OT: What Rangers & Non Rangers have you met?

[Gardner McKay]

I figured there would be some pretty neat stories from some of you on Rangers you have met. If you have a lot and don't want to explain them all, a simple list would suffice.

I was fortunate enough to meet Rod Gilbert in one of the suites at MSG when I was maybe 11-12 years old. Couldn't have been nicer. He knew my father was a huge fan so he came over to talk to us for a while.

As far as non Rangers go... I worked at a country club during my college years and I was fortunate enough to meet Colby Armstrong, Zach Bogosian and Angelo Espositio. Armostrong was a really cool guy. The others weren't bad either. All 3 signed my Thrashers jersey. I also have met and had a brew with Tim Ecclestone.

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[Inferno]

Ive slept at a holiday inn express...does that count for anything?

 

[GAGLine]

I met a lot of Rangers back when I used to go to casino night. I even won the auction to have dinner with and skate with Rod Gilbert. That was a lot of fun.

 

[Gardner McKay]

I met a lot of Rangers back when I used to go to casino night. I even won the auction to have dinner with and skate with Rod Gilbert. That was a lot of fun.

I always wanted to go to one of the Casino nights.

 

[JohnC]

I met Adam Graves at a Boomer and Carton softball game. Nicest guy. Got a picture and signed puck out of it.

I met Marty St. Louis last summer at my local ice arena. His kids play there so I met him and got a picture with him.

I met Yandle and Hayes about a month and a half ago. I was doing work for a moving company moving Yandle out of his apartment before free agency I figured it was too unprofessional to ask either of them for pictures/autographs so I just said what up and made brief small talk.

 

[SixGoalieSystem]

Met Deryk Engelland and Jack Skille a few of times when they played in Norway during the last lockout. Neither of them did a whole lot on the ice, but off the ice they were great guys. Always took their time for the fans and never objected to 400m road trips.

 

[Clown Fiesta]

Used to play with Murray Craven he's a great guy. Told me MSG was the worst place to play due to the fans throwing batteries and stuff at the visiting teams bench. Never talked to him much about '94 but always wish I had.

 

[Captain Monglobster]

I met Graves twice - one on day one of individual ticket sales right after the 2004 lockout, also met Lacouture and a couple other guys that day.

The other time was after participating in a focus group, you could either have a meet and greet with Graves, John Starks I think, or $100 credit for the Garden store. Obvious choice. Signed a bunch of stuff and talked hockey, down to Earth guy.

Met Sam Rosen while working a wedding on Long Island right after we got Avery and came back from 3-0 down to the Blues.

Met Gilbert, Callahan, Girardi, Colton Orr, Prucha, Betts, Staal, Jagr, a bunch of other players waiting outside after games for autographs.

Met Mike Bossy working a charity event at a special needs school in Long Island. Met Kenny Albert that night too and was joking with him about Bossy.

I met Lou Lamoriello while working a Yankees dinner at the NYPL on 42nd. Reggie Jackson was there signing baseballs, which were at each seat. During the mad rush to Mr. October I went over to Lou's table and asked him to sign a baseball. I asked him if he could apologize for 15 years of destroying the Rangers. He said, 'How bout this, whats ya name' I told him and he said, 'To _____ , my favorite Ranger fan'.

Last but not least on Messier night I was one of the lucky people to meet Mess in the 400s when he made his rounds. I climbed over a few rows of seats and grabbed part of his hand, which had about 7 hands on it already. It was like seeing Jesus.

 

[GAGLine]

I always wanted to go to one of the Casino nights.

Save your pennies then. The tickets start at $500 now.

