Having spent all 4 days of Red Wings Training Camp 2008 in Traverse City I can now say:
First Impressions Are Everything
My first impression of Center Ice Arena:
• Awesome joint! Clean and pretty and easy to navigate. The staff really had the camp logistics down to a science.
• There were a billion volunteers and “security” personnel and all of them were friendly and warm and wonderful.
• The food was incredibly reasonably priced and really pretty decent.
• The rumors were true – the chili that was sold there was Cheli’s Chili! (and yes, it was ‘really good chili’.) haha!
My first impression of the team(s):
• The players were split into 3 teams.
• They looked extremely happy to be together again. You could see some reaching out and bonding happening.
• Those players that were trying to make the “big team” were really working hard to make an impression. There were two Griffins who were getting pretty chippy – Ryan Oulahen and Jamie Tardif. McCarty reprimanded them by tapping them on the shin pads and telling them to settle down. Imagine that – McCarty keeping the peace! (okay – I guess it makes sense at this point in his career being the smart veteran, but I would not have imagined a 1997 McCarty doing the settling.)
• The Datsyuk – Hossa – Holmstrom line was… wait for it… A-MA-ZING! Really… they were jelling so well already! I kind of felt bad for Zetterberg that his “twin” was getting along so well with another man. It's okay though - they had a little chat and worked it out...
• The Zetterberg – Hudler – Franzen line was pretty good. I mean, Z is incredible – always. Franzen was in fine form and has a ton of confidence. Hudler looks great but looked a bit…. well, a bit like the new guy playing with 2 stars. I think this line will need a little time to develop.
"Hey - does my butt look big in these pants?"
"No, seriously... Does my butt look big??"
"Your butt looks great, man. Relax."
"OH I KNOW! His butt looks HUGE in those pants!"
(Yes, I do amuse myself.)
Lessons Learned:
So, I’m not sure how exactly I expected the autographs and meeting of players to be done, but I certainly didn’t expect the way it happened.
It’s hockey camp, right? So one would think you would be there to watch hockey and then be able to get autographs before/after practice. Right? Well, this ONE thought that and she was wrong.
We arrived at the arena a couple of hours early on day one to get autographs, but didn’t get any in the morning. No biggie. So when practice was getting close to starting, Smarti Jo and I went inside.
I reveled in the smells of the ice and the equipment. I thrilled at the “shoosh” of skates on ice and the solid “thwack” of pucks hitting blades. The off-season was much too long, but I was in pre-season hockey heaven.
**A note for the ladies – stretching time is a thing of great beauty which simply cannot be beat. I highly recommend indulging in some gazing at practices.**
We watched Team 1’s drills (I didn’t write down who was on Team Delvecchio, Team Sawchuk, and Team Abel so I’m going to resort to calling them Teams 1, 2 & 3) and I had a great time seeing how they practice, the drills they do and who takes the leadership roles during that time. Then Team 2 practiced. Then a scrimmage between teams 2 and 3. Then team 3 practiced.
Mind you – I am inside the arena the whole time. I am enjoying my hockey-loving heart out. Taking pictures. Talking hockey with strangers who are friends because of a shared love of the Wings. Observing who has made strides during the summer… You know, the stuff you would expect to be doing at a hockey training camp.
Little did I know that just outside where the red barricades are, people are meeting MY favorite stars and getting their autographs. I wanted to meet Zetterberg and Lidstrom so bad I could hardly stand it. While I was inside sizing up the lines and the newbies – Zetterberg, Ozzie, Helm and others were outside signing autographs. Lots of them. And I was blissfully unaware. I wasn’t so blissful when I walked out of the arena and found out.
On to the player breakdown:
As I mentioned above, there are two very different parts of training camp. The first part is the obvious part – the practicing and scrimmaging. (very, very cool to see the hot Wings on Wings action I must say. I mean really – IMAGINE what two amazing puck possession, fast moving, graceful, skilled teams like the Wings would look like against each other?! That’s what we got to see every day. It was incredible.)
Part 2 of training camp is that there are barricades set up outside the arena where the Wings generally came out to be dropped off or picked up and transported back to the hotel or golf course or wherever it is they were headed. At those barricades, many fans hang out all day in anticipation of getting their favorite players to autograph memorabilia. No fans went beyond those barricades, which were set up about 100 feet from the building. So the barricades were at the Wings main entrance area, but there are at least 3 other ways to enter or leave the arena and some of the Wings took those entrances/exits to avoid the crowds. I totally understand why – I mention this because it comes up again later.
Because there are two main attractions to training camp, I will comment as much as possible on both dynamics for each player. And non-players. Well, you’ll see if you read on…
Coach Babcock
On ice: Coach Babs has earned a reputation for being intense, and I can tell you that he has earned it. He had a billion drills and, boy, if you don’t catch the explanation of what he wants the first time he is not going back. Hopefully one of your teammates next to you caught it because he bang-bangs right through what he wants and then WHISTLE – go do it! You know what I think about that? I LOVE IT! You whip ‘em into shape, Coach! As a side note – he watched instead of coached the scrimmages and you know who his constant sounding board and discussion partner was?… Ken Daniels. Interesting, huh? I’ll be listening more intently to what Mr. Daniels has to say in the future because clearly he’s got the scoop.
Off the ice: Every bit as intense! Coach came out to sign almost every day for at least a few minutes. The first day, he went straight to the area of the barricade set aside only for kids 15 and under. The next day – signed for a while for everyone after hitting the kids’ area. Day 3 signed for any kid that he could see in the crowd. Day 4 – he signed for quite a while again as long as you were out there early. Classy guy. Really classy. He signed a jersey that I had with Scotty Bowman’s autograph already on it and he commented that it was cool I had Scotty on there. I said how happy I was that I was about to have him right there next to Scotty – where he belongs. He smiled and said, “Did you know he just got out of the hospital?” I was shocked. I hadn’t heard anything about that. I asked if Scotty is okay and he said that he is now… don’t know what that’s about but I didn’t ask him to expound on Scotty’s medical condition. Frankly, he looked surprised at himself for saying anything at all.
Nicklas Lidstrom (The Perfect Human)
On ice: This man is amazing. A rock. His eyes could burn holes through you. He is so focused even in practice that it is unreal. But I was pleasantly surprised by his easy sense of humor. He was undoubtedly the leader on the ice (of course) but he was open and easy with the team. I have to say that I got a lot of joy in seeing how the young players watched his every move in an effort to pick up on some of his greatness. Also looked like some of the youngins were intimidated by him. Heck, I sure would be! He is definitely the alpha dog on that team. Our Perfect Captain.
Off the ice: Very humble and respectful. He didn’t spend a ton of time signing autographs, but he would never turn away from anyone. I was lucky enough to see him in the morning of Day 3 when not many people were there. He was in a rush, but he signed my Stanley Cup Team pic and then signed a pic of him with the Cup raised over his head and personalized it to me. My name is Jessica and when he got to the “c” he looked at me perplexed and said “with a ‘c’ or a ‘k’?” which I thought was really cute. So Svede. Haha! So after signing those 2 things I asked him to take a picture with me. He smiled like “wow, you want a lot” and I said, “I know I’m asking a lot of you, but I am just SO EXCITED to actually meet you!” He chuckled and took a pic with me. Very, very sweet man.
