OT: What Rangers & Non Rangers have you met?

[DaBadGuy7]

I work at Yankee Stadium so I have met Mike Richter twice, Dan Girardi, Tanner Glass, Ryan McDonagh, Cam Talbot, AV, Kevin Hayes, Mats Zuccarello, probably forgetting others too

 

[Savant]

Sean Avery told me how messed up he got at Bonnaroo during a preseason game. Maybe it was 2012?

 

[Machinehead]

I met TCRF.

He's a non-Ranger.

 

[Machinehead]

But seriously, my favorite is when I went to the Rangerstown Hockey House in 2014.

I met Gilles Villemure. My dad started watching in the 50's so I told Gilles "I've heard stories about you." He goes "bad ones?" and I say "nah the bad ones were about Eddie Giacomin." And we both cracked up

Then I went over to do this accuracy challenge MC'ed by Brian Mullen. Mullen would share stories in between shooters and give them tips as they were shooting. Most of them were right-handed and they were being fed pucks by the random right-handed Hockey House spotter. I walk up and Mullen goes "oh you're a lefty" and proceeds to put the mic down and pass me pucks for the whole challenge. So I can say I've scored a goal assisted by Brian Mullen.

In 2015 I met Greschner, Duguay, and Fotiu briefly and then I touched the Presidents Trophy and pissed off a security guard.

 

[iamthewalrus]

Not a Ranger but I've had dinner at Gordie Howe's home.

Also good aquaintances with Lee Smith (baseball), he was dating my buddy's aunt for a while. We get breakfast a lot still.

My only two big athlete encounters

 

[FultonReed]

during NHL Media Week, I've stood outside of the NHL offices and waited for players. also showed up to a bunch of in-store appearances by players. met Kane(Pat), Toews, the Beaver, Stamkos, Justin Faulk, PK Subban, Erik Karlsson, Cam Fowler, TJ Oshie, Patrice Bergeron, Max Pacioretty...all non-Rangers. maybe more than just those. Ranger wise, I've been to a bunch of the Christmas toy drives and have met so many of the boys over the last 5-6 years. met my idols, Brian Leetch and Mike Richter during the lockout toy drive, so that was a hoot.

also met Hank at an NHL store signing, which was with the Beaver. so. there's that. feel like a lucky person, for having met so many of these guys.

 

[nsvoyageurs]

Does meeting a couple of Ranger scouts count in this discussion?

 

[Gardner McKay]

Does meeting a couple of Ranger scouts count in this discussion?

Absolutely.

 

[RonnieJamesDO]

Met Stephan Matteau and Glen Anderson at a viewing party during the 2013 playoffs at the Jersey City beer garden. They were both cool guys. Glen Anderson let me get a picture with his Stanley Cup ring on my finger. His fingers were humongous like sausages. Also, was cool meeting Stephan Matteau after hearing that goal on the radio in my parents' kitchen up way past my bedtime in 7th grade. I got a picture with him. The memory will last a lifetime.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Met Stephan Matteau and Glen Anderson at a viewing party during the 2013 playoffs at the Jersey City beer garden. They were both cool guys. Glen Anderson let me get a picture with his Stanley Cup ring on my finger. His fingers were humongous like sausages. Also, was cool meeting Stephan Matteau after hearing that goal on the radio in my parents' kitchen up way past my bedtime in 7th grade. I got a picture with him. The memory will last a lifetime.

Funny story about Glenn Anderson. A few years back my father was in the midst of a layover in Toronto. He thought he saw Glenn Anderson walk by so he asked the lady that Glenn was speaking to "hey is that Glenn Anderson?". Sure enough it was and she brought my father over and introduced them. Couldn't have been a nicer guy. He asked my father if he wanted anything signed so my father went and got a Canada hat and then Glenn pulled a players card out of his bag, signed it and gave both to my father. I will post a picture of it in a sec.

 

[nsvoyageurs]

Absolutely.

