What is it Like to be From a Small Town that is Home to an NHL Star?

Section32

Registered User
May 26, 2011
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308
CT
Just curious what it is like for a smallish/or tiny town that has one of its "sons" go on to be a star on the world stage?

Do they still live there?

Do people bother them incessantly or are they allowed to be a regular person...

Born in NYC, more specifically Staten Island, we had Nick Fotiu as a hometown hero. But people were always low-key when he was around....more of a hug and "let me buy you a beer when seeing him a Schaffer's Tavern or other local...

Lastly, do people become fans of the team that guy play's for, or is it "I am a Habs or Leafs fan but want him to do well."

Thanks!
 

Barrie22

Shark fan in hiding
Aug 11, 2009
24,947
6,136
ontario
Just curious what it is like for a smallish/or tiny town that has one of its "sons" go on to be a star on the world stage?

Do they still live there?

Do people bother them incessantly or are they allowed to be a regular person...

Born in NYC, more specifically Staten Island, we had Nick Fotiu as a hometown hero. But people were always low-key when he was around....more of a hug and "let me buy you a beer when seeing him a Schaffer's Tavern or other local...

Lastly, do people become fans of the team that guy play's for, or is it "I am a Habs or Leafs fan but want him to do well."

Thanks!

Nobody really cares about the staal brothers until they bring the cup home for the day.
 

Demon Eyes

Registered User
Nov 29, 2014
494
250
Like nothing really, don't even realize they even from the area. Holtby and redden and few others from around here. Outside of charity event, you don't see them or at leastt I don't
 

Smelling Salt

Busey is life
Mar 8, 2006
7,000
3,445
Winnipeg
People love Chris Pronger in Dryden, but it wasn't that way very early in his career. People were jealous and I think if you ask Chris, he also was a bit of a dick lol. But I mean, teenager, huge hype, lots of money...most would be. He grew up, and people got over it.

He doesn't live there anymore obviously but he used to come back during the summers when he was younger, and did bring the Cup there.
 

Maplebeasts

I See Demons!!!!!
Oct 26, 2014
20,811
12,490
Barrie, Ontario
As someone who's spent a lot of time in Hearst, Claude Giroux is seen as a big deal there. The town even (not sure if it still does) has a sign mentioning he's from there.
 

Section32

Registered User
May 26, 2011
2,254
308
CT
As someone who's spent a lot of time in Hearst, Claude Giroux is seen as a big deal there. The town even (not sure if it still does) has a sign mentioning he's from there.

Interesting...have some people chosen to root for the Flyers over the Leafs?
 

Bending and Tending

Registered User
Dec 25, 2014
1,128
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U.S.A.
Cole Harbour, Nova Scotia
Population: 25,000

ColeHarbour_672x412.jpg


Viking, Alberta
Population: 1,083

9539516099_132d72c3db.jpg
 

Atoyot

Registered User
Jul 19, 2013
13,859
25,271
Garnet Exelby was from my small town.
...
I have nothing to contribute to this thread.
 

DudeWhereIsMakar

Bergevin sent me an offer sheet
Apr 25, 2014
15,674
6,738
Winnipeg
The only NHL player I know of who literally came from a no-name town is Patrick Marleau.

Aneroid, Saskatchewan, population 45, literally a ghost town.

But usually small towns home to NHL players have a sign saying it was the home to them.

Ex. Spy City, home of Gary Odgers.

But places like Foxwarren will see guys like Pat Falloon as a big deal.
 

No Fun Shogun

34-38-61-10-13-15
May 1, 2011
56,362
13,222
Illinois
I'd imagine that it'd just be on town signage when you enter the municipality and there are stories on the news about the guy covering what he's doing in the NHL moreso than other players, but beyond that I wouldn't anticipate much. Doubt that a town's identify is that highly defined by an individual that likely doesn't live there anymore during the offseason aside from maybe that's what outsiders think of when they hear the town's name.
 

