OT: What Rangers & Non Rangers have you met?

[007]

In 1989 I was working as a Chef for a restaurant on 9w in Englewood Cliffs and a casino was holding a promotion. Phil and Alexis Arguello were there as the promo. It was just after Espo fired Michel Bergeron as head coach. Espo took over annndddd the rest is history. Anyway I had a picture taken with Espo then we sat down and we spoke for over 5 minutes. Very cool as I peppered him with questions..One I remember I mentioned how the firing was out of the blue and everyone was caught off guard. He laughed pretty long and hard. Great guy and a regular class act.

OT, but in 1989, my family moved back to the US from Europe. We lived on the top floor of my uncle's house in Englewood and would eat at the Royal Cliffs Diner pretty often because my parents were too busy to always cook. 10 year-old me thought this was an amazing country, that would serve a chicken parm WITH a plate of spaghetti! In Europe that would have been at least two meals. I don't suppose that was you putting together that amazing meal, was it?

 

[surf]

Oh yea Espo and Nicky too

 

[rvdnsx]

Met Eddie O recently is the Chicago suburbs near where he lives. Cool guy, brought up the Rangers in 94 when he was on the squad and his whole "Heave ho two in a row!". Overall he seemed ok.

 

[vstk]

I haven't met the hockey players outside of the rink environment that often, but I've been lucky enough to play hockey with some of them. So far most memorable have been Kovalev, Richter, Andersson, Hartman, Graves, Matteau, Kamensky, and LaFontaine. Played in few charity tournaments where these guys showed up and few scrimmages in the NY area as well. Despite their old age, they still very much got it. They made me look like swiss cheese.

 

[cheech70]

OT, but in 1989, my family moved back to the US from Europe. We lived on the top floor of my uncle's house in Englewood and would eat at the Royal Cliffs Diner pretty often because my parents were too busy to always cook. 10 year-old me thought this was an amazing country, that would serve a chicken parm WITH a plate of spaghetti! In Europe that would have been at least two meals. I don't suppose that was you putting together that amazing meal, was it?

Ha no but I remember that place. I was at a place that was called Reggies( a little south from diner) a combo night club and fine dining restaurant..now its a bank. It was owned by Bernie Mann, who happened to own the NJ Nets at the time. My best memory was the largest tip I ever got in my life. I did a sweet 16 party for an Irish Mobster's daughter and he called me over after a month had past since the party and he handed me 5ea $100 bills and said good job.

 

[Made Dan]

Wanna comment on Messier as I've often heard it said that he can be a *****. I understand that. Especially if you're an adult meeting him. My dealings have been different however. Saw him outside MSG when I was younger, and had heard his reputation was that he wouldn't sign autographs. He was kinda crowded with people but I was close to the front. Asked him to sign said no. Asked a few more times, gave him puppy dog eyes, and he goes "alright kid, what do you got for me?." Was a photo of Bettman handing him the cup. Wasn't even alive at the time but it's probably my favorite piece of memorabilia. Few other Mess anecdotes: he attended a function at the catering hall I work at pertaining to the KNIC, was very gracious to everyone, guests and employees alike. Signed for everyone. I was a new employee at the time and didn't want to get in trouble, but wish I had asked for a picture with him. My father also ran into Mess in the street one time, had him sign the back of his paycheck.

 

[RangerBoy]

Adam Graves. Kenny Daneyko.

 

[JanErixon20]

My wife and I went to a Rangers viewing party in CT years back. Good time. $99 for a room and entrance to the event, which was fully catered and open bar. Rangers/Flyers game where if the Rangers won they clinched a playoff spot. Ed Giacomin, Adam Graves, Nick Fotiu and Ron Duguay were there signing autographs and stuff. Towards the end of the game Duguay came and sat down where my wife and I were and watched the end of the game with us. Had no problem chatting, seemed to just want to relax and watch the game.

It was a really good event. They had one again the next year but the prices were $99 per person. I guess they under-estimated the turnout the first year.

 

[Amazing Kreiderman]

I met Gropp in Seattle last year. Iverson in Everett (Road game with the Hawks), Yzerman during a testimonial in the Netherlands in 2012. That's about it.

 

[magnkarl]

I've met Zucc while jogging in Oslo last year. I always love it when I get to go to Norway to work as you can find these guys very easily. If you're ever there in the offseason go work out at Bislett Stadium - he works out with his hockey buddies there (Anders Bastiansen mainly).