I met Ranger scouts Larry Bernard (NCAA and Michigan/Wisconsin/Minnesota area I think) and Daniel Dore (Quebec/Atlantic Provinces) at the World Junior A Hockey Challenge in Yarmouth, Nova Scotia in 2013. We discussed things going on with the team at that time. Both seemed like good guys.

 

[Killem Dafoe]

Sigh.

When I was 16 I worked at a Play It Again Sports and Martin Brodeur came into the store.

 

[silverfish]

In 2006 or 2007 (should probably know since I was there for my cousins wedding), I randomly stayed at the same hotel in Norfolk as the Hartford Wolf Pack. Met the whole team. Notable names I remember were Callahan (he was down there at the time), Korpikoski, and Al Montoya. Montoya was the one who gave away that the team was in that hotel. I was getting on the elevator with my brother and saw a guy dressed nicely talking on his phone. Turned to my brother and said "Holy ****, that's Al Montoya". He got a kick out of it. Got the team to autograph a Rangers shirt we had with us.

Also ran into Girardi in the Penn Station Tim Hortons that is no longer there. The one that was on the split level between LIRR and the Garden. Was signing autographs for a fan when I walked in.

 

[rangers1314]

Saw Avery on Wednesday while I was out getting lunch near Union Sq. He was sitting by himself eating, looking at his phone. Chickened out on saying anything.

 

[Gardner McKay]

Sigh.

When I was 16 I worked at a Play It Again Sports and Martin Brodeur came into the store.

Am so sorry for your horrific experience Killom.

 

[NCRanger]

A few years ago, I met Mike Hartman in a Dick's in Matthews, NC. Was buying the junior hockey sticks for my then two year old daughter. Had a nice conversation with him about '94. He was shocked when I told him I remembered watching the game against the Islanders in Nassau when he scored a big goal to complete a comeback.

Two weeks ago, I'm walking my dog through my neighborhood, and this guy stops and asks, "Do I know you? You're usually wearing Ranger or Yankee stuff, and I think I met you somewhere. I used to play for the Rangers." I said, 'Hi Mike." His girlfriend lives in my neighborhood.

Lee Falardeau worked for the same consulting company I did in Charlotte back in 2010. Had a few beers with him at a get together.

 

[Doctor King Schultz]

I haven't met any players but I met the wrestlers Goldust and Spike Dudley backstage at the 2002 Survivor Series at MSG. Goldust wasn't in makeup at the time and Spike Dudley was really happy to meet a fan. (My uncle worked for WWE and I was probably one of the only people there wearing a Spike Dudley shirt).

 

[sbjnyc]

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.

Barry?

I had lunch with Adam Graves at ... cafe 31? ... maybe 5 or so years ago through MSG (basically a few STHs were invited because something got screwed up in their accounts). We talked about the previous night's game, the roster, etc. After lunch he signed autographs, took pictures and gave us some swag bags (don't remember everything but included pucks and pictures for autographs). I never chased autographs but I brought my game 7 1994 cup final ticket stub with me which he signed. Not sure he realized what game it was. Only regret is I took my brother who is a turncoat islander fan as none of the ranger fans i knew could make it.

There was a rangers playoff viewing party at Stout a couple of years ago with Vickers and Mattheau. Never spoke to Vickers but briefly chatted with Stefane - his daughter played hockey with the niece of a friend of mine. Got him to sign my stub also. Some other guy got him to sign the game 7 devils stub 3x.

 

[wolfgaze]

Prucha at a signing which I went to to get a jersey autographed....

Other than that, I'm not really all that interested in meeting hockey players so I haven't sought out to do so....

 

[StepansLabyrinth]

I've got a good story on how I didn't meet Zuke.

This was a few winters ago. I had flown up to NY over winter break to take my GF to her first game in MSG (I'm a NY native who moved to FL 5 years ago; met a girl and made her a big Rangers fan). We met up with my brother there, having a few adult beverages before and during the game.