MXD

Original #4
Oct 27, 2005
50,810
16,548
Fun fact : More F1 drivers than SC Winners are born in my hometown. Hell, more MLB players are born in my hometown than SC Winners.
 

Tom ServoMST3K

In search of a Steinbach Hero
Nov 2, 2010
27,814
18,619
What's your excuse?
I'd imagine that it'd just be on town signage when you enter the municipality and there are stories on the news about the guy covering what he's doing in the NHL moreso than other players, but beyond that I wouldn't anticipate much. Doubt that a town's identify is that highly defined by an individual that likely doesn't live there anymore during the offseason aside from maybe that's what outsiders think of when they hear the town's name.

Small town newspaper reporter here:

Not really. Unless he reaches the SC final or something, there won't be weekly or even monthly coverage in the paper.
 

Bending and Tending

Registered User
Dec 25, 2014
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0
U.S.A.
Nobody really cares about the staal brothers until they bring the cup home for the day.

Thunder Bay has a population over 100,000, so it shouldn't be too surprising that people have other things on their minds.

Fun fact : More F1 drivers than SC Winners are born in my hometown. Hell, more MLB players are born in my hometown than SC Winners.

You're comparing F1 drivers and MLB players in general, to hockey players that have won the (arguably) highest achievement in hockey. That's not too surprising.

Let alone the other variables.
 

Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
3,001
3,015
Rick Vaive, first Leaf to score 50 goals and team captain back in the day, grew up and played minor hockey in my small NS town. He's technically from Ontario I believe, and finished his minor hockey in PEI so it gets pretty forgotten, but my dad's buddies all played baseball and hockey growing up with him.

I guess he was a little ****, and nobody expected him to become much. Honestly his name never really gets brought up, and when I in fact found out that the first Leaf to score 50 goals played minor hockey in my town of less than 10,000 people I was shocked that he wasn't a bigger local legend.

Dwayne Johnson's dad is also from the town, which is a much more frequently cited fact.
 

Leafs87

Mr. Steal Your Job
Aug 10, 2010
14,764
4,855
Toronto
Connor Mcdavid is from Newmarket I grew up in Aurora. Born in the same hospital as most people I know. Also played on the same AAA team although years apart. Nothing special TBH
 

Barrie22

Shark fan in hiding
Aug 11, 2009
24,947
6,136
ontario
Thunder Bay has a population over 100,000, so it shouldn't be too surprising that people have other things on their minds.



You're comparing F1 drivers and MLB players in general, to hockey players that have won the (arguably) highest achievement in hockey. That's not too surprising.

Let alone the other variables.

It is also a hockey city. For as small as thr city is. It has like 40 indoor hockey rinks. It only has 4 high schools for the same kids that mostly grow up playing hockey.
 

Breakfast of Champs

Registered User
Apr 15, 2007
3,001
3,015
Connor Mcdavid is from Newmarket I grew up in Aurora. Born in the same hospital as most people I know. Also played on the same AAA team although years apart. Nothing special TBH

Newmarket's population is almost 80,000 people. Not saying it isn't a small town just funny that 80,000 in the Maritimes is a pretty decent sized city.
 

I Hate Blake Coleman

Bandwagon Burner
Jul 22, 2008
23,640
7,504
Saskatchewan
Nearby "city" hasn't had any star players. The King brothers and Jeff Friesen are the only hockey players I know.

Pretty sure Corey Schwab dropped by a car dealership with the Cup on his way to North Battleford. No signs or anything though.

Goodsoil, a nearby town has or had a sign for a former Ranger, Ron Greschner.
 

Foppberg

Registered User
Nov 20, 2016
24,110
26,565
Summerside, PEI
I think it depends on the location of the small town. Small town in Ontario semi close to the Toronto area? Doubt many care. Small town in the rural prairies hours away from a city, or rural Maritimes where the "city" is like 80k? Big deal.
 

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