Henrik Zetterberg (Our future captain)
On ice: He is so ready for the season to start. The man oozes hockey. It’s in his veins. His work ethic reminds me of THE Captain. He practiced and played so hard every moment. Every drill could have been a play to win the Stanley Cup – that’s how serious he was taking it. Stanley Cup hangover fears – you need not have them. This man is on a mission. And his mission is to bring Stanley back to Hockeytown. His new line – well, I thought the Zetterberg, Hudler, Franzen line wasn’t jelling quite as well as the Datsyuk, Hossa, Holmstrom line. But I have no doubt that they will do fabulous. Z could be a one-man show – but he is the consummate team player. More on Huds and Franzen later. This is going to be one heck of a line though.
Off the ice: Well, I don’t know. I heard that he was outside for a long time signing autographs on Day 1. Like he spent an hour or so signing. But I was inside watching hockey (imagine that) so I missed it. And he never came out to sign again. Kept eluding the crowds by going in other doors. I heard he was nice when he came out… Zetterberg and Lidstrom are my two favorite current players, so I am incredibly bummed that I didn’t get to meet Z.
Pavel Datsyuk (The Magician)
On ice: Well, he’s Datsyuk. That’s short for saying he’s incredible! He was practicing his dangling skills for a while to the delight of the crowd. I don’t think he was doing it for us - he was just keeping his skills up. It was amazing. He kept picking the pockets of the other Wings in the scrimmages which seemed to frustrate them for a moment and then make them laugh thinking of what he is going to do to their opponents very soon.
Off the ice: Nice guy. Humble. Down to earth. Quiet. The first day he signed he literally did the front row only. (I was in the second row.) The next time I saw him I just happened to be walking in front of Centre Ice on my way back from stalking Ozzie (more later) when his car pulled up with 3 other players and he was the only one who stopped to sign autographs. I got his signature on my team pic. YAY! He signed again the last night as the bus was waiting for him. He made them wait so long that the bus had to start honking at him. He obviously didn’t want to stop signing for the fans, but he was summoned to the bus. Whattayagonnado?
Kris Draper (Mr. Face-Off)
On the ice: He and Malts are like 2 peas in a pod. I don’t know why Maltby is always left out of the best friends Draper, Mac, Ozzie conversation. He and Drapes are always together and play off each other perfectly – which they should after all this time. Drapes was having fun at camp and was mentoring some of the young guys.
Off the ice: He signed quite a bit. He took quite a bit of time signing for the fans and even signed out of his car window for some kids. He seemed a bit “over” giving autographs, but I think I understand why… after signing for 15 minutes or so he turned away to go inside for practice and a woman called out something like “thanks a lot” and he heard her. He turned said “look, I can’t sign for everyone.” I understand that. That lady upset me because everyone else would yell sincere thanks to the players even if they hadn’t gotten their items signed just because they were thrilled that other fans got autographs. But some people just don’t have class… I’m sorry on her behalf, Drapes. On the last day, he was walking in with Lids and Cleary when a lady yelled, “Come on guys – just sign for the kids?” Drapes stopped and signaled for the kids to come to him. It was really sweet.
Kirk Maltby (Still Grinding after all these years…)
On the ice: I have 2 words to describe Kirk Maltby: Relentless and Funny. Relentlessly funny. He was really fighting to do his job on the ice and he was having a BLAST doing it! It really warmed my heart to see how much he still loves the game after all these years and 4 Stanley Cups. People that call for him to resign underestimate the effect his presence has on this team. He’s not as skilled as Z or Lids, but the man is darn good at his job and at keeping his teammates laughing. It’s all about the chemistry and loyalty people. Remember that.
Off the ice: I have another 2 words to describe Kirk Maltby: Gorgeous and Patient. Gorgeously patient. He is without a doubt one of the best looking guys on the team, in my opinion. He was amazingly patient with the fans – relaxed and open. He stayed outside after practice one day until literally every single person that wanted an autograph got one. Those people who had a picture taken with him earlier and their eyes were half closed even got retakes. Seriously –EVERY SINGLE PERSON was satisfied. At one point he got a phone call and instead of walking away, he turned his back and took a couple of steps. Talked to his friend about their plans for later. Got directions from the security staff and locals. Then hung up and went right back to signing. Impressive. He even came outside the barricade and was walking around and no one bothered him because he had done it all. People asked about his kids and his time with the Cup and he just chatted and was cool. I want to know this guy. I want to hang out with him and race him on quads. Seriously, he is so easy-going and down-to-earth.
Darren McCarty (The come-back kid)
On the ice: Look, you can say what you want about Mac but every single time he hit the ice you knew it immediately. There was something electric about him. Honestly. I consulted fans around me (instant friends – after all, we are RED WING NATION) and they all pondered and then completely agreed. He just adds something. He scored the first goal of the 1st scrimmage at training camp. He was sacrificing his body. He was creating opportunities. In short, Mac has not lost it. He is leaner and has obviously spent all summer working out like a madman. And, very importantly in my mind, he was not there going overboard to impress. He was relaxed and doing his thing. And his thing was good.
Off the ice: I could have killed some well-meaning but clueless fans. He must have been asked a zillion times if he was doing anything with Grinder. Seriously people – READ. Mac looked good. He looked healthy. He came out to sign a ton of autographs every single day. He definitely took time out for the fans on purpose. He wasn’t much of a chatter, but he was very nice. When he was getting close to me I breathed an enthusiastic “D-MAC!” and he got a satisfied little smile. I told him that I was thrilled he signed again and that he has always been and will always be a Red Wing – even when he wasn’t. He didn’t say anything, but he looked touched.
Chris Osgood (Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!)
On the ice: He looked okay. I’m not gonna lie. He didn’t look like he was trying all that hard. He’s probably pretty thrilled that Z, Franzen, and Hossa are on his team because they ravaged him. But don’t worry – Ozzie is the real deal and he will be excellent again this season. I have complete faith in him.
Off the ice: He was elusive. I think he signed the first day while I was inside, but he didn’t come out to the barricades again. I did, however, manage to get his autograph. A friend of mine recognized his vehicle as he was pulling up on the other side of the building and I booked it over there. I was somewhat out of breath, but I got his autograph!!! He was nice – but he was hurried. I don’t blame him – he probably felt hunted by the 20 of us who ran over there.
Marian Hossa (Hooray – Hossa is ours!)
On the ice: HOSSA IS A WING! I never get tired of that thought. In my opinion, the Penguins’ best player in the Finals. He looked good on the ice. Really good. It appears that he has developed a genuine friendship with his new line mates – Datsyuk and Holmstrom. That line really tore it up. They were everywhere and they were having fun. It was fascinating to watch. Damn it’s good to be a Wings fan!
Off the ice: Word has it that he isn’t comfortable signing autographs. I kind of picked that up when he did come sign autographs. He looked shy and was forcing himself to do it. But he did it. He was great with the kids and was sweet to the fans too. Didn’t sign an absolute ton – but he did quite a few. He seems like a genuinely nice guy. I really don’t think he’ll have any problem fitting in the Wings locker room. Welcome to the team, Hossa!
