Hockey Northwest - Home of the Canucks Outsider Podcast

James Mirtle is one of the very best hockey writers - counting both professional and amateur pundits alike.  He is a proud BC boy done good and, while he writes on all NHL teams + CIC sports and so on, he is a Canucks fan and i wondered if he tuned into the Outsider. 

While i still don't know if he enjoys my podcast hi-jinks, i do know he found my photo of Chelios outfront a Vancouver hotel and used the mugshot in a post about Chelios for his (very good BTW) series on the NHLPA inner-workings through the upheaval and current reinvention.

He (in his busy summer haste  no doubt) left the photo uncredited so i figured the backstory should be posted for the record ;-).

So, as i put in the comments:

For the record, ... the photo of the Chelios (in his very nice suit) was taken while Chelios, Draper, Lang and Maltby ordered coffee before getting beat down by the Canucks 4-1 on St. Patrick's Day.

Indeed, I recorded a show about that game as the host of Canucks Outsider podcast and co-host of Crazy Canucks podcast {pardon the plug}.

I ran into them coincidentally (though there were plenty of mouth breather autograph 'pros' waiting) in front of the Pan Pacific hotel at Canada Place in Vancouver.

I asked the "dark lord" about the Bertuzzi addition (traded days before) - he guffawed and accused me of digging up dirt and then gave me crap about taking his photo before chilling out and mugging for a few snaps.

I also helped (the very polite) Draper and Lang get a cab (Lang looked drained and iron-deficient).

Thought it was interesting that the 4 veterans got an early start via taxi to the rink while the rest of the guys (i assume) rode the waiting charter bus.

Added err ...bonus?: More the Red Wings getting coffee (at some heinous international chain).