He was just as you'd expect, quiet, calm and a bit shy. He'd just come back to Oslo after his injury so his verbal communication wasn't great. He did give me an official NHL puck with his signature on it though, I believe this is illegal for him but it shows what a great player he is. Wish I had my rangers jersey with me.

 

[SnowblindNYR]

Interesting "meeting a hockey player" story

I was over at my friend's house and he had a guest over for some new app that's similar to Airbnb, I think it's called overnight or something. Anyway, the guest walks in and it's this big dude. He turns out to be a Hedge Fund guy, which as a business guy is impressive to me. So then he tells us his story. Apparently, he's not coincidentally a big dude. He was a hockey player that...got drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in 2004. He never played in the NHL, he played in the USHL, but I thought it was cool. And it's nice that he has a really well respected "real world job" now. Anyway, nothing earth shattering but I thought it was a cool story.

 

[Paulie Walnutz]

I have a great non Ranger story, ok so I'm a huge gamer, when I can play anyway with work and all, anyway, my biggest game is NHL obviously. I'm great friends with guys in Detroit, Toronto, and Queens. We goon it up when we play online team play. We take a million penalties and hit and kill everyone and fight etc, so one day this guy kept following us from game to game we were like wtf this guys gotta be a troll. So we get on the mic and we're like what's your deal, turned out he loved our style of play and wanted to join us. So we said sure ok why not. He fit right in. So as we started asking him what he did for a living he said I'm a pro hockey player playing in the Czech Republic. I don't know who's like Pierre McGuire around these parts and remembers every player ever but turns out we were playing with Mario Scalzo. He's from Quebec, played with Crosby in juniors, told me a crazy story about what the two of them did one time I can't mention it here, he's also good friends with Brassard too and told me yet another story that's so xrated I can't repeat it here lol. Anyway he was never drafted but he played in the AHL for Dallas and Tampa also I think. If you look up his juniors stats he out scored some really good NHL defenseman. Last summer he came in from Europe and my Detroit friend and Toronto friends all met in Toronto and partied for a weekend. We went to the HHOF and seeing him shoot on a computer goalie made us all look stupid. He's played all over Europe and this season he's playing in Epinal, France. And there's an NYR connection to this story too his d partner is Tomas Kloucek. I'm going to visit him in December for 2 weeks to watch him play I can't wait. Oh and Kloucek is still an animal he sent me a video from their game the other day where Kloucek got cross checked and golf swung his stick at the guy and nearly decapitated him

 

[Stugots]

Arron Asham. He resides in the town on Long Island where I'm from- I believe his wife is originally from there. I worked at a convenience/stationary store in the town when I was in college and actually faxed his signature to the Flyers when he signed for them. I also faxed some endorsement contracts (for Nike Bauer) for him as well. Guess he didn't own a fax machine, haha.

 

[Captain Lindy]

Phil Esposito. I got an autographed photo of him and he signed it to me, with also writing, "Chicago, Boston, New York". And I lost it somehow in one of the many moves I've made over the years.

He was really funny guy to talk to. The stories he had...omg...I could have talked with him forever. LOL!! My dad knew John Brophy from years back when he coached the Long Island Ducks, and I took my dad and mom to a hockey game in Norfolk, the Admirals, and it just happened to be John Brophy night that night, I had no idea. We ran into Brophy on the way out and they got to talking for a while about the old days. I met Gresh a few times too. Briefly; Eddie Johnstone, Doog, Don Murdoch, Barry Beck. They all were really nice. I couldn't believe the size of Beck, though. He was a giant.

 

[The Mouth]

Ron Duguay totally snubbed myself and a couple of buddies in the parking garage next to cafe 31 , we were in our full Ranger gear and we Yelled "Doogs!" He Looked at us and didnt say a word or even smile just dismissed us. So screw him.

The nicest non ranger I ever met was Chico Resch when i was like 19. He spoke to me and a friend of mine about hockey for about 45 minutes after doing an episode of the Bill Chadwick show.

 

[Bluenote13]

Ron Duguay totally snubbed myself and a couple of buddies in the parking garage next to cafe 31 , we were in our full Ranger gear and we Yelled "Doogs!" He Looked at us and didnt say a word or even smile just dismissed us. So screw him.

