Who was your first favourite hockey player?

[tony d]

Mario Lemieux.

 

[shills]

For me it was Mike Bossy and Denis Potvin ... then Rick Kehoe and Randy Carlisle.

Then Mario came along and the rest were fighting for second place.

 

[Tarantula]

Rick Kehoe

Certainly not a common choice, begs the question as to why? Has to be a story there no?

 

[DannyGallivan]

Certainly not a common choice, begs the question as to why? Has to be a story there no?

Pens fan, is my guess (since he also likes Randy Carlyle and Mario).

 

[ResilientBeast]

 

[shills]

Certainly not a common choice, begs the question as to why? Has to be a story there no?

Pens fan, is my guess (since he also likes Randy Carlyle and Mario).

Yep ... being from Pittsburgh, it was hard not to like the guys who were on the ice for the Pens -- even when they weren't so good.

When I went to my first game in December of 1977 ... Rick Kehoe stood out -- and since he was scoring goals, I always noticed. I also learned that he lived not too far from me, so as a kid -- it was kinda cool to think that a real life hockey player lived near my neighborhood.

Later in life, I'd frequent a bar Kehoe owned near me. Turns out he's a super nice guy too. Also used to have a few beers with Mike Lange at another bar -- but that's another story.

 

[Killion]

Yep ... being from Pittsburgh, it was hard not to like the guys who were on the ice for the Pens -- even when they weren't so good.

When I went to my first game in December of 1977 ... Rick Kehoe stood out -- and since he was scoring goals, I always noticed. I also learned that he lived not too far from me, so as a kid -- it was kinda cool to think that a real life hockey player lived near my neighborhood.

Later in life, I'd frequent a bar Kehoe owned near me. Turns out he's a super nice guy too. Also used to have a few beers with Mike Lange at another bar -- but that's another story.

Very cool. Rick Kehoe a Heck of a smart player. Remember playing against (he was one of the last great Hamilton Red Wings), watching that guy. Solid & dangerous. Toronto's loss, your gain.

 

[JoseTheodore2002]

Saku koivu and Jose Theodore made me fall in love with hockey at the age of 6. Been an avid hockey fan ever since

 

[Damisoph]

Rick Vaive.

Watching HNIC with my grandfather after Saturday dinner, those early 80s Leaf teams were awful yet still my heroes. Vaive, Salming, Palmateer, Derlago.

 

[bauerpower]

Orr, of course. At least 3/4 of all the kids I knew growing up in Alberta in the early 70s loved Orr. The only ones who didn't were the Habs fans who loved the Big M or the Roadrunner.

 

[Killion]

Orr, of course. At least 3/4 of all the kids I knew growing up in Alberta in the early 70s loved Orr. The only ones who didn't were the Habs fans who loved the Big M or the Roadrunner.

A bit before your time if you grew up in the early 70's, but just prior to that in Alberta you guys had quite the rivalries at the Junior & Senior Levels, and with the latter one that was so intense & famous with the fantastic Drumheller Miners that they were featured on a number of 1967 Canadian Centennial Celebration Collectibles (posters etc) they were "that good". So good in fact that Goalie Al Rollins claimed that had they been playing in the NHL, "wouldve finished 4th in League Standings". And if you look at their rosters over the years accomplishments over the years, not hard to actually agree. Legendary.

The Red Wings in the 50's & 60's pretty much had the pick of the crop in Western Canada however the Miners, mainly independents & unsigned guys some of whom went on to Star in the NHL or Minor Pro while others opted out to pursue other careers. Very independently minded, pragmatic lot of players, Coaches, Scouts etc. The Red Wings, with much pride on the line would of course ice the best they could find with the Oil Kings, longer benches than the norm for the era as Drumheller just that much of a Powerhouse. Every shift of every game played particularly between those 2 teams Total War. Quite the story really & one little known (or perhaps forgotten) outside of Alberta, certain hockey circles.

Pretty darn sure a number of players on those old Miners teams fan favorites, [particularly so with young impressionable kids including favorite or even STAR NHL'rs of contemporaneous play during the era. Same thing in other non NHL Markets of the era. Small markets as well of course. Hero's playing on local Sr., WHL, EHL, AHL & IHL, Central League Clubs or whatever. Always get a kick out of talking to guys from such locales. Ask em' "who was your favorite player as a kid"? Answer with someone like Brian Kilrea, Ted Hampson....... and this to me a "Good Thing" as it shows a real love for the game, depth of knowledge & appreciation for the game & its players well beyond the more celebrated NHL cast & crew. Some real depth of experience as back in the day there, a considerable number of NHL caliber players simply opted out of the Draconian systems in place & you had an excellent brand of hockey at the Sr. & Minor Pro levels. Drumheller Miners one of those organizations, teams....