Andreas Lilja (Shot blocker extraordinaire)
On the ice: Looked fine. He’s got a big body which he uses brilliantly to block pucks. If he could just make sure that he ONLY passes to his own teammates this season that would be great.
Off the ice: Really nice guy. He was talking to the fans a bit and signed a ton which I thought was very classy because surely he’s heard that he’s one of the most complained about (in terms of mistakes he’s made… not as a person) players on the team. I was impressed by him. I hope he does really well this year.
Aaron Downey (Hello, I’m Aaron. Let me introduce you to my fists…)
On the ice: The man was fighting for his life as a Wing and he looked it. He was trying SO HARD. It’s no wonder he accidentally hurt Fils – he was just going overboard. I love the guy. Truly. How can you not love a man with that much heart? He’s just not as skilled as he would like to be. He’s not a fab skater and I felt like he was being reactive to the plays instead of anticipating them. But he gets an A+ for effort and heart.
Off the ice: Have I mentioned the guy’s heart? He loves the fans. He’s very charismatic and a lot of fun. Who has 2 thumbs and really loves to use ‘em? Aaron Downey! He really loves to give the ‘thumb-up’ sign. Did it a ton. Haha. He did his fair share of signing. One lady thanked him for coming over to sign and he thanked her for wanting him to and for being there to support the team –he appreciated it. To which she responded that she was glad someone on the team felt that way. Which is unfair, but in some cases I felt the same a bit. But we don’t know what’s going on in their lives. They are human too.
Dan Cleary (Where is this guy from again?)
On the ice: I’m not gonna lie – I didn’t notice him a ton. I don’t take this as a bad sign. I just don’t have much to report.
Off the ice: Way elusive. He signed one day for about 15 minutes and he wasn’t super friendly. He was focused on the Sharpie, I guess. I said to him “What do you think, Dan… gonna repeat?” His answer was a monotone “sure” without looking up. Perhaps he was having a bad day? Perhaps I was only disappointed because I wanted to see the fun-loving guy I got to see in interviews on TV. By the way – is there any person on the planet that doesn’t know he’s the first person from Newfoundland to win the Cup? No? That’s what I thought.
Brad Stuart (Soft spoken – hard hitter)
On the ice: Looked solid. Looked comfortable.
Off the ice: Never saw him. I don’t know if he came out on Day 1 when I was inside. It’s been reported that he is the softest-spoken man on the team. Maybe he was shy?
Brett Lebda (Where’s Lebda? The newer, less fun version of ‘Where’s Waldo’)
On the ice: Looked really good. Solid. Responsible. Quick.
Off the ice: Totally elusive. I actually did happen to see him once at the side door where he was running out to hop in Cheli’s hummer. Some fans called out to him but he said he had to go or Cheli would ground him. At least he’s funny!
Chris Chelios (Maker of Really Good Chili)
On the ice: He looked like Cheli. Made some mistakes, but it’s only training camp. Got to see his killer shots from the blue line a ton and some of them resulted in beautiful goals. However, his most memorable on-ice moment was when he came out before the rest of the team for the Gold Game and did a trick for us. He raced around the rink once and then while skating backwards and with great momentum he threw himself into a killer backbend until his helmet hit the ice and he slid down the length of the ice at which point he stood back up and smiled for the crowd. Impressive!
Off the ice: He signed a ton at least one day. Signed and signed and signed. Seemed nice but I was not close enough to talk to him which sucked because I was unable to redeem myself from my earlier gaff. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read my blog about meeting Chris Chelios.)
Jiri Hudler (Known as “Happy”)
On the ice: Looked quick and agile and confident. I didn’t feel that he was necessarily up to speed with Z and Franzen, but I think that was to be expected.
Off the ice: Signed a ton but I was disappointed that he wasn’t more “happy” and talkative. But then, I didn’t get very close to him so I wasn’t able to say anything other than “thanks!” when he signed for me.
Brian Rafalski (An upgrade from M. Schneider and he’s a hometown boy)
On the ice: Looked stellar. I don’t think he’s given enough credit for the work he does on this team. He’s the perfect partner for Lids.
Off the ice: Very kind. Easy. The kind of guy you’d see in Lowe’s looking for home improvement materials. He actually came back to the barricade to sign for me and get a picture of the 2 of us. Sweetheart.
Mikael Samuelsson (Streaky McPleasehitthenet-VonSuchaniceguy)
On the ice: Was missing the net too much for my taste… very similar to the regular season last year. He’s a big, strong guy but I wish he’d get his shot on net a bit more.
Off the ice: I only saw him come out once but he was a friendly guy. Maybe a bit shy which was endearing. His off-ice demeanor will make me like him a lot more this season.
Darren Helm (He could be Greased Lightning!)
On the ice: This kid is as fast as lightning. He is unreal. He has gained a ton of confidence and he was slaying the rest of the team with his breakaways. This kid is going to be an incredible talent for many years to come. I am so excited about him. The fact that he isn’t a lock to make the “big team” speaks to the incredible depth in this organization. It’s bloody amazing.
Off the ice: Never saw him so I have no idea. He came out on Day 1 when I was inside.
Valtteri Filppula (Flies through the air with the greatest of ease)
On the ice: Well, I think he was only on the ice for a day so I don’t have much to say… I liked what I saw. He was quick and nimble.
Off the ice: This kid was signing autographs like it was going out of style. I don’t think he was a glory hound at all, I think he just couldn’t bring himself to say no. The first time I saw him was day 1 when I was headed out to my own car and he stopped when I called him Fils and asked if he would sign. He was really sweet and kind of shy. When he finished I said “Thanks, Flip!” and he looked a little taken aback that I would use that nickname. Too familiar? I feel like I know my team so I addressed him very informally. The next time I saw him he was walking in from the parking lot and was signing for everyone who was there that early. Friendly, but not talkative. Possibly nervous about the language barrier? I had him sign the picture of him mid-air for that amazing goal he scored (in game 2 of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals on May 26, 2008) – and he personalized it for me. I had time and space with him, so I said, “You know, your goal was better than Bobby Orr’s.” (OKAY – do not rake me over the coals yet – listen to the next part!) He looked at me surprised and said, “Oh, I don’t think so.” So I said, “In terms of timing and importance – Orr’s was by far better. But in terms of being mid-air…. You scored that goal while you were in the air. Orr jumped in celebration AFTER he scored the goal. So your goal in flight was better.” He was surprised so I told him to YouTube it. (You should too if you don’t believe me.) So the next day I saw him again and this time he recognized me. I said hi and we had our picture taken with 2 of my friends. Then saw him one last time and he signed a Wings book for me. Such a doll. Love him.
Niklas Kronwall (Keep your heads up, boys!)
On the ice: It was awesome watching him dial back his Kronwallian hits and still rocking the boards. Kronwall Light. The fans ate it up.
Off the ice: I got his autograph on the last night as the bus was waiting so I couldn’t gauge anything. Bummer.
Johan Franzen (The Mule)
On the ice: Franzen looks like he is going to pick up right where he left off. The man was on fire at training camp. His confidence has sky-rocketed from this time last year. I expect big things from him.
