I left out Ken Dryden. He was doing a talk/book signing on my brother's birthday maybe a decade ago. My bro had zero plans as it was a weeknight so I said I'd take him out. Dinner, Ken Dryden(he had no idea why we were going to the library lol) then drinks.
Stayed for a while and talked to him. He's one educated and fascinating guy. The NHL was never really a big goal in his life...yet he only won 5 cups in 7 years...
@rocketdoctor Scotty Bowman: A Hockey Life Like No Other is really good. I have it, got him to sign it(he authored) and then some newer ones I bought for my bro.
I asked him about that book and he said it was difficult getting Bowman to understand the process and had to tell him, "let me be your coach now".
Tons of respect for Dryden, just a really nice, well-spoken gentle giant. We got too many pics with him but his PR girl just kept snapping with my phone while we were chatting.
And of course I was telling funnies to break the ice. I told him I moved to goalie at 13yo he asked me why. I said because I didn't want to sit in the penalty box for 5 minutes for fighting lol (that's only half true). I offered to treat them to dinner or drinks (even though we already ate) but they bowed out saying they weren't staying the night. Probably just to get away from me. No, that was a great night. He's impressive. One thing he talked about that really stuck with me was football vs hockey retirement. In hockey, you still have old-timers games or reasons to get back together with the gang, it never leaves you. In football, you're done playing and unless you're very elite, the game is done with you. You're done, it's over. Like it never happened. So in football there is a much higher incidence of life struggles post-retirement. And of course he had the stats to back it up, tied together with the head poundings the athlete has endured.