 

[streitz]

Rick Vaive.

Watching HNIC with my grandfather after Saturday dinner, those early 80s Leaf teams were awful yet still my heroes. Vaive, Salming, Palmateer, Derlago.

Bill Delargo.... jeez that's a name I haven't thought of in probably 30 years or more since his stint on the jets.

 

[Killion]

Bill Delargo.... jeez that's a name I haven't thought of in probably 30 years or more since his stint on the jets.

Thats an interesting one as Billy 'D' there on the down side of what once had been a very promising career coming out of Junior with the Wheat Kings..... He unfortunately suffered an injury in Vancouver & never fully recovered, then dispatched to the Leafs along with Ricky Vaive & with that club in complete & utter turmoil he did actually manage to find a bit of a stride however.... he wouldve lived through the Madness of Ballard, Sittler Affair etc, and as such, had to have effected him (and others on that club) so again on the move, Boston, 3rd/4th Liner, then Edmonton, finishing up in the NHL in Quebec I believe. Always wondered about him as he was clearly a superb athlete & player, just got some bad breaks. Certainly dont feel sorry for the guy though. Made it to The Show, scored a tonne, had a Grand Life. Quite the Party Boy at times by all accounts. Had fun.

 

[The Panther]

I wonder that there are certain hockey players who have never been anyone's favorite player. That might actually be kind of depressing... You're seeing kids run up to your teammates and say, "You're my favorite", and it never happens to you.

 

[VanIslander]

I've already posted my answer but i got to thinking...

First favorite for each franchise!
(since i started watching hockey in 1977, this isn't so useless a task).

Habs - Dryden
Canucks - King Richard Brodeur
Oilers - Coffey
Flames - Iginla ( scorned the team for so long beforehand)
Kings - Deadmarsh (Wings killer)
Ducks - Kariya
Jets - Byfuglien
Coyotes - NONE (i liked Nagy a bit, fav too strong a word)
Avalanche - Forsberg
Blues - Pronger
Wings - Yzerman
Blackhawks - NONE (actually, studying history, several past players I've liked, the first historical fav being Bobby Hull)
Stars - Lehtinen
Sabres - Peca
Leafs - Yushkevich
Preds - Weber
Isles -Trottier
Rangers - Rucinsky
Panthers - Vanbiesbrouck
Lightning - Hedman
Hurricanes - Irbe
Devils - Lemieux
Bruins - Bourque
Flyers - Hartnell
Penguins - NONE (ugh)
Caps - Langway
Knights - Schmidt
Sharks - Marleau
Sens - Hossa
Blue Jackets - Jenner
Wild - Burns

 

[Ralph Spoilsport]

Was a Leaf fan growing up so if anyone asks it's Keon.

But between you and me it was really Yvan Cournoyer.

 

[Killion]

I've already posted my answer but i got to thinking...

First favorite for each franchise!
(since i started watching hockey in 1977, this isn't so useless a task).

Habs - Dryden
Canucks - King Richard Brodeur
Oilers - Coffey
Flames - Iginla ( scorned the team for so long beforehand)
Kings - Deadmarsh (Wings killer)
Ducks - Kariya
Jets - Byfuglien
Coyotes - NONE (i liked Nagy a bit, fav too strong a word)
Avalanche - Forsberg
Blues - Pronger
Wings - Yzerman
Blackhawks - NONE (actually, studying history, several past players I've liked, the first historical fav being Bobby Hull)
Stars - Lehtinen
Sabres - Peca
Leafs - Yushkevich
Preds - Weber
Isles -Trottier
Rangers - Rucinsky
Panthers - Vanbiesbrouck
Lightning - Hedman
Hurricanes - Irbe
Devils - Lemieux
Bruins - Bourque
Flyers - Hartnell
Penguins - NONE (ugh)
Caps - Langway
Knights - Schmidt
Sharks - Marleau
Sens - Hossa
Blue Jackets - Jenner
Wild - Burns

This is fun VanIsle, like your train of thought but...... gonna push you a bit as you seem to have forgotten about quite a few of the defunct franchises, those that have moved. I dont buy into the "history is transferable" concept, the legal constructs employed by the NHL.... so..... what about lets say................................... the original NYC team, the Americans &.... the Hamilton Tigers? The original Philly & Pittsburgh franchises..... the Montreal Maroons..... the Scouts, Rockies, Seals, Barons, Diques, Whalers, Atlanta Flames..... Jets 01 etc....

 

[VanIslander]

Americans - McVeigh (I wrote an awesome ATD/MLD bio announcement about him years ago. He was a huge fan favorite!)

Tigers - HHOFer Shorty Green (one great year then union attempt fiasco).