 

[Roo Returns]

Rangers:
-Beezer (he visited my day camp back in 1991)

-Kocur/Olzyck 94 (Eddie O was a really cool guy)

-In 2001 I was at a restaurant in Georgetown after the Rangers lost to the Capitals I met Leetch, Lindros, Malholtra and York/Fleury were there but I didn't have the chance to actually say anything to them

-Blackburn,Kaspar, Garth Murray, Hugh Jessiman Draft Party 2004

-Cally in 2007

-Brad Park at the Garden 2008 (a true gentleman)

-McD 2012

-Klein 2014

-Fast 2015

I've also got to meet many of the Rangers beat reporters over the years (Gross, Brooks, Carp, McManus if you remember her) and they were all really cool

 

[Crease]

I met a lot of Rangers back when I used to go to casino night. I even won the auction to have dinner with and skate with Rod Gilbert. That was a lot of fun.

Isn't Gilbert the easiest? A few years ago I would see him at the gym every day and we'd just shoot the **** about anything.

 

[thesnake]

My college roommate was from Cheshire CT and knew the Leetch family. Leetch's Parents took us to a game when were were in college (must have been 92-93 season)... we sat with them and then went back to the players reception room post game where we hung out with Brian for a while. I was just a bystander as the people I was with all knew him from back home, but I remember him being a nice guy to me, the stranger in the group.

His mom had him personalize an autographed picture to me and she mailed it to me a few weeks later.

I've bumped into a bunch of NHL guys but the only other I'd say I actually "met" would be Todd Fedoruk. I skated in a game down at the Wells Fargo center last year and he was our VIP coach for the game. Great guy. Told good stories, asked him about the Orr KO and he said it changed his career... and he was for real pissed that our side lost the game!

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

Ive met Graves a few times. Incredible guy. Met him when i was 13 so it was huge at the time around 93'. He took some time to talk to me and motivated me to really get into playing hockey. Hence the user pic.

Ive met several other players. A few years back my brother happened to work with Colton Orrs father in law and he got us into the "green room" for a few games. Colton was a cool dude, hung out with him and Betts (when he was injured) for an entire game, then the entire team came in and i met most of them and their families. It was pretty awesome.

Also have met and played against plenty of ex-Devils and Islanders including Daneyko who's a great guy.

One of the highlights was back in the early 2000's when I played in college and both Patrick Elias and Brendan Morrison held out of Devils camp and practiced with my team for about a week. I centered a line between the two of them for a few scrimmages and it was a great experience learning from them.

 

[GAGLine]

Isn't Gilbert the easiest? A few years ago I would see him at the gym every day and we'd just shoot the **** about anything.

He's awesome. Very easy going guy.

 

[Trxjw]

I met John Tortorella at a charity event for animals back home a few years ago. Met Graves once. Leetch another time but it was a meet and greet so IDK if we're counting those.

Since moving to Pittsburgh I've had run-ins with quite a number of Penguins. Not that big of a city and a number of them live in the area where I work. Usually I just nod and make a crack about being a Rangers fan. By far the nicest one was Dupuis. Letang ran over my foot with his shopping cart last year in the local Whole Foods and didn't apologize, giving me another reason to hate him.

 

[cwede]

winter '74-75 was in hotel across Igloo in Pitt, for a college conference.
LA Kings were in town for a saturday night game
on friday evening, I came out of elevator, and there was former NYR Captain Bob Nevin with a tall long haired fit guy, turned out to be ex-WHA tough guy Dave Hutchinson

Nev was pleased to be recognized, we chatted, and they even joined us nerdy college kids for a few beers in another kid's hotel room

I went to the game Sat eve game - ended 0-0 - not an exciting 0-0, a both teams deserve to lose 0-0 game

+++++++++++++++
Many years later, late '80's, in a supermarket in the philly-area NJ suburbs, ran into Nicky Fotiu, then briefly a Flyer and nearing the end.
I made it clear I was a Ranger fan, recalling him chucking pucks into stands after warm-ups and other stuff.
But he went into a rant trashing the Rangers, because they hadn't given him one more (3rd) run with the team. I understood he was frustrated, but it ended up being a disappointing chat.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

He's awesome. Very easy going guy.

He really is. We were lucky to get luxury box seats for a playoff game one night and he was up in that area walking around and he hit it off with my wife. They were talking for like 10 minutes. lol Met him again years later and he remembered her.

