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Eric Vail-my first hockey hero. Who was your first hockey hero?



I’m unusual for a hockey fan. I was born and raised in the Deep South. My childhood was spent in Atlanta before living in Alabama and Tennessee. My mom and I used to go to Atlanta Flames games until they moved when I was 10. Eric Vail was by and far my favorite Flame. Who was your first hockey hero?

by 99titan

45 Comments

  1. Kitchen-Lie-7894

    Red Berenson. He scored 6 goals against Philadelphia one night.

  2. blue_pen_ink

    Sergei Nemchinov- always appreciate a grinder who can kill penalties and give you 10-20 goals a season.

  3. PuckNut8870

    Bobby Clark. Weaned on Broad Street Bully hockey.

  4. blabbyrinth

    Tommy Salo. I was 8 when my dad got season tickets to the Denver Grizzlies, and I watched Salo earn the James Gatschene Memorial Trophy and carry the Grizzlies to win their first Turner Cup. He was a fucking brick wall. He’s the only reason I became a goalie and I was devastated when the Grizzlies left Denver.

    I was coached by Roy a few times (couldn’t understand anything he was ever telling me, haha) and loved watching him play, but Salo will remain my favorite goalie. So glad he came back to Colorado for half a season in 2004 (but man, fuck that lockout).

  5. alotlikechris

    Tim Thomas. Idolized that man so much as a kid

  6. hokkisan

    Bobby Smith, wore his number as a squirt

  7. wychwood17

    Ray Bourque, he’s the reason I’m a bruins fan from Quebec

  8. cspan92

    Milan Lucic. The definition of a Big Bad Bruin

  9. stuplexer_

    Michael Peca. The 2001 Islanders renaissance, although short-lived, was magical. What a player he was before Darcy f’n Tucker ruined his career

  10. Pains me to admit this (because I evolved into a Bruins fan), but Guy Lafleur.

  11. 780_KenAM

    Todd Marchant! His playoff OT goal against Dallas in 97 made me a life long fan

  12. syllabbi

    Jarome Iginla. On and off the ice great leader.

  13. CraiglewisSPPW

    Tage Thompson. I’m pretty new here

  14. StationNeat5303

    Gilbert Perreault (and the French Connection)

  15. 519ferrarem

    Bernie Parent. Met him twice. Great guy

  16. Practical_Weird_0809

    Valeri Kamensky. Held his own with Super Joe, and scored the first goal in Colorado Avalanche history.

  17. Anthonyyy-409

    I didn’t really have any growing up Because I live in England, it was really hard to watch NHL games back then. Even though I’m a Jets fan, seeing Colorado Avalanche win the cup with players like Joe Sakic, Peter Forsberg, Milan Hedjuk, and Adam Foote. My parents bought an Avs jersey for me soon after that.

  18. Swimming-Fan7973

    The other Lemieux, Claude .

    I’m a Devil’s fan. I remember him playing for the Habs and was excited when he came to New Jersey. Was also at the Pepsi Center in Denver for an Avalanche game when he was traded back to NJ for Brian Rolston. It was announced during warmups of that game.

  19. Dustymanitoban

    Teemu Selanne. His rookie year made me fall in love with the game

  20. Seanbergs2377

    Mike Gartner Washington Caps.

    Went to all home games as a kid in the 80s.

  21. 2BaDebaser

    Bobby Orr. Met him as a kid, been a B’s fan ever since – despite living in Toronto most of my life. He made everyone else on the ice look like Pee Wees.

  22. Deekngo5

    Mario Lemieux from his first shift to this day EDIT which probably doesn’t do over well with Ray Borque fans

  23. j_a_z42005

    I started hockey with the 2021 Habs run, Carey Price is my choice. I wish I could’ve seen him in the years before.

  24. pcweber111

    Ngl I liked Pat Verbeek. I just loved his playstyle. The little ball of hate. Glad he got to win one cup at least.

    Also liked Cam Neely. Don’t know what it was, but he was the prototypical forward and I loved watching him play too.

  25. Spocks-Nephew

    Bobby Orr. I used to sit on my old Dutch grandma’s lap and watch him fly around the ice surface like he was experiencing different gravity from everyone else.

    She would chide my die hard Leaf fan granddad with taunts like “ Why doesn’t your guys stop him ?” after another of his end to end dashes.

  26. Stonetoothed

    Charlie Conway, Adam Banks, Fulton Reed, Goldberg, and Gordon Bombay

  27. HighNoteCoffee

    Can Neely was my dude even though I grew up loving my NY Rangers.

  28. biggus_nastus

    Paul Kariya.

    From my local area, undersized and filthy with it.

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