Quakers - Syd Howe! (It was the first full NHL season for the future NHL career points leader and HHOFer.)

Pirates - Cotton (There are some interesting descriptions of tough ol Baldy)

Maroons - Hooley Smith (In juniors he moved from center to wing to play with the great Moose Watson. Both are HHOF inducted, but Moose decided not to turn pro and intrigued me as an underappreciated alltime great. I grew more interested in Hooley in doing research on Moose)

Scouts - Paiement ( an ATD solid 4th line right winger)

Seals - Bert Marshall (a long term leader and respected dman, from my hometown Kamloops)

Whalers - Rick Ley (former WHA star dman, flashy physical, went on to coach Canucks under Quinn)

Flames - Clement (i was impressed with defensive accolades in a depth alltime draft bio a few years ago)

 

[Killion]

Americans - McVeigh (I wrote an awesome ATD/MLD bio announcement about him years ago. He was a huge fan favorite!)

Tigers - HHOFer Shorty Green (one great year then union attempt fiasco).

Quakers - Syd Howe! (It was the first full NHL season for the future NHL career points leader and HHOFer.)

Pirates - Cotton (There are some interesting descriptions of tough ol Baldy)

Maroons - Hooley Smith (In juniors he moved from center to wing to play with the great Moose Watson. Both are HHOF inducted, but Moose decided not to turn pro and intrigued me as an underappreciated alltime great. I grew more interested in Hooley in doing research on Moose)

Scouts - Paiement ( an ATD solid 4th line right winger)

Seals - Bert Marshall (a long term leader and respected dman, from my hometown Kamloops)

Whalers - Rick Ley (former WHA star dman, flashy physical, went on to coach Canucks under Quinn)

Flames - Clement (i was impressed with defensive accolades in a depth alltime draft bio a few years ago)

Awesome. Go deep, go big or dont bother. Well done & some very interesting players.

 

[VanIslander]

Speaking of indepth, here's my first favorite New York American: left winger Charley "Rabbit" McVeigh, the 1923 WCHL all-star, 1927 NHL retroSelke as a fast and feisty fan-favorite Chicago Blackhawk, who went on from there to the NY Americans for seven years through the early 1930's as a top-3 scorer for the woeful club. He played all three forward positions on the top line, though is most often cited as a left winger. The tough little 5'6 superpest was a scoring line role player, having played nine full NHL seasons mostly on one of the top lines after five years in the Western league, having four times scored double digits in NHL goals, his last six years double digits in assists. He is identified as the star of the game in ending the Bruins 14-game winning streak in 1930. He had 172 points in 397 NHL games, and retired as one of the most popular players for the defunct NHL franchise, the NY Americans. McVeigh went on to a career as an NHL linesman and referee.

"Pint-sized Charles ("Rabbit") McVeigh came home from World War I hard of hearing and full of fight. Like many another Canadian, he turned to U. S. hockey for a living. A star forward, the scrappy little fellow made a name for himself as a rough-&-tumble player, who never minded how big they came. Some time ago National Hockey League Linesman McVeigh, fractious as ever, called a close one on the Detroit Red Wings. Up streaked burly Ebbie Goodfellow, Red Wings captain, to give the umpire a piece of his mind. Calmly eying the big man hovering over him, McVeigh waited until he paused for breath, then let him have one. 'Listen!' said he icily, 'In the last war I got a dollar ten a day for killing big tramps like you!'"

... the pestiferous Rabbit McVeigh...

... McVeigh skated up fast and regained the rubber...

... his speed and agility earned him the reputation as the league's best ragger...

He not only had a dynamic personality and plenty of color but he gave the best at all times and was a credit to the game.

Forward Charley McVeigh was a consistent two-way player for nearly 400 games in the 1920s and '30s. He managed to hit double figures in goals four times despite playing on weak teams for most of his career.

... is always dangerous on the attack...

McVeigh, the tiny veteran who won his name by his agility at jumping over his rival's sticks without losing the puck.

It was Rabbit McVeigh, the distinctive American.. who stood out for the losers. McVeigh broke like a flash and scurried by the Canadian defence to test Hainsworth brilliantly,..."

The team came to Chicago with a fair amount of talent, including a trio of speedy forwards: Charles "Rabbit" McVeigh, Dick Irvin and Mickey MacKay.

"Dick Irvin, Mickey MacKay, George Hay and Rabbit McVeigh were the cornerstone of the Chicago franchise."

McVeigh, a real goal-getter as well as a skating whirlwind and amateur contortionist. McVeigh is called the most popular player in Chicago and it's not all because he can tumble around the ice like a jumping jack.

The Black Hawks played a lively and determined sort of hockey,... The Chicago attack was strong with McVeigh and Keats leading the van,...