Great guy and you really get a sense of how much he loves the Rangers "family". He really comes off like the patriarch of the franchise.

 

[HockeyBasedNYC]

I met John Tortorella at a charity event for animals back home a few years ago. Met Graves once. Leetch another time but it was a meet and greet so IDK if we're counting those.

Since moving to Pittsburgh I've had run-ins with quite a number of Penguins. Not that big of a city and a number of them live in the area where I work. Usually I just nod and make a crack about being a Rangers fan. By far the nicest one was Dupuis. Letang ran over my foot with his shopping cart last year in the local Whole Foods and didn't apologize, giving me another reason to hate him.

Thats hilarious

 

[darko]

One of the highlights was back in the early 2000's when I played in college and both Patrick Elias and Brendan Morrison held out of Devils camp and practiced with my team for about a week. I centered a line between the two of them for a few scrimmages and it was a great experience learning from them.

This is amazing.

 

[aufheben]

Bumped into Kevin Klein's kid at LaGuardia once, does that count?

 

[KreiderHouseRules*]

I met Petr Nedved when he was on the Flyers late in his career right after the Rangers played them. I was like 14 and I told him I wished he was still a Ranger and that he played a great game even though his team lost. He laughed and said I don't know about that, and thanked me. He was so incredibly nice and down to earth. Was happy to stop and talk to me like I wasn't some random stranger. I'll always have a special place in my heart for Nedved.

Also met Gresch, Vickers, Beuk, and Graves all after they were retired. All amazingly down to earth guys, especially Beuk and Graves.

 

[Roo Returns]

Some non-players I've met.

On Easter Sunday 2013 during when the Rangers were going through a very rough patch (this was literally a week before the Gaborik trade and when Powe and Asham were getting ice time) they held a mandatory practice and at a restaurant in Westchester I was at, so were Torts and the trainers. I walked out with them coincidentally and spoke to Torts for a few min just wishing him good luck, and saying I know he'd rather be with his family on this day etc. He was a really cool guy. He gets a bad rep because of his interactions with the media but he was a total gentleman and seemed genuine that I was a fan etc.

Before game 3 of the 2009 playoff series against the Caps, I met Al Trautwig. He was doing some tv spot in the entrance to the Garden (to the left of where Borders books was) and was signing pucks for kids. He told them "If anyone asks, tell them this is Ovechkin's autograph"

I met Bruce Beck at a gym back in 2010. Much taller/built then he looked on TV. Almost as tall as Sam. We reminisced about his time with the Rangers and especially the 1986 playoff run (I was a pretty young when that was going on) and he was a cool dude.

Most of the Rangers/Knicks/Giants/Mets/Yanlees/Jets/Islanders I've encountered are all really cool. One DMan who played during the tail end of the dark ages was a little salty with me, but wasn't mean or anything. I'll leave it at that.

 

[KreiderHouseRules*]

Ive met Graves a few times. Incredible guy. Met him when i was 13 so it was huge at the time around 93'. He took some time to talk to me and motivated me to really get into playing hockey. Hence the user pic.

Ive met several other players. A few years back my brother happened to work with Colton Orrs father in law and he got us into the "green room" for a few games. Colton was a cool dude, hung out with him and Betts (when he was injured) for an entire game, then the entire team came in and i met most of them and their families. It was pretty awesome.

Also have met and played against plenty of ex-Devils and Islanders including Daneyko who's a great guy.

One of the highlights was back in the early 2000's when I played in college and both Patrick Elias and Brendan Morrison held out of Devils camp and practiced with my team for about a week. I centered a line between the two of them for a few scrimmages and it was a great experience learning from them.

That last part is so friggin cool HBNYC!!! I'm so jealous!

