Lanny

He needs no last name.  Lanny McDonald is a legend.  We met him in a Calgary restaurant the other day -- well, not exactly met.  We spied him enjoying his lunch and naturally went over and introduced ourselves.  "That's Lanny McDonald," I said to B.  "Go over and say hello," I urged him.  "Should I?"  Of course!  So he did and I followed.

We literally interrupted and him and his lunch-mate mid-bite, but Lanny immediately got up and extended his hand.  "Good afternoon, sir," he said so respectfully to B.  Could not have been more polite and accommodating to a couple of ancient fans, as he asked our names and immediately suggested a selfie.  Here we are:

The great Lanny McDonald.

"Thanks, guys," he said.  "I gotta go pick up my grandson."  "How many do you have?" asked B.  "Nine," said the devoted Grandpa.  Shamelessly trying to impress him with my past glory days, I told him about my two NHL boyfriends, both now deceased, and he said he had known them both well.    

Lanny is one of the greats.  He played for the Leafs, the Colorado Rockies and, of course, the Flames.  When he was traded to Colorado, fans set up a protest in front of The Gardens.  After three years there, he ended his sterling 16-year hockey career with the Flames, where he co-captained their last Stanley Cup in '88-'89.  That was the Flames pinnacle and swan song.  It's been crickets and disasters ever since.

If ever there was a great ambassador for the game, Lanny is it.  Before we let him go, he took off his HUGE Hall of Fame ring and suggested I try it on for another selfie.  What a great guy.

Me with my Hall of Fame memento.