Off the ice: Like Kronwall, I saw him on the last day with the bus waiting so I can’t say anything. I was just thankful I managed to get his autograph!
Tomas Holmstrom (Owner of the best known rear-end in the League.)
On the ice: This guy is a rock. Homer is Homer. He plays that crease line. It’s his job and he is the best in the business. He just looked like Homer always looks: Solid. He played the scrimmages like they were real games including a nice little glove into Quincey’s face. Oh, Homer. I love ya.
Off the ice: He came outside one day and signed an absolute ton. He just happened to stop 10 feet away from me. I was wrecked I was so disappointed. But he did a ton. One lady tried to get fresh and plant a big, juicy kiss on him. He bent back fast enough to avoid her – it was hilarious. Speaking of hilarious – I really wanted to ask him if he was aware of the Knob Hockey sketch comedy video about him… it’s so incredibly funny and I think he’d love it.
Kyle Quincey (Bat those baby blues!)
On the ice: Didn’t look completely comfortable. Maybe nervous. I wasn’t overly impressed.
Off the ice: Seemed nice. Very cute. That’s all I’ve got.
Tomas Kopecky (Bringing the big guns!)
On the ice: He is a big body and he was pushing his weight around which was awesome. I’m looking forward to seeing him out there this year.
Off the ice: This guy’s arms are HUGE. Really, it was disconcerting (in a good way). I wouldn’t pick a fight with him, boys. He’s been eating his spinach AND drinking his milk! Quiet, but I wondered if there was any language barrier? Dunno. But he came out to sign a few times.
SOME OF THE ‘KIDS’ I GOT AUTOGRAPHS FROM
Justin Abdelkader
On the ice: Looked very good. Hard worker. He was fitting right in. Of course, he’ll be in Grand Rapids this coming year but he’ll be ready very soon.
Off the ice: Came out and signed and was very approachable.
Derek Meech
On the ice: Worked his tail off.
Off the ice: Never saw him.
Jimmy Howard
On the ice: Looked very good. He was trying hard to get that back-up spot. Unfortunately for him, unless Ty Conklin falters it’s not likely.
Off the ice: Very friendly and open and interacted with the fans while signing which he did a couple of times. Nice guy. I’m pulling for him.
Mattias Ritola
On the ice: Didn’t really notice him. Sorry.
Off the ice: Mattias – I owe you an apology. I did not recognize you! Poor guy – no one in my area of the barricade knew who he was. I didn’t get his autograph because I didn’t want to work hard to get it for someone I didn’t recognize. Darn my hide.
Tom McCollum
On the ice: The kid was a rock star. He was shrugging off shots from Dats and Hossa like they were high school kids. Okay – slight exaggeration – but he was SO GOOD! If you read his blog on Connect, he discussed how excited he was to get the shot to go against the BIG BAD WINGS. And man did he bring his ‘A’ game.
Off the ice: I have nothing but glowing things to say about this guy. More than any other person he was chatting and joking with the fans which I thought showed a tremendous amount of poise for an 18 year old. He was looking everyone in the eye and smiling and really having a great time with the fans. He came out every day. The first day no one but me (at least in my vicinity) knew who he was so no one was vying for his autograph like they were for so many other players. So I was able to talk to him a bit and told him that I was thrilled to have him in the Wings system and I couldn’t wait to see him develop into a Wing on the big team. I was rewarded with a big, cheesy grin and said he hopes he gets there SOON. I saw him a few other times so we talked about his blog on Connect. He said he was glad I enjoyed it – he was riding a stationary bike when “they” told him he was going to be writing a blog. He said he had a good time doing it. He’s got such an awesome personality. He had made some sick saves and one spectacular shoot-out save on Hossa so I told him one day what a great save that was and he gave me that goofy grin and kind of ducked his head sheepishly as he said “Yeah, I liked that one too.” Then he talked about how fun it was to play with the Wings. On the last day there, T-Mac (as I have dubbed him – if others haven’t already) brought out 5 or 6 of his goalie sticks already signed and gave them to the kids. Then he signed for everyone else too. Seriously – that was touching. This guy is a class act and he will make the perfect Wing some day. I don’t usually follow our prospects – but I am going to follow this one.
Jason Jozsa
On the ice: Looked good. Looked young.
Off the ice: This guy is a sweetheart. Here’s the deal - after my Ritola gaff, I decided to buck up and ask those people I didn’t know who they were. Jozsa was the first guy I questioned. He actually seemed relieved that I asked because there was a lot of whispering of “who is that? I don’t know who that is? Do you know who that is?” That can’t have made them feel good. So I chatted with them a bit while they were near me.
Ville Leino
On the ice: This guy was impressive. Great hands. Able to hang onto the puck in traffic. Good passing ability. Very Wing-like in his puck-handling skills. However, I felt like he got a little confused when he got near the net like he wasn’t sure what to do – which ultimately left him tied up in the corners a bit too much. This guy is the real deal though and once he gets used to the NHL he is going to be a real asset.
Off the ice: Never saw him. He’s new to the States – so I totally understand.
RETIRED PLAYERS
Steve Yzerman
I MET STEVIE Y! He was walking through the hall and one teen with his family had gotten him to sign autographs. Stevie gave the kid back his pen and turned away. I was the only other person around (happened to walk out at exactly the right time!) so I said “Mr. Yzerman?” to which he turned around with a surprised look on his face (was it the MISTER part?) and I asked if I could just shake his hand. He seemed taken aback (which I have trouble imagining since I would say MOST people are likely humbled and honored to meet him) but he put out his hand – which I promptly placed my hand in – and he looked me straight in the eye and asked me, “How are you doing today?” I responded with a beaming smile and answered that I was doing really great. His hand was the perfect man hand. Strong and hard and not at all smooth or slimy. His handshake was confident. I wondered if he recognized me from fan fest… but I didn’t ask.
Dallas Drake
On the ice: Believe it or not, there actually was an on-ice moment for the retired Wing. He was the ceremonial puck dropper for the Red and White Game. Z and Dats “took” the pretend faceoff. It was a cool moment. Wings Nations loves us some Drake!
Off the ice: Apparently, he signed a few autographs on his way out. That was pretty cool of him. He also threw a party for the Wings on Saturday night. I cannot imagine why he didn’t invite me…. Hmph…
Pat Verbeek
Got his autograph. There was a woman there that was having the players sign a Red Wings bowling ball. He was perplexed by it so I asked him if he’d ever signed a bowling ball before and he said in all the years he’s been signing autographs he has NEVER signed a bowling ball before. He was very accommodating and patient.
Mark Howe
Yep – I met Mark Howe and got his autograph. That was pretty cool. Didn’t get to talk to him.
Training Camp was an incredible experience and I am absolutely going to go again next year!
GO RED WINGS!!!!
I went.
I saw.
I was impressed!
I have so much to say…
My expectations going into camp were:
• to meet my favorite players and actually get to talk with them
• to get a feel for how the team is jelling with the new guys (Hossa and Conklin)
• to check out the new lines
• to get some autographs
• to get some great pictures
• to finally see some freaking hockey again!!!
• to have a really excellent time meeting some fabulous Wings fans
ALL of my expectations were met!
