Nicest and rudest NHLers you've met

[SeeBass]

Nicest: Pat Lafontaine

Rudest: Tom Barrasso

[Sample00]

A few years back a friend from here (CP) made arrangements for my kids to meet some of the Flames when they were coming back from a game in Vancouver.

My kids were about 10 and 13 at the time

Nicest - Anders Eriksson - real classy guy, came over from where is car was parked to sign the kid's jerseys and get his picture taken with them.

Daymond Langkow was awesome, real shy but didnt mind signing an autograph and having his picture taken.

Dion Phaneuf - PURE GOLD!. Gave the kids a hard time about being out so late. Asked them what they wanted for Christmas, Just spent a great deal of time talking to them and was really easing going about autographs and pictures.

Kipper (my son's hero) - was so awesome! really shy but didnt mind signing the jersey, having his picture taking and just being an all round nice guy.

and here is where I will probably feel the wrath of CP,

Jarome Iginla was probably having a tough night, (they lost to Vancouver) but he was very standoffish, gave the impression that he didnt want to be bothered. He did sign the kids jerseys and when I asked him if it was ok for a picture with the kids, he gave the, "ya, if I have to look" and an 'alright' response.
needless to say, my impression of Iggy is somewhat, meh. Dont get me wrong, I like him as a the star of our team and all but it just kinda left me being a bit disappointed considering everything you hear about him.

[killer_carlson]

wow. If that hadn't have come from Sample - who I've met at a CP pub thing - I don't know if I'd have believed it.

I guess with Iggy, he still stayed for the photo and signed whereas many other players would have walked away.

[mattyk19]

Originally Posted by Sample00

Jarome Iginla was probably having a tough night, (they lost to Vancouver) but he was very standoffish, gave the impression that he didnt want to be bothered. He did sign the kids jerseys and when I asked him if it was ok for a picture with the kids, he gave the, "ya, if I have to look" and an 'alright' response.
needless to say, my impression of Iggy is somewhat, meh. Dont get me wrong, I like him as a the star of our team and all but it just kinda left me being a bit disappointed considering everything you hear about him.

I'm thinking that must have been a tough night for Iggy. I heard that a bunch of the Flames were at Bungalow (17th) in a sectioned off area. It's just a big square and not that big of a bar, so they were still approachable. One girl approached Iggy with a napkin asking if he'd give an autograph for her Mom who's a huge Iginla fan. He did it. But then a little while later he found her again and gave an actual Flames poster with his autograph to give her Mom instead of the napkin. Guess he or another Flame had it in his car, went out and grabbed it for her.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by TheSutterDynasty

...
Frankly I find it amazing that these guys can constantly small talk and act interested to strangers occasionally, let alone hearing how often some guys (like Iginla) do it. I wouldn't have the patience to deal with entitled clowns like yourself...

Those who retreat to insulting the opponents rather than argue with their opinion they don't like or agree with, are unworthy of any meaningful discussion. I will not do the same, although you deserve a response as rude as yours.

I was watching the story about Rush on TV yesterday and Geddy Lee was talking about constant encounters with fans after the band had become really famous. (The drummer, Neil Peart couldn't stand the fans due to his extreme shyness and was always trying to avoid any encounters.) Lee said: "I quickly realized that most of the time fans just want to tell you how much they appreciate what you do. All I had to do was to sincerely thank them back. It was never too difficult for me to do. It kinda comes with the territory."

My original comment was about sincerity. Not sure how it had escalated to trading insults.

[killer_carlson]

that rush documentary was fantastic. I'm not even that much of a fan, but I was absolutely riveted watching it. Awesome documentary.

[CaptainYooh]

Originally Posted by killer_carlson

...I'm not even that much of a fan, but I was absolutely riveted watching it...

Same here.

[Huntingwhale]

Nicest: Darryl Sutter
Rudest: Rico Fata

[TheSutterDynasty]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Those who retreat to insulting the opponents rather than argue with their opinion they don't like or agree with, are unworthy of any meaningful discussion. I will not do the same, although you deserve a response as rude as yours.

My original comment was about sincerity. Not sure how it had escalated to trading insults.

Better ignore everything I said and dismiss it because I hurt your feelings.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Sample00

A few years back a friend from here (CP) made arrangements for my kids to meet some of the Flames when they were coming back from a game in Vancouver.

My kids were about 10 and 13 at the time

Nicest - Anders Eriksson - real classy guy, came over from where is car was parked to sign the kid's jerseys and get his picture taken with them.

Daymond Langkow was awesome, real shy but didnt mind signing an autograph and having his picture taken.

Dion Phaneuf - PURE GOLD!. Gave the kids a hard time about being out so late. Asked them what they wanted for Christmas, Just spent a great deal of time talking to them and was really easing going about autographs and pictures.

Kipper (my son's hero) - was so awesome! really shy but didnt mind signing the jersey, having his picture taking and just being an all round nice guy.

and here is where I will probably feel the wrath of CP,

Jarome Iginla was probably having a tough night, (they lost to Vancouver) but he was very standoffish, gave the impression that he didnt want to be bothered. He did sign the kids jerseys and when I asked him if it was ok for a picture with the kids, he gave the, "ya, if I have to look" and an 'alright' response.
needless to say, my impression of Iggy is somewhat, meh. Dont get me wrong, I like him as a the star of our team and all but it just kinda left me being a bit disappointed considering everything you hear about him.

