical hockey player. Very skinny.

All in all, he was a very good person to talk with.

[Bill Bumface]

Do any of you guys feel guilty for going and striking up 5 minute conversations with these guys? I know they are paid enough money to compensate for it, but still, especially when they are with their families, I have a hard time going further than a smile or a head nod. I'm not calling anyone out, I just feel oddly uncomfortable going up and talking to strangers that have no idea who I am.

[XeO]

A girl I know in Edmonton works at a Bar up there, and last weekend Taylor Hall came into the bar that she works at and talked to her. I asked her how that went, and she told me he was a dick and suggested he come home with her to ****. She laughed and said no..I'm a flames fan. He then didn't know what to say and walked off.

Then I asked her if she was ever attracted to him because of his status as a hockey player. And she told me no, she thinks maybe the fact he gets paid seven figures has gone to his head since hes so young. She did tell me he is fit but said his face is ugly, but the biggest thing that turned her off was how he blatantly told her to come home with him as if he is entitled to it.

Anyways, I found this interesting, Almost sounds like some stuff I've heard of Phaneuf. Although to Phaneuf's credit, I do know he did a lot of volunteer work at the childrens hospital when he was in Calgary.

[BurningYears]

Originally Posted by BloodFetish

Pfft. Must have been Brandi's.

I think its Vancouvers version of cowboys, but the Roxy.

[bigalspratty]

Originally Posted by Fire

Maybe because he wasn't Shea Weber and just some random guy wondering why this weirdo is saying stupid things to him.

When I mentioned hockey, a guy he was with said they were here on a bachelor party from Nashville. His buddy blocked me out and told me to leave them alone. I wasn't trashed and just wanted to say hi.

[Ice]

Originally Posted by BigDogg

I deal with the Courtnall brothers quite a bit through my work, they use Macs and need our business to fix them when they screw something up. Kinda your prototypical clueless jocks who make it to the pros, like to say their full names every time I talk to them, but all around nice guys.

I don't know about Geoff but Russ is a total airhead. People who have to deal with him don't get upset because he is a nice guy, but he is most certainly a protoypical dumb jock. I guess that's what happens when you grow up in a job where all you need to know is when to catch the bus or be at the rink and everything else is taken care of for you. I didn't see him around much last year, I think he moved with his kid to Shattuck's or something.