My expectations going into camp were:
• to meet my favorite players and actually get to talk with them
• to get a feel for how the team is jelling with the new guys (Hossa and Conklin)
• to check out the new lines
• to get some autographs
• to get some great pictures
• to finally see some freaking hockey again!!!
• to have a really excellent time meeting some fabulous Wings fans
ALL of my expectations were met!
First Impressions Are Everything
My first impression of Center Ice Arena:
• Awesome joint! Clean and pretty and easy to navigate. The staff really had the camp logistics down to a science.
• There were a billion volunteers and “security” personnel and all of them were friendly and warm and wonderful.
• The food was incredibly reasonably priced and really pretty decent.
• The rumors were true – the chili that was sold there was Cheli’s Chili! (and yes, it was ‘really good chili’.) haha!
My first impression of the team(s):
• The players were split into 3 teams.
• They looked extremely happy to be together again. You could see some reaching out and bonding happening.
• Those players that were trying to make the “big team” were really working hard to make an impression. There were two Griffins who were getting pretty chippy – Ryan Oulahen and Jamie Tardif. McCarty reprimanded them by tapping them on the shin pads and telling them to settle down. Imagine that – McCarty keeping the peace! (okay – I guess it makes sense at this point in his career being the smart veteran, but I would not have imagined a 1997 McCarty doing the settling.)
• The Datsyuk – Hossa – Holmstrom line was… wait for it… A-MA-ZING! Really… they were jelling so well already! I kind of felt bad for Zetterberg that his “twin” was getting along so well with another man. It's okay though - they had a little chat and worked it out...
"Don't worry, Sasha. No one will ever replace you."
• The Zetterberg – Hudler – Franzen line was pretty good. I mean, Z is incredible – always. Franzen was in fine form and has a ton of confidence. Hudler looks great but looked a bit…. well, a bit like the new guy playing with 2 stars. I think this line will need a little time to develop.
Examples of the bonding:
"Hey - does my butt look big in these pants?"
"No, seriously... Does my butt look big??"
"Your butt looks great, man. Relax."
"OH I KNOW! His butt looks HUGE in those pants!"
(Yes, I do amuse myself.)
Lessons Learned:
So, I’m not sure how exactly I expected the autographs and meeting of players to be done, but I certainly didn’t expect the way it happened.
It’s hockey camp, right? So one would think you would be there to watch hockey and then be able to get autographs before/after practice. Right? Well, this ONE thought that and she was wrong.
We arrived at the arena a couple of hours early on day one to get autographs, but didn’t get any in the morning. No biggie. So when practice was getting close to starting, Smarti Jo and I went inside.
I reveled in the smells of the ice and the equipment. I thrilled at the “shoosh” of skates on ice and the solid “thwack” of pucks hitting blades. The off-season was much too long, but I was in pre-season hockey heaven.
**A note for the ladies – stretching time is a thing of great beauty which simply cannot be beat. I highly recommend indulging in some gazing at practices.**
We watched Team 1’s drills (I didn’t write down who was on Team Delvecchio, Team Sawchuk, and Team Abel so I’m going to resort to calling them Teams 1, 2 & 3) and I had a great time seeing how they practice, the drills they do and who takes the leadership roles during that time. Then Team 2 practiced. Then a scrimmage between teams 2 and 3. Then team 3 practiced.
Mind you – I am inside the arena the whole time. I am enjoying my hockey-loving heart out. Taking pictures. Talking hockey with strangers who are friends because of a shared love of the Wings. Observing who has made strides during the summer… You know, the stuff you would expect to be doing at a hockey training camp.
Little did I know that just outside where the red barricades are, people are meeting MY favorite stars and getting their autographs. I wanted to meet Zetterberg and Lidstrom so bad I could hardly stand it. While I was inside sizing up the lines and the newbies – Zetterberg, Ozzie, Helm and others were outside signing autographs. Lots of them. And I was blissfully unaware. I wasn’t so blissful when I walked out of the arena and found out.
On to the player breakdown:
As I mentioned above, there are two very different parts of training camp. The first part is the obvious part – the practicing and scrimmaging. (very, very cool to see the hot Wings on Wings action I must say. I mean really – IMAGINE what two amazing puck possession, fast moving, graceful, skilled teams like the Wings would look like against each other?! That’s what we got to see every day. It was incredible.)
Part 2 of training camp is that there are barricades set up outside the arena where the Wings generally came out to be dropped off or picked up and transported back to the hotel or golf course or wherever it is they were headed. At those barricades, many fans hang out all day in anticipation of getting their favorite players to autograph memorabilia. No fans went beyond those barricades, which were set up about 100 feet from the building. So the barricades were at the Wings main entrance area, but there are at least 3 other ways to enter or leave the arena and some of the Wings took those entrances/exits to avoid the crowds. I totally understand why – I mention this because it comes up again later.
Because there are two main attractions to training camp, I will comment as much as possible on both dynamics for each player. And non-players. Well, you’ll see if you read on…
Coach Babcock
On ice: Coach Babs has earned a reputation for being intense, and I can tell you that he has earned it. He had a billion drills and, boy, if you don’t catch the explanation of what he wants the first time he is not going back. Hopefully one of your teammates next to you caught it because he bang-bangs right through what he wants and then WHISTLE – go do it! You know what I think about that? I LOVE IT! You whip ‘em into shape, Coach! As a side note – he watched instead of coached the scrimmages and you know who his constant sounding board and discussion partner was?… Ken Daniels. Interesting, huh? I’ll be listening more intently to what Mr. Daniels has to say in the future because clearly he’s got the scoop.
Off the ice: Every bit as intense! Coach came out to sign almost every day for at least a few minutes. The first day, he went straight to the area of the barricade set aside only for kids 15 and under. The next day – signed for a while for everyone after hitting the kids’ area. Day 3 signed for any kid that he could see in the crowd. Day 4 – he signed for quite a while again as long as you were out there early. Classy guy. Really classy. He signed a jersey that I had with Scotty Bowman’s autograph already on it and he commented that it was cool I had Scotty on there. I said how happy I was that I was about to have him right there next to Scotty – where he belongs. He smiled and said, “Did you know he just got out of the hospital?” I was shocked. I hadn’t heard anything about that. I asked if Scotty is okay and he said that he is now… don’t know what that’s about but I didn’t ask him to expound on Scotty’s medical condition. Frankly, he looked surprised at himself for saying anything at all.
Nicklas Lidstrom (The Perfect Human)
On ice: This man is amazing. A rock. His eyes could burn holes through you. He is so focused even in practice that it is unreal. But I was pleasantly surprised by his easy sense of humor. He was undoubtedly the leader on the ice (of course) but he was open and easy with the team. I have to say that I got a lot of joy in seeing how the young players watched his every move in an effort to pick up on some of his greatness. Also looked like some of the youngins were intimidated by him. Heck, I sure would be! He is definitely the alpha dog on that team. Our Perfect Captain.
