Nicest and rudest NHLers you've met

[Alberta_Beef]

Originally Posted by EldrickOnIce

Most entitled: Kevin Lowe

I don't know how I forgot this, but this reminds me that I met Ron Low and he is a complete and utter dink. He wasn't rude to me but he got loaded and berated a co-worker of mine for nothing more than being asked to follow certain rules.

[EldrickOnIce]

Originally Posted by btimbit

Like anyone needed to be told that

Haha... No.
But good story.
The 04-05 full NHL lockout, we had lots of top brass in Camrose checking out Jr. A players as local team went to National championship.
Sutter pulls up in pickup, stands in line with the rest of those paying for tickets, takes his place at rail in top row of old rink.
Lowe rolls up in the Escalade, parks in staff only, weasels in side door up to private box. This is Oil country, so everyone was 'honored' to have Mr. 6 rings up there, but really typifies the difference between the two GM's of the Alberta teams at that time.

[Mr.Coffee]

Have been in a few charity tourneys with ex-pros. They're usually just regular guys. The best story I recall is Tiger Williams however.

Tiger wasn't on our team, another ex-pro was. But in-between games when we went back to the dressing room to hang out til our next game, Tiger was in there sitting half naked in his gear as he had played a game on a separate sheet of ice. Not sure why he came to our dressing room but ok. Anyway, I'm not sure if he was drunk, I don't think so, but he was pretty belligerent. He basically started questioning an overweight guy on our team why he bothered playing since he was a "fatty", then followed up and asked a similar question to an asian guy on our team because he was, well, I guess asian? It didn't really go over that well. From what I recall he was basically making racial innuendos which is odd because he's half-black. Maybe he was joking though, I dunno. It didn't really come off as joking and nobody was really laughing... it was just an awkward silence with a bunch of shifty eyes.

Fast forward to the next charity tournament the following year. Same tournament. Tiger was there. He ended up getting in a fight and getting tossed from the tourney. An actual fist fight with one of the other teams on the ice. In a charity tournament.

Class act, that Tiger. That isn't even all the stories I have, there were a couple other incidents too. Looking back the whole situation was pretty bizarre.

[puckluck2]

I met the whole Edmonton team and have a bunch of crazy stories.

But this isn't the "nicest and rudest AHLers you've met" thread .

[Steve Bozek]

Originally Posted by getbak

Simmons was the worst reporter to ever cover the Flames. He made Francis and Dowbiggen look like Peter Maher and Eric Duhatschek. He was on tv a couple of years ago laughing about trying to create controversy and get Bob Johnson fired just because the Flames dared to hire an American college guy to coach a Canadian team.

Totally agree. Always using or making up controversies to promote himself as some sort of expert. Painful to see him regarded so highly by the networks.

[strombad]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I met the whole Edmonton team and have a bunch of crazy stories.

But this isn't the "nicest and rudest AHLers you've met" thread .

[Fredrik]

I think I´ve told this before, but during last Olympics, during one of Canadas games, the guys in the (swedish) studio asked the reporter at the game which player was the nicest to interview:
- Jarome Iginla.

After the olympics, Swedens most famous NHL-reporter summed up the games.
"Nicest player: Jarome Iginla, it feels like you have to ask HIM to leave".

[Coach]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Have been in a few charity tourneys with ex-pros. They're usually just regular guys. The best story I recall is Tiger Williams however.

Tiger wasn't on our team, another ex-pro was. But in-between games when we went back to the dressing room to hang out til our next game, Tiger was in there sitting half naked in his gear as he had played a game on a separate sheet of ice. Not sure why he came to our dressing room but ok. Anyway, I'm not sure if he was drunk, I don't think so, but he was pretty belligerent. He basically started questioning an overweight guy on our team why he bothered playing since he was a "fatty", then followed up and asked a similar question to an asian guy on our team because he was, well, I guess asian? It didn't really go over that well. From what I recall he was basically making racial innuendos which is odd because he's half-black. Maybe he was joking though, I dunno. It didn't really come off as joking and nobody was really laughing... it was just an awkward silence with a bunch of shifty eyes.

Fast forward to the next charity tournament the following year. Same tournament. Tiger was there. He ended up getting in a fight and getting tossed from the tourney. An actual fist fight with one of the other teams on the ice. In a charity tournament.

Class act, that Tiger. That isn't even all the stories I have, there were a couple other incidents too. Looking back the whole situation was pretty bizarre.

Most ex-NHLers will tell you that Tiger has a screw loose.

[habernac]

Originally Posted by Mr.Coffee

Have been in a few charity tourneys with ex-pros. They're usually just regular guys. The best story I recall is Tiger Williams however.