They all have bad nights. At least he signed and did a picture. I can't imagine how much these guys go through day in and day out, being bothered everywhere they go.

[cznTiburon]

After the game 7 loss to anaheim a couple years ago a few of my buddies and me went out back to meet the players. Most stopped and signed jerseys, Iggy was the only one to get out and walk around and talk to the Fans. That was a pretty tough loss so i could understand players wanting to just get out but he was fantastic.

He took pics with people, signed jerseys, and put up with the drunk idiots (me and my buddies)

Also met iggy coming out of a movie theater once, his GF (at the time - now wife) was noticeably annoyed we were waiting for him, but he was all smiles.

Everyones allowed a bad day so i would imagine sample just caught him on one of those.

Met Phaneuf and Gio at cowboys once, both were complete #######s

[IgnitedSoul]

Originally Posted by cznTiburon

After the game 7 loss to anaheim a couple years ago a few of my buddies and me went out back to meet the players. Most stopped and signed jerseys, Phaneuf just drove past everyone, Iggy was the only one to get out and walk around and talk to the Fans. That was a pretty tough loss so i could understand players wanting to just get out but he was fantastic.

He took pics with people, signed jerseys, and put up with the drunk idiots (me and my buddies)

Just want to say I was there, too. While everything you say about Iggy is true, I feel the need to point out that Dion did actually stop and sign some autographs that night. That was the quietest I've ever seen him, but only about 6 players stopped, and he was definitely one of them.

[kermitology]

Originally Posted by Russic

Sold dean mccammond weed killer once, he was cool.

I sold him a tree once.. or rather got a tree replaced for him. He was such a quiet guy. He wasn't getting anywhere with the customer service desk, started walking out of the garden centre and then he asked me if I could help him. So damn quiet, but such a nice guy, great family too.

[Walter Reed]

I personally never approach players but like many others, meet them at functions or events.
I wouldn't say Bouwmeester is rude, he simply lacks any personality.
Dean Mcammond is a very humble nice guy. His faith plays a large part in his life.
Met Bill Guerin and his wife numerous times at dog off leash parks, both were very nice.
Georges Laraque is very personable, funny and outgoing.
Trevor Linden, a true gentleman.
Dwayne Roloson .... simply would rather not be around fans.

[cznTiburon]

Originally Posted by IgnitedSoul

Just want to say I was there, too. While everything you say about Iggy is true, I feel the need to point out that Dion did actually stop and sign some autographs that night. That was the quietest I've ever seen him, but only about 6 players stopped, and he was definitely one of them.

Please excuse my ignorance as i was a drunk idiot, my memory clearly slips me.

[SILVERBACK13]

the best one was Jagr--sat down beside him at a bar, not even knowing it. Then talked to him for about 20 minutes, awsome guy. Even bought me a round. Found out we liked the same thing Canadian Woman...which I just happened to have 3 with me.

Mike Bossy--was in town for a card signing. He had snuck out for a smoke break behind the build just as I was walking by...had a quick chat.

[TRIX]

met a bunch and had conversations with and played with, too many stories to list here...but...

nicest

Marty McSorley (multiple occasions)

rudest

Regehr (also multiple occasions)

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by CaptainYooh

Those who retreat to insulting the opponents rather than argue with their opinion they don't like or agree with, are unworthy of any meaningful discussion. I will not do the same, although you deserve a response as rude as yours.

I was watching the story about Rush on TV yesterday and Geddy Lee was talking about constant encounters with fans after the band had become really famous. (The drummer, Neil Peart couldn't stand the fans due to his extreme shyness and was always trying to avoid any encounters.) Lee said: "I quickly realized that most of the time fans just want to tell you how much they appreciate what you do. All I had to do was to sincerely thank them back. It was never too difficult for me to do. It kinda comes with the territory."

My original comment was about sincerity. Not sure how it had escalated to trading insults.

on this topic, my wife met Geddy Lee three years ago at the store she worked at, she said he's the nicest man ever.

on the hockey topic. Nicest: Ron Stern, Martin Gelinas, Georges Laraque

Rudest: Bobby Clarke, Bobby Hull

[IgnitedSoul]

Originally Posted by cznTiburon

Please excuse my ignorance as i was a drunk idiot, my memory clearly slips me.

No harm done

I'm not a huge Phaneuf fan or anything, but I feel like people hop on the "he's rude/a jerk/etc." bandwagon pretty quickly, sometimes. Personal experience of him being one is different, but whenever I've seen him, he was (except the aforementioned 'quiet' encounter) really chatty, great with giving kids pictures/autographs/whatever.

[greentree]

Iggy and Mario Lemieux were the nicest NHL players I've ever met.
Pat Lafontaine and Dave Tippett were also very kind to me.
Ovechkin was shy but I met him before he was drafted.
Gretzky was most unpleasant...could have been a bad day?