Off the ice: Very humble and respectful. He didn’t spend a ton of time signing autographs, but he would never turn away from anyone. I was lucky enough to see him in the morning of Day 3 when not many people were there. He was in a rush, but he signed my Stanley Cup Team pic and then signed a pic of him with the Cup raised over his head and personalized it to me. My name is Jessica and when he got to the “c” he looked at me perplexed and said “with a ‘c’ or a ‘k’?” which I thought was really cute. So Svede. Haha! So after signing those 2 things I asked him to take a picture with me. He smiled like “wow, you want a lot” and I said, “I know I’m asking a lot of you, but I am just SO EXCITED to actually meet you!” He chuckled and took a pic with me. Very, very sweet man.
Henrik Zetterberg (Our future captain)
On ice: He is so ready for the season to start. The man oozes hockey. It’s in his veins. His work ethic reminds me of THE Captain. He practiced and played so hard every moment. Every drill could have been a play to win the Stanley Cup – that’s how serious he was taking it. Stanley Cup hangover fears – you need not have them. This man is on a mission. And his mission is to bring Stanley back to Hockeytown. His new line – well, I thought the Zetterberg, Hudler, Franzen line wasn’t jelling quite as well as the Datsyuk, Hossa, Holmstrom line. But I have no doubt that they will do fabulous. Z could be a one-man show – but he is the consummate team player. More on Huds and Franzen later. This is going to be one heck of a line though.
Off the ice: Well, I don’t know. I heard that he was outside for a long time signing autographs on Day 1. Like he spent an hour or so signing. But I was inside watching hockey (imagine that) so I missed it. And he never came out to sign again. Kept eluding the crowds by going in other doors. I heard he was nice when he came out… Zetterberg and Lidstrom are my two favorite current players, so I am incredibly bummed that I didn’t get to meet Z.
Pavel Datsyuk (The Magician)
On ice: Well, he’s Datsyuk. That’s short for saying he’s incredible! He was practicing his dangling skills for a while to the delight of the crowd. I don’t think he was doing it for us - he was just keeping his skills up. It was amazing. He kept picking the pockets of the other Wings in the scrimmages which seemed to frustrate them for a moment and then make them laugh thinking of what he is going to do to their opponents very soon.
Off the ice: Nice guy. Humble. Down to earth. Quiet. The first day he signed he literally did the front row only. (I was in the second row.) The next time I saw him I just happened to be walking in front of Centre Ice on my way back from stalking Ozzie (more later) when his car pulled up with 3 other players and he was the only one who stopped to sign autographs. I got his signature on my team pic. YAY! He signed again the last night as the bus was waiting for him. He made them wait so long that the bus had to start honking at him. He obviously didn’t want to stop signing for the fans, but he was summoned to the bus. Whattayagonnado?
Kris Draper (Mr. Face-Off)
On the ice: He and Malts are like 2 peas in a pod. I don’t know why Maltby is always left out of the best friends Draper, Mac, Ozzie conversation. He and Drapes are always together and play off each other perfectly – which they should after all this time. Drapes was having fun at camp and was mentoring some of the young guys.
Off the ice: He signed quite a bit. He took quite a bit of time signing for the fans and even signed out of his car window for some kids. He seemed a bit “over” giving autographs, but I think I understand why… after signing for 15 minutes or so he turned away to go inside for practice and a woman called out something like “thanks a lot” and he heard her. He turned said “look, I can’t sign for everyone.” I understand that. That lady upset me because everyone else would yell sincere thanks to the players even if they hadn’t gotten their items signed just because they were thrilled that other fans got autographs. But some people just don’t have class… I’m sorry on her behalf, Drapes. On the last day, he was walking in with Lids and Cleary when a lady yelled, “Come on guys – just sign for the kids?” Drapes stopped and signaled for the kids to come to him. It was really sweet.
Kirk Maltby (Still Grinding after all these years…)
On the ice: I have 2 words to describe Kirk Maltby: Relentless and Funny. Relentlessly funny. He was really fighting to do his job on the ice and he was having a BLAST doing it! It really warmed my heart to see how much he still loves the game after all these years and 4 Stanley Cups. People that call for him to resign underestimate the effect his presence has on this team. He’s not as skilled as Z or Lids, but the man is darn good at his job and at keeping his teammates laughing. It’s all about the chemistry and loyalty people. Remember that.
Off the ice: I have another 2 words to describe Kirk Maltby: Gorgeous and Patient. Gorgeously patient. He is without a doubt one of the best looking guys on the team, in my opinion. He was amazingly patient with the fans – relaxed and open. He stayed outside after practice one day until literally every single person that wanted an autograph got one. Those people who had a picture taken with him earlier and their eyes were half closed even got retakes. Seriously –EVERY SINGLE PERSON was satisfied. At one point he got a phone call and instead of walking away, he turned his back and took a couple of steps. Talked to his friend about their plans for later. Got directions from the security staff and locals. Then hung up and went right back to signing. Impressive. He even came outside the barricade and was walking around and no one bothered him because he had done it all. People asked about his kids and his time with the Cup and he just chatted and was cool. I want to know this guy. I want to hang out with him and race him on quads. Seriously, he is so easy-going and down-to-earth.
Darren McCarty (The come-back kid)
On the ice: Look, you can say what you want about Mac but every single time he hit the ice you knew it immediately. There was something electric about him. Honestly. I consulted fans around me (instant friends – after all, we are RED WING NATION) and they all pondered and then completely agreed. He just adds something. He scored the first goal of the 1st scrimmage at training camp. He was sacrificing his body. He was creating opportunities. In short, Mac has not lost it. He is leaner and has obviously spent all summer working out like a madman. And, very importantly in my mind, he was not there going overboard to impress. He was relaxed and doing his thing. And his thing was good.
Off the ice: I could have killed some well-meaning but clueless fans. He must have been asked a zillion times if he was doing anything with Grinder. Seriously people – READ. Mac looked good. He looked healthy. He came out to sign a ton of autographs every single day. He definitely took time out for the fans on purpose. He wasn’t much of a chatter, but he was very nice. When he was getting close to me I breathed an enthusiastic “D-MAC!” and he got a satisfied little smile. I told him that I was thrilled he signed again and that he has always been and will always be a Red Wing – even when he wasn’t. He didn’t say anything, but he looked touched.
Chris Osgood (Ozzie! Ozzie! Ozzie!)
On the ice: He looked okay. I’m not gonna lie. He didn’t look like he was trying all that hard. He’s probably pretty thrilled that Z, Franzen, and Hossa are on his team because they ravaged him. But don’t worry – Ozzie is the real deal and he will be excellent again this season. I have complete faith in him.
Off the ice: He was elusive. I think he signed the first day while I was inside, but he didn’t come out to the barricades again. I did, however, manage to get his autograph. A friend of mine recognized his vehicle as he was pulling up on the other side of the building and I booked it over there. I was somewhat out of breath, but I got his autograph!!! He was nice – but he was hurried. I don’t blame him – he probably felt hunted by the 20 of us who ran over there.
Marian Hossa (Hooray – Hossa is ours!)
On the ice: HOSSA IS A WING! I never get tired of that thought. In my opinion, the Penguins’ best player in the Finals. He looked good on the ice. Really good. It appears that he has developed a genuine friendship with his new line mates – Datsyuk and Holmstrom. That line really tore it up. They were everywhere and they were having fun. It was fascinating to watch. Damn it’s good to be a Wings fan!