I've met Graves also and he is as advertised. He's all time. No matter what, he makes time for anyone who comes up for him. My friend owns a production company that contracts with MSG sometimes, and I helped out workingthe Rangers Hockey House event in 2014 when they went to the SCF and while most of the former Rangers left after an interview and a few autographs, Graves literally stayed for an extra 45-50 minutes to make sure he signed everyone's memorabilia and spoke with everyone who wanted to speak to him. He is truly a one of a kind human being. It can't be overstated what a genuine and thoughtful person he is. I could go on and on. And according to literally everyone who's ever met him, this is how he always is. And this isn't even to scratch the surface of all the charity work he does. He deserves a Nobel prize.

The other NYRs that will always be happy to talk hockey and treat you like you're a long-time friend even if they've just met you are Gilbert (great sense of humor) and Beukeboom. All three guys are the epitome of class. I consider myself lucky to have ever even shook their hands.

 

[kreiderfan20]

I have met a bunch of rangers over the years...Beezer, Stemkowski, Beck, Sundstrom, Nylander, Shannahan, Ulf Samuelsson, LaFontaine...I also met Sam Rosen and Al Trautweig....Shanny and Ulf were great guys. Beezer was a bit standoffish. Met him when the World Cup Of Hockey was at MSG back in the 90's. He signed for the fans but made no small talk and looked like he was bored....That same night met Jeremy Roenick and he was the opposite of Beezer. Very engaging with the fans. So was Darius Kasparitis...he was hilarious

Some of the non Rangers: Mike Bossy, Bob Nystrom, John Tonelli, Clark Gillies, Marty Turco, Chris Osgood, Joel Ward, Tomas Vokoun...The two biggest schmucks by far were Michael Peca and Rick DiPietro...The 3 nicest guys were Trent Hunter, Casey Czikas, and Dany Heatley. Made sure everyone had an autograph and picture before they left. Great guys.

 

[Glen Sathers Cigar]

My uncle is a television/film producer and for my 10th birthday, he arranged for me to go into the locker room and meet the entire Rangers team. This was in 2000 and the only TWO players who were injured or receiving treatment and unavailable were my two favorites Mike Richter and Brian Leetch.

However, I have a jersey signed with every single other player who played that night as well as pictures will all of them and also the coach (John Muckler *barf*), Rod Gilbert, Sam Rosen and JD. Sam Rosen is easily the nicest person I've ever met in my entire life, I'll never forget that.

My favorites from that night: Adam Graves (Actually he may tie Sam for nicest ever), Theo Fleury, Mike York, Manny Malholtra, Jan Hlavac, Radek Dvorak, Petr Nedved (Czech line!), Mathieu Schneider, John MacLean, Mike Knuble, Kim Johnsson, Darren Langdon, Kevin Stevens and DALE PURINTON.

Then these folks who were also on the Rangers back then: Rich Pilon, Kevin Hatcher, Sylvan Lefebrve, Valeri Kamensky, Tim Taylor and Eric Lacroix.

That was a great night I still remember vividly and I look at the pictures every now and then and can name all the players right away.


I also 3 years ago met Rod Gilbert again, as an adult this time, in the VIP suite area which I got tickets to from my Dad's work. I was the only person wearing a jersey in there, they were all wearing suits haha.



Also from when I was about 6 until I was 14 we had season tickets in section 101, Row B, which was the second row in the first green section on the home side Richter's glove side up in that corner. Row A in our section were Rangers' players' wives seats. Theo Fleury's wife and Sandy McCarthy's wife (both of whom were absolute bombshells) would be at almost every game. Hilarious story, my sisters went up to the glass during warmups at a game and Theo Fleury, seeing two under 10 year old girls wearing his jersey threw them each pucks. They go back to our seats super pumped, my Dad tells them that sometimes Theo's wife sits in front of our seats. Sure enough, she is there that game. They get to talking and Fleury's wife offers to take the pucks home and have Theo sign them and bring them back next home game. My sisters are overjoyed! This was February 2001. Three days later, Fleury enters Rehab and doesn't play another game the rest of the season, his wife never returns with the pucks!


I also played high level AAA as a kid growing up. I played in a tournament as a 15 year old where one of the teams we played was Shattuck St Marys, that team contained Derek Stepan and Emerson Etem.