Tiger wasn't on our team, another ex-pro was. But in-between games when we went back to the dressing room to hang out til our next game, Tiger was in there sitting half naked in his gear as he had played a game on a separate sheet of ice. Not sure why he came to our dressing room but ok. Anyway, I'm not sure if he was drunk, I don't think so, but he was pretty belligerent. He basically started questioning an overweight guy on our team why he bothered playing since he was a "fatty", then followed up and asked a similar question to an asian guy on our team because he was, well, I guess asian? It didn't really go over that well. From what I recall he was basically making racial innuendos which is odd because he's half-black. Maybe he was joking though, I dunno. It didn't really come off as joking and nobody was really laughing... it was just an awkward silence with a bunch of shifty eyes.

Fast forward to the next charity tournament the following year. Same tournament. Tiger was there. He ended up getting in a fight and getting tossed from the tourney. An actual fist fight with one of the other teams on the ice. In a charity tournament.

Class act, that Tiger. That isn't even all the stories I have, there were a couple other incidents too. Looking back the whole situation was pretty bizarre.

It's genetic. My grandfather lived in Weyburn where the Williams family was from. I don't recall him saying a bad word about anyone. The one exception being Tiger's Dad. Said he was the biggest ahole he'd ever come across.

[Misterpants]

Originally Posted by getbak

Simmons was the worst reporter to ever cover the Flames. He made Francis and Dowbiggen look like Peter Maher and Eric Duhatschek. He was on tv a couple of years ago laughing about trying to create controversy and get Bob Johnson fired just because the Flames dared to hire an American college guy to coach a Canadian team.

Every time I see Steve Simmons, I think "Oh, Alex from Degrassi has done well for himself."

[Komskies]

Originally Posted by Cole436

Bahaha that's what most of the guys say. One of my buddies, you may know Loach, would always say the same thing.

By all means I'm pretty terrible at floor hockey, but I did have one proud moment. I scored a goal on Jeff Glass, who playing in net for that ridiculously stacked 2005 World Junior team.

[Drunk Skunk]

Originally Posted by puckluck2

I met the whole Edmonton team and have a bunch of crazy stories.

But this isn't the "nicest and rudest AHLers you've met" thread .

I feel the same way about some current and former Flames players, from their QC days.

Left a bad taste in the mouth of a lot of people around town.


Yes, I realize that was a joke, but oh well.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by fotze

I don't believe there is a single player on the current Flames that were on those rosters.

There's a few guys still in the NHL, but none with the Flames: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/l...047282008.html http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/l...047282009.html


Ugh, those rosters.

[Coach]

It's almost like NHLers are normal people that have good days and bad days...

[MoneyGuy]

I haven't met very many NHL players but have met Gretzky a few times and he's been the nicest guy I could imagine. I don't believe the negative stories about him.

I wasn't there to see this but I know someone who was: around Christmas when he dated Vicki Moss and was at the Moss household. There were kids playing street hockey and Gretz and a couple of the Moss boys (very large family) grabbed some sticks to play with those kids. You should have seen the looks on the faces of those kids when they saw that they were playing with Wayne Gretzky!

I haven't met either of these, but my impressions are: Iggy would be one of the nicest and Pronger would be an absolute dick.

[getbak]

Originally Posted by MattyC

It's almost like NHLers are normal people that have good days and bad days...

Plus, some are extroverted and some are introverted. It's crazy, isn't it?

[Drunk Skunk]

Originally Posted by getbak

There's a few guys still in the NHL, but none with the Flames: http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/l...047282008.html http://www.hockeydb.com/ihdb/stats/l...047282009.html


Ugh, those rosters.

Originally Posted by fotze

I don't believe there is a single player on the current Flames that were on those rosters.

Well hey - most(or all?) of the front office has rolled over, and there are no players remaining - maybe I can finally let it go.

#StillHateAbbotsford

[SofaProfessor]

He didn't have much of an NHL playing career, but we all know him very well... I met Mike Babcock about a year and a half ago. He was doing a book signing so I think he kind of had to be nice but he chatted with everyone for a bit and when I said, "Hey take it easy on the Flames this year" he had a good laugh. Posed for pictures and all that, didn't rush anyone to move along. This was all right as the lockout was about to be announced and everyone was sort of expecting it so I would not have blamed him if he was in a bad mood with everything going on.

[V]

I find it fascinating that there are so many good stories about NHLers. I'd have to say in my experience that the average serious hockey player trying to make it through the junior ranks is a dbag and thinks he's God's gift to the world. Maybe the ones that make it actually drop the attitude at some point.

[btimbit]

Originally Posted by V

I find it fascinating that there are so many good stories about NHLers. I'd have to say in my experience that the average serious hockey player trying to make it through the junior ranks is a dbag and thinks he's God's gift to the world. Maybe the ones that make it actually drop the attitude at some point.

I've known plenty of D-bag hockey guys, especially in school. Those are the ones that rarely make it past juniors.