Nicest and rudest NHLers you've met

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Yeah, he and Oliwa are two former Flames I miss the most. They brought so much personality to the team. Ville especially was instrumental (in my opinion) in the 2004 run. I suppose we have Jokinen now, which is pretty awesome. But Jokinen is not a wild man on the ice the way Ville was.

Well, Ville and Jokinen are very different players.

Niemenen was a prick and pest who was effective. He took his lumps but he also occasionally took things too far.

I just liked him because of his personality and that insane grin!

[ShotDownInFlames12]

Originally Posted by MikeMc

And a friend of mine went to get Stevie Y's autograph after a game when he was a kid, for some reason Yzerman mumbled something then pushed him outta the way, kid fell back onto the side of a bread truck. Guys hated him every since. ha.

hahah. this was me. and its completely true. What a dickhead.

I hate hearing everyone say this guy is pure class.

[Ryan5]

I've only met a few players outside of the Flames but Andrew Ference is a really terrific guy. And when everyone was waiting for the Flames to leave the saddledome for autographs roman hamrlik just sped by everyone, oh well.

[Vinny01]

I was working at Future shop back in 2006 and helped Tanguay out with Ipod's. It was his first season with the team. As he was leaving I made mention of a great game he had recently and I was really happy he played for the Flames. He was very nice about it.

My girlfriend worked at the Voodoo Lounge last spring/summer (formerlly the Rusty Cage) and she served Reggie, Bouw, and is friends with one of the trainers. She was up in Edmonton at UofA last year and every road game got to go out with the team 2 nights before the game. She said that Kipper was the nicest Flame she met and ordered vodka-crans by the trayfull (and let anyone in the party help themselves). She said Bouwmeester was really quiet but when she mentioned that she grew up in Medicine Hat he was much more open and chatty as they were able to talk about the Tigers etc.

[Bill Bumface]

Originally Posted by Makarov

Yeah, he and Oliwa are two former Flames I miss the most. They brought so much personality to the team. Ville especially was instrumental (in my opinion) in the 2004 run. I suppose we have Jokinen now, which is pretty awesome. But Jokinen is not a wild man on the ice the way Ville was.

Everything I've ever heard was that Oliwa was such a dick that the entire team was relieved he was gone.

[fascistflamesfan]

I met Dave Anderchuk (sp) when I was a kid and he was really nice, he took the time to stop and sign a bunch of stuff for my brother and I, Gary Roberts is really nice as well, he always takes time to stop and talk to people. I met Kotsopolous at a game I was surprised how skinny he was but he was really nice, he kinda looked like a guy who enjoyed walking around abnd being recognized. I have some pics with him, he wa realyl cool.

My buddy plays in a league in the summer that the Stewart brothers, Simmonds and Joel Ward all play in, he said that ward and simmonds are the nicest mos humble guys ever who just enjoy and appreciated playing with a bunch of older dudes.

He says Ward and Simmonds never go for beers or wings or anyhting and that thye train twice a day in the summer together. On an off topic I used to train with Steve Molitor the boxer, he is a good guy but man did he used light me up when we sparred.

[Cecil Terwilliger]

Originally Posted by ShotDownInFlames12

hahah. this was me. and its completely true. What a dickhead.

I hate hearing everyone say this guy is pure class.

Well Stevie Y went out of his way to sign an autograph for me. I was 5 and it was my birthday. I still have the picture framed.

I guess that proves your story is false. He's pure class.

[ballin]

in 1998 my grandmother knitted mini team canada jerseys for the olympics. She made one for every team member all the coaches and even one for don cherry and ron mcclean. She sent them all out, don cherry even talked about it on coaches corner as she was battling breast cancer. All of the players sent her thank you letters, but theo fluery got in touch with my family and came to visit her at the petr laugheed ( i dont know how to spell that). Long story short i thought it was so nice for him to come and visit her. I was sitting by her bed and in walks theoron fluery, he signed autographs for a couple minutes brought her flowers and sat and chatted with her.One of the coolest things about it was there was no PR rep no cameras, just him.

