Who was your first favourite hockey player?

[Khomutov]

The first who impressed you as a kid, growing up or whenever you started following hockey. I was born in the USSR so no NHL in my childhood and the first player i liked was Andrei Khomutov. He was a very skilled and talented player a beast one on one and after the KLM was in the NHL one of the best players on the National Team.
I don't temember Bykov much, since they always played together, maybe because Khomutov was much more flashy.

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[Habsfan18]

Mario Lemieux
Patrick Roy
Kirk Muller
Shayne Corson

I cheated and picked 4!

 

[sr edler]

Håkan Loob. The guy would penalty kill Bobby Orr style on Färjestads BK, skating back with the puck into his own zone. This was post him in the NHL in the very early 1990s (I didn't even know he had won a Cup with the Flames because I was 10). I remember I listened to games in the family car on the radio. They weren't televised and internet didn't exist. Oh, I'm old but not that old.

 

[Khomutov]

Håkan Loob. The guy would penalty kill Bobby Orr style on Färjestads BK, skating back with the puck into his own zone. This was post him in the NHL in the very early 1990s (I didn't even know he had won a Cup with the Flames because I was 10). I remember I listened to games in the family car on the radio. They weren't televised and internet didn't exist. Oh, I'm old but not that old.

Yeah i was born in 1983 and my first game i remember was from the Izvestya Cup in 89 where the USSR crushed Team Canada 8:0.

 

[Sheppy]

Cam Neely

 

[Iapyi]

Ron Ellis. Interesting reason why.

 

[Doctor No]

I can't recall having a favorite prior to Kirk McLean, and I haven't had another (top) favorite since.

 

[Neutrinos]

Yzerman

 

[Staniowski]

Ken Dryden

Dryden was my first favourite player. I was a big Habs fan as a young child in the late '70s. I think Lemaire was my 2nd favourite, but nobody was close to Dryden.

I've always loved Russian players too. Probably Mikhailov was the first who really caught my eye.

 

[Staniowski]

Håkan Loob. The guy would penalty kill Bobby Orr style on Färjestads BK, skating back with the puck into his own zone. This was post him in the NHL in the very early 1990s (I didn't even know he had won a Cup with the Flames because I was 10). I remember I listened to games in the family car on the radio. They weren't televised and internet didn't exist. Oh, I'm old but not that old.

Loob was a great skater and stickhandler, a really beautiful player. I think he also killed penalties like that in Canada Cups (probably in the NHL too). A key member of the Calgary Flames power play in the 2nd half of the 80s.

 

[Staniowski]

The first who impressed you as a kid, growing up or whenever you started following hockey. I was born in the USSR so no NHL in my childhood and the first player i liked was Andrei Khomutov. He was a very skilled and talented player a beast one on one and after the KLM was in the NHL one of the best players on the National Team.
I don't temember Bykov much, since they always played together, maybe because Khomutov was much more flashy.

Khomutov was one of my favourites too. Very talented and a great scorer. He would have been a star in the NHL. His line (with Bykov and Kamensky) was extremely fast and very effective in the '87 Canada Cup. Unfortunately, I think Khomutov is not remembered as well as he should be, probably because he was at his best in the late 80s and early 90s, when the Soviet Union was breaking up and Russian hockey suffered as a result, and also the focus was on the Green Unit (and others) going to the NHL, and the much-talked-about young stars, Mogilny, Fedorov and Bure. But for some of this period, Khomutov was one of Russia's very best players.

 

[JaymzB]

Stephane Richer & Patrick Roy

 

[hector morrison]

Dave Keon and Johnny Bower when I played net!

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Born in 1986, raised in Quebec City.

There is only one answer: Joe Sakic.

 

[Cursed Lemon]

The man who pounded Claude Lemieux's face in.

 

[Lukin1978]

Mario Lemieux

 

[insomniac]

My first favourite hockey player was Pavel Bure. I started getting really into following NHL hockey right before Ottawa got a team, and I was too young to know that my city was about to get one. So, having been born in Vancouver and after seeing a game that Bure took over in, I knew he'd be my guy. When Ottawa got the Senators back, they became my favourite team, but Bure remained my favourite player until he retired.

 

[The Panther]

I liked these guys best:

 

[streitz]

Favorite jets included

Spoiler

Favorite non jets

Spoiler

 

[nabby12]

Peter Bondra and Evgeni Nabokov

 

[McRpro]

Bill Ranford. I sure miss reflex goalies like Billy.

 

[Normand Lacombe]

Favorite player from the Flyers - Tim Kerr

From an opposing team - Bernie Nicholls

 

[VMBM]

As far as I can remember, Vladislav Tretiak was the first. I was a fan of the Finn Pertti Koivulahti too, as well as Kharlamov and Mikhailov.

 

[Troubadour]

Håkan Loob. The guy would penalty kill Bobby Orr style on Färjestads BK, skating back with the puck into his own zone. This was post him in the NHL in the very early 1990s (I didn't even know he had won a Cup with the Flames because I was 10). I remember I listened to games in the family car on the radio. They weren't televised and internet didn't exist. Oh, I'm old but not that old.

Got him on a card with a really young Foppa. I would have to dig it up to find out what year it was, but my guess would be a 1992 WC. Looks really funny because it's obvious Forsberg had idolized him and he was still in that adoring phase of one's youth and he strikes a look-at-me-and-Hakan-now pose.

 

[VanIslander]

1. Dryden
2. Robinson
3. S. Savard
4. Langway
5. KING Richard Brodeur
6. Paul Coffey

... then i stopped playing hockey (was a dman) and began appreciating forwards most of all

7. Gretzky
8. Linden
9. Bure
10. Peca
...
Those were each the top guy for stretches before the first quarter century of my life. I 've had favs since for periods of time (e.g., Larionov, Forsberg, Hossa, Marleau, Ovechkin, ...).