The nicest non ranger I ever met was Chico Resch when i was like 19. He spoke to me and a friend of mine about hockey for about 45 minutes after doing an episode of the Bill Chadwick show.

I can understand 'Doogs' not responding, he probably gets 'Dooged' all the time.

And thats any celeb really, they are constantly called or approached by strangers, we call ourselves fans, but really, were strangers.

I've met alot of NYR's/NHLers,growing up I got alot of autographs, they usually didn't seemed too pleased, but now I get it, they get asked alot. Also was mentored by a hof GM, played alongside of a few future NHL'ers in my early career, briefly, and now with some in pickup games on Long Island. Its amazing how former non star NHL'ers can make former amateur and semi pros look like pee wees.

 

[Captain Lindy]

Ron Duguay totally snubbed myself and a couple of buddies in the parking garage next to cafe 31 , we were in our full Ranger gear and we Yelled "Doogs!" He Looked at us and didnt say a word or even smile just dismissed us. So screw him.

The nicest non ranger I ever met was Chico Resch when i was like 19. He spoke to me and a friend of mine about hockey for about 45 minutes after doing an episode of the Bill Chadwick show.

That's nice. Guys you never would think would be nice often turn out the nicest ones. Years ago my dad met Bobby Clarke in Palm Beach, FL and said he was really nice, believe it or not.

 

[mti79]

Players that I met before/after games that were really nice include Valley, Betts, Orr, Matt Cullen's wife who was more excited to meet fans than we were to meet him, Strudwick and Marcel Hossa.

Dawes was standoffish and Dubinsky straight up lied to my wife. She had seen on MSG about how Orr and Strudwick were teaching him how to fight so she asked him about it and he denied it.

 

[n8]

I've met Brent Burns.

 

[JanErixon20]

In playing beer league hockey, I have played against M. Satan and Garth Snow. Snow is a big dude. He played defense. Real hard shot. He would stand in front of the net on power plays. I gave him a few shots to the back. He didn't mind.

 

[RangerRick61]

My mother, sister, and I work with Kevin Klein's Aunt... Closest I've come. He did get me a full team signed jersey though.

 

[Thordic]

I've actually never met any Rangers. Ever.

However, growing up in western Essex county, I met a number of Devils growing up.

Peter Stastny's kids went to my school. His daughter was in my class. So I knew Paul and Yan as kids. Peter was one of the nicest guys you could hope to meet.

I met Sean Burke a number of times, he was a pretty nice guy.

When Scott Stevens first landed on the Devils, he lived three doors down from my best friend for a few months or so. Another really nice guy. I played basketball with him in his driveway. He was just a pretty normal dude.

I ran into Zach Parise a few years back at a NJ Rockhoppers game. The guy brought a date to what amounted to a beer league game, I wanted to give him a hard time about it but I was nice.

I met a few others from time to time but no one memorable.

 

[nyrsteve]

Not mentioning the Hockey House events before playoff games, I've ran into a few current & former players walking in or out of MSG before / after games; Brian Boyle,Gilbert (a few times), Beezer, Brian Mullen, Blackburn. I mainly say hello and shake their hands. I had a a quick conversation with Fotiu a few years back before a playoff game at a bar. I also met Dugay and got a picture with him.

I did meet Bill Clement, former flyer and now broadcaster during the 94 season. I was a freshmen in college at the time. He was doing color for ESPN during a Rangers flyers game. I sat behind him on the NJ Transit train. Me and my buddy asked about the game, in which we beat philly and he started chatting with us. He then turned the seat around and talked to us about hockey the whole trip back to Trenton. He was very high on that Ranger team, rightfully so, said a lot of good things about our play so far that year and of our players. He told us a lot of interesting stories about players from around the league's personalities off of the ice. What made the conversation even more entertaining was he seemed pretty honest about who he liked, who he didn't, who was fun to have beers with, etc. Made the hour and twenty minute train ride go quick.

 

[mrhockey193195]

That's awesome on Clement! Do you remember any specific stories/thoughts he had on players?

 

[045NYR]

Met Kevin Weekes in front of the garden during the summer. Stopped to speak hockey with me for a couple minutes. He made a pretty funny comment about Eric Staal. He said the guy was like a zombie when he was about to go out on the ice and said come on wake up its ****ing MSG and that he needed to drink a redbull or something. Made me laugh