Proud Penguins Dads Share Childhood Stories About Their Sons

Sidney Crosby has been on many Dads Trips over the years, and one of the highlights is always just spending time with all of the fathers on the road.
"Just to have dinners and talk to the other dads … and kind of interact and hear their stories … I think it's always the best part," the Penguins captain said.
We have to agree, so during
this year's Dads Trip
presented by Highmark, the Penguins content crew went around and collected some of those stories from the dads - focusing on what their sons were like as kids.

Dave Jarry

The neighbors used to call him Dennis the Menace because he was into everything. He'd go up on the roof and start nailing nails up on the roof… you just had to watch him because he was really an active kid. He was a handful (laughs). He would take on anything. He liked to do everything, he wanted to play every sport. Loves to do anything mechanical - he'll watch YouTube and do it himself. My dad had a frame and alignment shop. He died when Tristan was 10, but they were always doing something, so I think it just came from that. He loves cars and trucks, so he wants to stay active with that type of thing. It's just incredible.

Steve Rust

Well, Bryan was very easy to raise. He just sort of did his own thing, and stayed out of the way. But as he got older and into his teenage years, he used his so-called quietness to get away with a few things. I sort of did the same thing when I was that age, too. I kind of low-keyed it and let my brother and sister take the rap for everything.

Roland Rakell

Rickard wanted to learn new things every day, and was always very glad, very positive. He likes to make a lot of jokes. So he was a fun kid, very fun. He was very good at music. He could sit in front of the TV and just listen. Then he would go to another room where we had a keyboard, and he was sitting for 10 minutes, and then he could play the song. He played the saxophone at his wedding.

Daniel Pettersson

Marcus loved all kinds of sports. Really, everything he did was about sports. He was a very kind kid, and wanted everybody to be a part of everything. He would pick up the kids from all over and play some games on the streets.

Dan Petry

School was very hard for Jeff. He worked extremely hard at it. But every morning when he would get up, as he was getting ready for school, he'd be singing, and he'd smile. And it's like, oh my God, he's going off to school to struggle all day long, and he's just happy as can be. He would get up in the morning and couldn't wait to go. I just never forgot that. And yes, he's made it to the NHL and played a long time. But the thing that I think I'm the most proud of is that he got a college degree from Michigan State. I didn't go to college; my wife didn't go to college. That's what I think I'm the most proud of is, is that he got a college degree.

Scott Zucker

His discipline back then - it was youth hockey. He would train on his own and warm up on his own. His teammates used to go, what the heck? Everything is like this (straightens phones out on the table). I remember not only did his stick curve have to be perfect, but the color had to be perfect. He is so far past that now, but he literally couldn't shoot with a stick that wasn't a particular color. I'm like, Jason, that's the same stick. Here's the name. But no, it's GOT to be the blue stick.

Jim Archibald

We used to live in a very small town, and we had actually turned our curling rink into a skating rink. The kids couldn't use pucks out there, but they got to use a tennis ball, and they'd go out and skate. Through my job, I was on the road a little bit. So when my wife used to take Josh to the rink to skate, she could never get him off the ice, she couldn't catch him on the ice (laughs). She used to have to try to bribe him to get them off. Usually, it was a chocolate bar or something like that. That drive and determination when he was 4 or 5 years old has carried into where he is today.

Shawn O'Connor

Drew was very strong-willed, very much had a mind of his own. Very stubborn, and tenacious. He wouldn't give up if things wouldn't work. Definitely an energetic kid. One night, he was at his grandparents' house, and told my uncles he was going to go run around the house 100 times, and he did. He's got an intensity inside of him.

Rick Heinen

Danton and I both enjoyed the 6 AM practices. We had our thing - we went to the rink, we had practice, then we'd go to McDonald's. Then I'd take him to school, and I'd go up to work.
Michelle Crechiolo, Sydney Bauer and Sydney Blackman contributed to this feature.