Off the ice: Word has it that he isn’t comfortable signing autographs. I kind of picked that up when he did come sign autographs. He looked shy and was forcing himself to do it. But he did it. He was great with the kids and was sweet to the fans too. Didn’t sign an absolute ton – but he did quite a few. He seems like a genuinely nice guy. I really don’t think he’ll have any problem fitting in the Wings locker room. Welcome to the team, Hossa!
Andreas Lilja (Shot blocker extraordinaire)
On the ice: Looked fine. He’s got a big body which he uses brilliantly to block pucks. If he could just make sure that he ONLY passes to his own teammates this season that would be great.
Off the ice: Really nice guy. He was talking to the fans a bit and signed a ton which I thought was very classy because surely he’s heard that he’s one of the most complained about (in terms of mistakes he’s made… not as a person) players on the team. I was impressed by him. I hope he does really well this year.
Aaron Downey (Hello, I’m Aaron. Let me introduce you to my fists…)
On the ice: The man was fighting for his life as a Wing and he looked it. He was trying SO HARD. It’s no wonder he accidentally hurt Fils – he was just going overboard. I love the guy. Truly. How can you not love a man with that much heart? He’s just not as skilled as he would like to be. He’s not a fab skater and I felt like he was being reactive to the plays instead of anticipating them. But he gets an A+ for effort and heart.
Off the ice: Have I mentioned the guy’s heart? He loves the fans. He’s very charismatic and a lot of fun. Who has 2 thumbs and really loves to use ‘em? Aaron Downey! He really loves to give the ‘thumb-up’ sign. Did it a ton. Haha. He did his fair share of signing. One lady thanked him for coming over to sign and he thanked her for wanting him to and for being there to support the team –he appreciated it. To which she responded that she was glad someone on the team felt that way. Which is unfair, but in some cases I felt the same a bit. But we don’t know what’s going on in their lives. They are human too.
Dan Cleary (Where is this guy from again?)
On the ice: I’m not gonna lie – I didn’t notice him a ton. I don’t take this as a bad sign. I just don’t have much to report.
Off the ice: Way elusive. He signed one day for about 15 minutes and he wasn’t super friendly. He was focused on the Sharpie, I guess. I said to him “What do you think, Dan… gonna repeat?” His answer was a monotone “sure” without looking up. Perhaps he was having a bad day? Perhaps I was only disappointed because I wanted to see the fun-loving guy I got to see in interviews on TV. By the way – is there any person on the planet that doesn’t know he’s the first person from Newfoundland to win the Cup? No? That’s what I thought.
Brad Stuart (Soft spoken – hard hitter)
On the ice: Looked solid. Looked comfortable.
Off the ice: Never saw him. I don’t know if he came out on Day 1 when I was inside. It’s been reported that he is the softest-spoken man on the team. Maybe he was shy?
Brett Lebda (Where’s Lebda? The newer, less fun version of ‘Where’s Waldo’)
On the ice: Looked really good. Solid. Responsible. Quick.
Off the ice: Totally elusive. I actually did happen to see him once at the side door where he was running out to hop in Cheli’s hummer. Some fans called out to him but he said he had to go or Cheli would ground him. At least he’s funny!
Chris Chelios (Maker of Really Good Chili)
On the ice: He looked like Cheli. Made some mistakes, but it’s only training camp. Got to see his killer shots from the blue line a ton and some of them resulted in beautiful goals. However, his most memorable on-ice moment was when he came out before the rest of the team for the Gold Game and did a trick for us. He raced around the rink once and then while skating backwards and with great momentum he threw himself into a killer backbend until his helmet hit the ice and he slid down the length of the ice at which point he stood back up and smiled for the crowd. Impressive!
Off the ice: He signed a ton at least one day. Signed and signed and signed. Seemed nice but I was not close enough to talk to him which sucked because I was unable to redeem myself from my earlier gaff. (If you don’t know what I’m talking about, read my blog about meeting Chris Chelios.)
Jiri Hudler (Known as “Happy”)
On the ice: Looked quick and agile and confident. I didn’t feel that he was necessarily up to speed with Z and Franzen, but I think that was to be expected.
Off the ice: Signed a ton but I was disappointed that he wasn’t more “happy” and talkative. But then, I didn’t get very close to him so I wasn’t able to say anything other than “thanks!” when he signed for me.
Brian Rafalski (An upgrade from M. Schneider and he’s a hometown boy)
On the ice: Looked stellar. I don’t think he’s given enough credit for the work he does on this team. He’s the perfect partner for Lids.
Off the ice: Very kind. Easy. The kind of guy you’d see in Lowe’s looking for home improvement materials. He actually came back to the barricade to sign for me and get a picture of the 2 of us. Sweetheart.
Mikael Samuelsson (Streaky McPleasehitthenet-VonSuchaniceguy)
On the ice: Was missing the net too much for my taste… very similar to the regular season last year. He’s a big, strong guy but I wish he’d get his shot on net a bit more.
Off the ice: I only saw him come out once but he was a friendly guy. Maybe a bit shy which was endearing. His off-ice demeanor will make me like him a lot more this season.
Darren Helm (He could be Greased Lightning!)
On the ice: This kid is as fast as lightning. He is unreal. He has gained a ton of confidence and he was slaying the rest of the team with his breakaways. This kid is going to be an incredible talent for many years to come. I am so excited about him. The fact that he isn’t a lock to make the “big team” speaks to the incredible depth in this organization. It’s bloody amazing.
Off the ice: Never saw him so I have no idea. He came out on Day 1 when I was inside.
Valtteri Filppula (Flies through the air with the greatest of ease)
On the ice: Well, I think he was only on the ice for a day so I don’t have much to say… I liked what I saw. He was quick and nimble.
Off the ice: This kid was signing autographs like it was going out of style. I don’t think he was a glory hound at all, I think he just couldn’t bring himself to say no. The first time I saw him was day 1 when I was headed out to my own car and he stopped when I called him Fils and asked if he would sign. He was really sweet and kind of shy. When he finished I said “Thanks, Flip!” and he looked a little taken aback that I would use that nickname. Too familiar? I feel like I know my team so I addressed him very informally. The next time I saw him he was walking in from the parking lot and was signing for everyone who was there that early. Friendly, but not talkative. Possibly nervous about the language barrier? I had him sign the picture of him mid-air for that amazing goal he scored (in game 2 of the 2008 NHL Stanley Cup Finals on May 26, 2008) – and he personalized it for me. I had time and space with him, so I said, “You know, your goal was better than Bobby Orr’s.” (OKAY – do not rake me over the coals yet – listen to the next part!) He looked at me surprised and said, “Oh, I don’t think so.” So I said, “In terms of timing and importance – Orr’s was by far better. But in terms of being mid-air…. You scored that goal while you were in the air. Orr jumped in celebration AFTER he scored the goal. So your goal in flight was better.” He was surprised so I told him to YouTube it. (You should too if you don’t believe me.) So the next day I saw him again and this time he recognized me. I said hi and we had our picture taken with 2 of my friends. Then saw him one last time and he signed a Wings book for me. Such a doll. Love him.
Niklas Kronwall (Keep your heads up, boys!)
