Today’s post is one I’ve been wanting to do since I started this blog. I’m going to share a roster of players I’ve met throughout my life. The roster includes Stanley Cup champions, Hockey Hall of Famers, and plenty of them have a ton of experience at the International level.
Many of these players I’ve met through going to hockey games, autograph sessions, and a a number of them were through unique situations.
The players I’ve met through unique situations were Jeff O’Neill, Saku Koivu, Carey Price, Alexander Ovechkin, Max Pacioretty, Brian Gionta, Mike Cammalleri, Corey Perry, and Connor McDavid.
Jeff O’Neill came to my house all the way back in 2006 or 2007 I believe. He was friends with our family friends in our old neighborhood. He came over, and brought me an autographed picture, and took a picture with me.
In 2007, my dad surprised me with a trip to Montreal to watch my first Habs game. They played the Ottawa Senators, and lost in overtime or a shootout. When we got to Montreal, we noticed that players were coming to the arena for practice, and once we got to the hotel, we went down to the Bell Centre to wait around and see the players.
My dad was talking to the security guard, and telling him that we came all the way to Barrie to watch the Habs play. The security guard then asked me who my favourite player was, and I told him Saku Koivu. Next thing I know, the garage door for the underground parking opened, the security guard waved me over, and a car pulled up getting ready to leave.
In that car, was my idol, my favourite player, Saku Koivu. He rolled down his window, and asked me how I was. Obviously in shock, I said “good”, and was nervous. He then signed my hat for me and went on my way. From that day, I’ve been hooked on hockey, and that was probably the moment I knew I loved hockey.
The same day I met Koivu, I met several other Habs players including then-rookie goaltender Carey Price.
In 2008, a group of friends and I went down to Pro Hockey Life in Vaughan, Ontario after submitting a team for a chance to play in a road hockey tournament against Alexander Ovechkin, who was there to promote his new clothing line.
Once we got there, they chose four teams out of a hat after over eighty teams entered a roster. Our team was the fourth team chosen, and we got to play against the other three teams for a chance to play against Alexander Ovechkin, and the staff of Pro Hockey Life.
Our team won our two games, and then went on to play against Ovechkin We went on to win the game, and were given an autographed hat, and a wooden stick featuring a design from Ovechkin’s clothing line I believe. Ovechkin then took a picture with our team afterwards. It was such an incredible experience.
In 2011, the Montreal Canadiens came to a town about 45 minutes from my house called Collingwood. They came there to finish off their training camp before opening the 2011-12 season against the Toronto Maple Leafs. I got to take the day off school, and got to meet a ton of the roster including Max Pacioretty, Brian Gionta, and Mike Cammalleri.
In 2012, I participated in a ball hockey tournament raising money for the hospital here in Barrie. Each player who participated in the tournament received tickets to the charity game “Hockey Night in Barrie” that year, while the three players who raised the most money got a jersey with their name on it, and got to go in the locker rooms to meet the players. Among the players in the locker room was the recent first overall pick in the 2012 OHL Draft, Connor McDavid, and current Montreal Canadien, Corey Perry, who both signed my jersey.
Now let’s take a look at the roster of players I’ve met throughout my life. There are some names I know I probably missed, but these players I’ve listed are ones that I remember meeting.
Forwards (17)
- Alexander Ovechkin
- Wayne Gretzky
- Gordie Howe
- Connor McDavid
- Henri Richard
- Darryl Sittler
- Saku Koivu
- Mark Scheifele
- Gabriel Landeskog
- John Tavares
- Corey Perry
- Rick Nash
- Jeff O’Neill
- Brian Gionta
- Mike Cammalleri
- Max Pacioretty
- Tanner Pearson
Defenceman (6)
- Aaron Ekblad
- Alex Pietrangelo
- Victor Mete
- TJ Brodie
- Rasmus Andersson
- Francis Bouillon
Goaltender (4)
- Martin Brodeur
- Ken Dryden
- Carey Price
- Ben Bishop
Jeff O’Neill (2006 or 2007) 
Saku Koivu (2007) 
Brian Gionta (2011) 
Mike Cammalleri (2011) 
Max Pacioretty (2011) 
Corey Perry (2012) 
Tanner Pearson (2012) 
Martin Brodeur (2012) 
Darryl Sittler (2012) 
Gordie Howe (2014) 
Gabriel Landeskog (2014) 
Ben Bishop (2016) 
Victor Mete (2018) 
Mark Schiefele (2018) 
Ken Dryden (2019)
Thank you to everyone who’s been reading, I appreciate it!
-Cooper.