[Beerfest]

Frazer McLaren

I met him in Cancun at the club Coco Bongo's. We were both leaving the bathroom area walking back to the main room and he started talking to me. Asked me where I was from, etc, talked for a bit, told me where he was from, mentioned he played Pro hockey, Im pretty sure I asked him where and he said the Worcester Sharks. He mentioned he had played some NHL games also.

He told me he had come down with some teammates during the Allstar break, I believe he was with Worcester at the time. He told me where he was sitting and if I wanted to I could come over whenever and talk/hang with them or whatever (I didnt, I really wish I did)

Currently his only NHL goal is against the Canucks! haha

It was pretty crazy to randomly run into a hockey player like that, haha.

He was very nice.

[jayswin]

Originally Posted by Captain_Obvious

I met Iggy once around his rookie season. Maybe it was a year after. He was at the Safeway in Kensington picking out a can of chunky soup.

I started chanting "Iggy! Iggy! Iggy!" and he smiled and laughed.

Not much of a story but it was enough for me at the time. I'm about the same age as him so I felt weird asking for an autograph so I left it at that.

So you chanted the nickname of a hockey player that's the same age as you, in the middle of a grocery store, but thought asking for an autograph would be weird?

[Redlan]

Nicest: Peplinski, Trottier, MacDonald, Ranford, MacTavish, MacAmmond

Rudest: Anderson, Semenko

[T@T]

Super great guys on the Flames over the years: Paul(the party)Reinhart,Lanny Macdonald,Mel Bridgeman,Craig Berube,Gary Suter,Colin Patterson,Perry Berezan,Iginla,Conroy.

Total freaking dinks(IMO): Brett Hull, Al MacInnis, Dan Quinn, Derek Morris.

[Captain_Obvious]

Originally Posted by flameswin

So you chanted the nickname of a hockey player that's the same age as you, in the middle of a grocery store, but thought asking for an autograph would be weird?

Yes it was mostly in jest.

[spetch]

After the Red/White game almost the entire team went over to Cowboys. Met quite a few of the players that night with the Staal's being pretty easy and fun to talk to. Mike Green however was the biggest jerk. Jumbo Joe & Rick Nash were more than happy to make sure EVERYONE that was wanting an autograph at the 2009 Mike Weir Golf tourny got one. Other than that Lanny Mc. & Shane Doan (his entire family for that matter) would probably rank up there as the nicest NHL'rs I've met with Doan'r being #1

[Bootsy]

I've met a few over the years Gary Roberts, Lanny Mc, Steve Begin, Cale Hulse, Fred Braithwaite, Jeff Cowan, Steve Smith and Phil Housley.

I had short pleasant conversaions with Cowan, Hulse , Braithwaite and Smith.
Lanny , Begin and Roberts were the coolest of the bunch . I got drunk with Lanny at a small pub, an all around good guy. Begin sat at mine and a few friends table at Cowboys one night chatting away, he was a rookie and at the time his english was awful but a funny down to earth guy.

Roberts I met when I was at a bantam spring camp for the Calgary Royals, it was at the Father David Bauer rink and a bunch of Flames and NHLers who live around the Calgary area had the Norma Bush rink right beside it playing pick up. I broke a skate lace and went to the equipment room to get another. As I was replacing the lace , a guy came in and started talking to me, I never looked up to see who it was , I just assumed it was another player from camp. We chatted for a few minutes then I looked up to see it was Gary Roberts who I had been chatting with. I was 15 or 16 at the time and became completey star struck and could barely put 2 sentences together after that , Roberts had alwas been my favorite player and I idolized the way he played. He noticed my change in demenor and kind of chuckled ,gave me a few tips for camp and wished me luck. After that I became an even bigger fan of his.

Houlsey was a complete d-bag, which was ok because had he been a decent guy I might have felt bad about all those times I was chanting Phyllis at Flames games. Hated the way he played and his persona lived up to his game.

[MoneyGuy]

Originally Posted by Redlan

Nicest: Peplinski, Trottier, MacDonald, Ranford, MacTavish, MacAmmond

Rudest: Anderson, Semenko

I have a photo of me, Glenn Anderson, the Grey Cup and the Stanley Cup. Anderson was very nice.