On the ice: It was awesome watching him dial back his Kronwallian hits and still rocking the boards. Kronwall Light. The fans ate it up.
Off the ice: I got his autograph on the last night as the bus was waiting so I couldn’t gauge anything. Bummer.
Johan Franzen (The Mule)
On the ice: Franzen looks like he is going to pick up right where he left off. The man was on fire at training camp. His confidence has sky-rocketed from this time last year. I expect big things from him.
Off the ice: Like Kronwall, I saw him on the last day with the bus waiting so I can’t say anything. I was just thankful I managed to get his autograph!
Tomas Holmstrom (Owner of the best known rear-end in the League.)
On the ice: This guy is a rock. Homer is Homer. He plays that crease line. It’s his job and he is the best in the business. He just looked like Homer always looks: Solid. He played the scrimmages like they were real games including a nice little glove into Quincey’s face. Oh, Homer. I love ya.
Off the ice: He came outside one day and signed an absolute ton. He just happened to stop 10 feet away from me. I was wrecked I was so disappointed. But he did a ton. One lady tried to get fresh and plant a big, juicy kiss on him. He bent back fast enough to avoid her – it was hilarious. Speaking of hilarious – I really wanted to ask him if he was aware of the Knob Hockey sketch comedy video about him… it’s so incredibly funny and I think he’d love it.
Kyle Quincey (Bat those baby blues!)
On the ice: Didn’t look completely comfortable. Maybe nervous. I wasn’t overly impressed.
Off the ice: Seemed nice. Very cute. That’s all I’ve got.
Tomas Kopecky (Bringing the big guns!)
On the ice: He is a big body and he was pushing his weight around which was awesome. I’m looking forward to seeing him out there this year.
Off the ice: This guy’s arms are HUGE. Really, it was disconcerting (in a good way). I wouldn’t pick a fight with him, boys. He’s been eating his spinach AND drinking his milk! Quiet, but I wondered if there was any language barrier? Dunno. But he came out to sign a few times.
SOME OF THE ‘KIDS’ I GOT AUTOGRAPHS FROM
Justin Abdelkader
On the ice: Looked very good. Hard worker. He was fitting right in. Of course, he’ll be in Grand Rapids this coming year but he’ll be ready very soon.
Off the ice: Came out and signed and was very approachable.
Derek Meech
On the ice: Worked his tail off.
Off the ice: Never saw him.
Jimmy Howard
On the ice: Looked very good. He was trying hard to get that back-up spot. Unfortunately for him, unless Ty Conklin falters it’s not likely.
Off the ice: Very friendly and open and interacted with the fans while signing which he did a couple of times. Nice guy. I’m pulling for him.
Mattias Ritola
On the ice: Didn’t really notice him. Sorry.
Off the ice: Mattias – I owe you an apology. I did not recognize you! Poor guy – no one in my area of the barricade knew who he was. I didn’t get his autograph because I didn’t want to work hard to get it for someone I didn’t recognize. Darn my hide.
Tom McCollum
On the ice: The kid was a rock star. He was shrugging off shots from Dats and Hossa like they were high school kids. Okay – slight exaggeration – but he was SO GOOD! If you read his blog on Connect, he discussed how excited he was to get the shot to go against the BIG BAD WINGS. And man did he bring his ‘A’ game.
Off the ice: I have nothing but glowing things to say about this guy. More than any other person he was chatting and joking with the fans which I thought showed a tremendous amount of poise for an 18 year old. He was looking everyone in the eye and smiling and really having a great time with the fans. He came out every day. The first day no one but me (at least in my vicinity) knew who he was so no one was vying for his autograph like they were for so many other players. So I was able to talk to him a bit and told him that I was thrilled to have him in the Wings system and I couldn’t wait to see him develop into a Wing on the big team. I was rewarded with a big, cheesy grin and said he hopes he gets there SOON. I saw him a few other times so we talked about his blog on Connect. He said he was glad I enjoyed it – he was riding a stationary bike when “they” told him he was going to be writing a blog. He said he had a good time doing it. He’s got such an awesome personality. He had made some sick saves and one spectacular shoot-out save on Hossa so I told him one day what a great save that was and he gave me that goofy grin and kind of ducked his head sheepishly as he said “Yeah, I liked that one too.” Then he talked about how fun it was to play with the Wings. On the last day there, T-Mac (as I have dubbed him – if others haven’t already) brought out 5 or 6 of his goalie sticks already signed and gave them to the kids. Then he signed for everyone else too. Seriously – that was touching. This guy is a class act and he will make the perfect Wing some day. I don’t usually follow our prospects – but I am going to follow this one.
Jason Jozsa
On the ice: Looked good. Looked young.
Off the ice: This guy is a sweetheart. Here’s the deal - after my Ritola gaff, I decided to buck up and ask those people I didn’t know who they were. Jozsa was the first guy I questioned. He actually seemed relieved that I asked because there was a lot of whispering of “who is that? I don’t know who that is? Do you know who that is?” That can’t have made them feel good. So I chatted with them a bit while they were near me.
Ville Leino
On the ice: This guy was impressive. Great hands. Able to hang onto the puck in traffic. Good passing ability. Very Wing-like in his puck-handling skills. However, I felt like he got a little confused when he got near the net like he wasn’t sure what to do – which ultimately left him tied up in the corners a bit too much. This guy is the real deal though and once he gets used to the NHL he is going to be a real asset.
Off the ice: Never saw him. He’s new to the States – so I totally understand.
RETIRED PLAYERS
Steve Yzerman
I MET STEVIE Y! He was walking through the hall and one teen with his family had gotten him to sign autographs. Stevie gave the kid back his pen and turned away. I was the only other person around (happened to walk out at exactly the right time!) so I said “Mr. Yzerman?” to which he turned around with a surprised look on his face (was it the MISTER part?) and I asked if I could just shake his hand. He seemed taken aback (which I have trouble imagining since I would say MOST people are likely humbled and honored to meet him) but he put out his hand – which I promptly placed my hand in – and he looked me straight in the eye and asked me, “How are you doing today?” I responded with a beaming smile and answered that I was doing really great. His hand was the perfect man hand. Strong and hard and not at all smooth or slimy. His handshake was confident. I wondered if he recognized me from fan fest… but I didn’t ask.
Dallas Drake
On the ice: Believe it or not, there actually was an on-ice moment for the retired Wing. He was the ceremonial puck dropper for the Red and White Game. Z and Dats “took” the pretend faceoff. It was a cool moment. Wings Nations loves us some Drake!
Off the ice: Apparently, he signed a few autographs on his way out. That was pretty cool of him. He also threw a party for the Wings on Saturday night. I cannot imagine why he didn’t invite me…. Hmph…
Pat Verbeek
Got his autograph. There was a woman there that was having the players sign a Red Wings bowling ball. He was perplexed by it so I asked him if he’d ever signed a bowling ball before and he said in all the years he’s been signing autographs he has NEVER signed a bowling ball before. He was very accommodating and patient.
Mark Howe
Yep – I met Mark Howe and got his autograph. That was pretty cool. Didn’t get to talk to him.
Training Camp was an incredible experience and I am absolutely going to go again next year!
GO RED WINGS!!!!
Post a Comment