Well, it turns out that my brother doesn't hold his liquor as well as I do. Long story short, he lost his wallet in the arena at some point in the night. Didn't even realize it until we were outside and heading towards a post-game bar. This wallet was a low cost replacement in itself, since he had lost them before. It was made out of paper and had an image of a hot dog on the outside. We talk to security outside of the arena and he tries to convince them to let him inside to look. A female security guard asks him what his wallet looks like and he replies boisterously, "IT'S A HOT DOG!" The look on her face was priceless. After explaining it just had a picture of a hot dog on it, I managed to convince them that I'd go inside and look under our seats, since I had my ***** together. I go inside and look to no avail.

When I get back outside, my GF comes up to me excitedly and says, "we just met Zuke!" It turns out that Mats, who was injured at the time, was spotted outside of the arena and spoke with a few fans. My gf and my brother were lucky enough to meet him and take pictures while I was inside looking for that goddamn hot dog wallet. They said that he was very nice, but was a little put off my brother's clear intoxication and "DUDE, YOU'RE SO ****ING GOOD I DON'T ****ING KNOW HOW YOU DO IT" comments.

tl;dr, I didn't meet Zuke because of a lost hot dog wallet

 

[emodwarf]

tl;dr, I didn't meet Zuke because of a lost hot dog wallet

I don't think hot dog wallet means what you think it does.

 

[StepansLabyrinth]

I don't think hot dog wallet means what you think it does.

It was one literally

 

[Blueblood9]

When I was living in Boston I went to a bar called the purple shamrock (which I frequented since I knew the bouncers and bartenders cause I worked at a near by bar). It was a busy night I went to get an amstel light and the bartender said some tall blonde dude just bought aLloyd the cases they had and pointed to him.

I went to go get me one (his buddy was holding a case and distributingredients them) I tapped him on the shoulder and when he turned around I knew exactly who he was. Brian Leetch. Not gonna lie I acted like a 10 yo girl at a one direction concert and almost fainted. He gave me a beer I told him he was forever my favorite player and I would never forget the run in 94. He said me niether. I chugged the beer and he signed the bottle. Bottle was lost over 10 moves unfortunately and was before the advent of the camera phone. But it's a great memory and awesome story.

Also while living in Boston and bartending I worked 10 min walk from the td garden and bruins used to come in all the time. Off the top of my head all I can remember is Paul mara for some reason but that 12 yrs and alot of booze ago.

 

[17 others]

I got tickets through work for a suite a few years back, and for some reason went down stairs to the main level (may have been the first rounds of renovations and I wanted to check them out, I forget).

Anyway, on the way back up I was in an elevator with Chris Chelios. I'm not sure if it was the beer or the fact that I was so surprised Chelios went downstairs to buy popcorn with lay folk like myself, but I just blurted out 'Hey, you're Chris Chelios'. He said 'Yeah', and we went our separate ways

 

[mti79]

I've met a bunch of players before/after games. Only a few have had memorable experiences.

Jagr: Signed my program ridiculously slowly as he continued to walk towards the arena. I had to walk through people to stay next to him so I could get it back.

Roszival: Literally was trying to run into the arena but stopped randomly and signed for my girlfriend as she was just standing there.

Rachunek: after a game, he came out and it was a light rain. He stopped and signed for the few of us that were there. When we thanked him, he smiled and just said "anytime". Made him one of my favorite players. Just seemed like a good guy. RIP Rach.

Orr: Met him in a Starbucks before a game and he was really cool.

Fotiu: During a game, I randomly saw him. Asked him to sign my ticket and he pulled out an 8x10 of himself and signed that. Who carries around pictures of themselves? ha ha ha

Gilbert: Was a jerk. Wouldn't sign for anyone after a game including a kid who was maybe 10 years old.

My wife and I saw Cally, Girardi, McD and Stepan at a restaurant in Montreal when we went for a game. They were actually the people sitting at my table immediately before us.