"McVeigh is a colorful player and will be well liked by the fans"

Here he ties up the game with 5 seconds remaining in a come from 0-4 behind 5-4 victory for the Chicago Blackhawks over the Montreal Maroons in 1927: http://books.google.ca/books?id=COb82MiKyGQC&pg=PA289&lpg=PA289&dq=mcveigh+nhl+rabbit&source=bl&ots=TcttGcK0XQ&sig=hnDJ44b87l0dqQOafadd5dUMNnA&hl=en&ei=Hb-7S6iTGovitgPM66h-&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CAUQ6AEwADgU#v=onepage&q&f=false

Charles ' Rabbit' McVeigh induction ceremony video into the Northwestern Ontario Sports Hall of Fame: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQipnWhS5F8

 

[Killion]

Speaking of indepth, here's my first favorite New York American: left winger Charley "Rabbit" McVeigh, the 1923 WCHL all-star, 1927 NHL retroSelke as a fast and feisty fan-favorite Chicago Blackhawk, who went on from there to the NY Americans for seven years through the early 1930's as a top-3 scorer for the woeful club. He played all three forward positions on the top line, though is most often cited as a left winger. The tough little 5'6 superpest was a scoring line role player, having played nine full NHL seasons mostly on one of the top lines after five years in the Western league, having four times scored double digits in NHL goals, his last six years double digits in assists. He is identified as the star of the game in ending the Bruins 14-game winning streak in 1930. He had 172 points in 397 NHL games, and retired as one of the most popular players for the defunct NHL franchise, the NY Americans. McVeigh went on to a career as an NHL linesman and referee.

Oh yeah, the wonderfully colorful, spritely, imp like McVeigh. Like a construct, character out of a Washington Irving novel, fable... Harris's tales of Uncle Remus, Brer Rabbit & Tarbaby.... once read, seen, cannot be unseen. This is how I think of the mischievous, tozzle headed Rabbit McVeigh. Grew up in a Briar Patch living on cabbage & turnips....

So many wonderful characters during this period of the game, his contemporaries, stories. Mercenary nature of the game, professionalism, so many from the "wrong side of the tracks", hard scrabble backgrounds. The stories of the Americans players in particular under owner Bootlegger Billy Dwyer rather Blue to say the least given his business activities that ranged from owning & operating Brothels to gambling & loan sharking. Treated his players like Gold.

Imagine being some kid from a starched & or Podunk background winding up in New York City, being put up at one of Bills' Houses of Ill Repute, everything free, booze, broads, treated to steak dinners at Sardi's, best seats in the house at the Cotton Club, Cab Calloway, Louis Armstrong ..... Dwyer screwed over by the League, Tex Rickard.... Imagine the NHL just dropping a 2nd team into NYC or Toronto today without so much as a bye your leave....

 

[Eisen]

I wonder that there are certain hockey players who have never been anyone's favorite player. That might actually be kind of depressing... You're seeing kids run up to your teammates and say, "You're my favorite", and it never happens to you.

I think it happened to many. Kids love the scorers.

 

[Killion]

I think it happened to many. Kids love the scorers.

Actually no, no I dont think thats the case and I base that on personal experience having played the game at appreciable levels. It was my experience that once you hit AA (now called AAA) & into Jr that younger kids do admire & respect all of the players, from the scoring stars to the 3rd or 4th liners. I recall very amusingly the first time a group of kids seemingly out of nowhere who were always hanging around but who one never really paid any attention to after a practice one time & coming off the ice, a group of them coming up & shyly asking me for my autograph.....

Honestly I thought it was a joke & they were putting me on but no, quite serious. I wasnt a pro, hoped to be like millions of others of course, was on my way so to speak but still.... its a shock first time it happens, as in "WHAT?!!! What on earth would you want MY autograph for, I'm not exactly Jacques Plante here kid. Uh."?... Their response was "no, but you soon will be". And it happened with increasing frequency & not just to me but to all of my teammates. Now, thats really quite the compliment & hugely encouraging for a young player, that the younger generations look up to & admire you enough to be wanting something from you personally like that. Its actually quite humbling and at the same time a lot of fun as you get to meet, get to know people, encouraging them in return. That life is grand, dare to dream, work hard & with a little luck.... Top to bottom. High flyer or grinder. More demand on the high flyer of course but ya, you reach a certain level, happens.

 

[DanteHicks]

Teemu!

 

[Air Budd Dwyer]

Yzerman and Fedorov were always 1A and 1B to me as a kid.

I also really liked Shanahan, Probert, McCarty, Kocur, Marty Lapointe, and Hull for the few years he was a Red Wing.

I never really appreciated Lidstrom when I was a kid. It wasn't until about 2003 or so that I really understood how good he was.