[Badger Bob]

Floyd Smith - Sabres coach when they made Finals in '75. He purchased the house of my parents' friends (had actually been in the home for a dinner party, the previous summer). While bike riding with a friend, I told him. Then, on a whim, suggested we go to the house. We did and asked for Floyd. He came to the door and spoke for a few moments with us goofy kids. He politely excused himself, as he was getting ready to head to the airport to catch the flight to Philly. It's one of those things that happen as a kid, that you appreciate more as an adult, that it was such an amazing experience.

Scotty Bowman - was at an auto show at my then place of employment. He got to be friends with the Plant Manager, as both shuttled back and forth to Detroit from Buffalo. Scotty was exactly like when you see him interviewed on TV. He'll pause to think about the answer to a question, look up and give an honest and thoughtful reply. He signed his Detroit Red Wings Head Coach business card for me.

Guy Lafleur - saw him at after a card show ended in Toronto. The previous winter, he was scheduled to appear at old timers game in HSBC Arena to honor Ted Darling (Sabres broadcaster, who passed). I asked him what happened. He explained that he was driving through Burlington, and hit a snow storm. We chatted a bit about, and I decided to let him move along. After all, this was Guy Lafleur and probably a very busy man. He looked back to continue asking questions about me!

Mike Robataille - former Sabres and Canucks player, current Sabres studio analyst. See him at my gym frequently. Always willing to chat on a wide variety of subjects. His wife operates a successful real estate office.

Pat Lafontaine - a total gentleman who seems genuinely interested in everyone he meets and is extremely generous about signing autographs.

Jean Beliveau - met him at a signing event in Niagara Falls, NY. He's everything that you've always heard - pure class. A friend of mine, in Montreal, told me a story of when he was starting his career in finance at a bank, sometime during the mid 80's, Jean Beliveau had been asked to make an appearance. That afternoon, there was a holdup!

Rick Martin - saw him at an auto show. Told him that I attended the '78 All Star game at the old Memorial Auditorium as an 11-year old. He extended his hand and said, "one for me, two for Gilbert." What a grip that man had. Sadly, he passed over the winter, but I did attend the memorial service at HSBC Arena.



Can't think of any negative encounter with an NHL player ever. Of the 4 major sports in North America, hockey players probably have the highest proportion of players who are decent, all around people.

[Chip Hilton]

Originally Posted by Badger Bob

Can't think of any negative encounter with an NHL player ever. Of the 4 major sports in North America, hockey players probably have the highest proportion of players who are decent, all around people.

Couldn't agree with you more.

Pat Quinn, Bobby Orr, Stan Smyl, Steve Tambellini, Kevin Bieksa, Dave Tomlinson, Trevor Linden, Lanny McDonald and a few others. All very good guys. Like Badger Bob, never a bad experience.

I have a friend who is a current NHL referee and he tells me that the two nicest, classiest guys in the league, hands down, are Shane Doan and Jarome Iginla.

[C_of_Red28]

Nicest: Iginla or MacInnis.. Mason Raymond

Rudest: Gretzky(however he did get injured the game I watched).

[Redlan]

Originally Posted by MoneyGuy

I have a photo of me, Glenn Anderson, the Grey Cup and the Stanley Cup. Anderson was very nice.

Both of my meetings with Anderson have been somewhat negative, but then again I may be comparing the experience with my much more positive ones and not on it's own merrit...on second thought...no he's just inconsiderate.

Regardless, after me and my son had met him at an oldtimers game, Anderson was auctioning off an Oilers jersey in between periods for charity, and the crowd was buzzing, cheering. Anderson asked the lighting guy to turn off the spotlight...which would have left the place in the dark (the arena lights take about 30 to 45 seconds to get bright enough). I don't know if it was the noise or the logistics with the lighting, but Anderson stormed off the ice in a huffy, taking the jersey with him. It was the same Prima Donna attitude that he had in the personal meetings that I did not care for, or want my children to experience.