17 replies to this topic

[DMAC 25]

Years from now, as the Pittsburgh Penguins reminisce about their Stanley Cup championship of 2009, you can imagine one of them looking at pictures from the Game 7 aftermath and saying, “Who’s that guy?”

Chances are the mystery man will be Ryan Kraft, a Washington Twp. resident and lifelong Penguins fan who took advantage of postgame delirium on June 12 to sneak into the winning locker room at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.

He has about 40 photos to prove it, including one of him hoisting the Cup and another with Penguins owner Mario Lemieux, his hero. He even got Lemieux to autograph a champagne bottle.

A 32-year-old salesman for the water treatment company RainSoft, Kraft is the leading scorer in Centerville High School hockey history, tallying 343 points from 1992-96. He captained the club hockey team at Wright State, graduating in 2004.

This Penguins devotion comes from his father, attorney Michael Kraft, who educated Ryan about the great Lemieux at an impressionable age. Recently, at the suggestion of his 7-year-old nephew, Akaius, Ryan honored the team’s current superstar by naming one of his dogs Sidney, the other Crosby.

In his words

“After the game, me and my buddies, Brian Fisher and P.J. Paslosky, moved down a little closer to take some pictures. As we’re shooting, the Penguins are skating around with the Cup, then taking a team photo. At this point, family members are let onto the ice.

“So I go over in position where a family member might be, and after about 15 minutes, (defenseman) Philippe Boucher skates over and points to the guy in front of me. When that guy raises his hand, I raise mine. The security guard sees both of us, opens the door and everyone just assumes I’m a relative.

“Once on the ice, it’s open season. I have access to the tunnel back to the locker room and it’s just a big celebration — players everywhere, hanging out, playing music and spraying champagne.

“A couple players pick me up and swing me around. I’m spraying a bottle of champagne. Amazing.

“I’m in the hallway to the locker room and Lemieux is walking right toward me. My heart is racing, getting ready to pound out of my chest. I put my arm around him, put my camera out and snap the picture. That might be my favorite.

“I didn’t know if I had gotten the Cup picture. In the locker room, when the Cup was being passed around, I say to a guy, ‘You’ve got to get my picture with the Cup.’ But the red light on the camera is flashing. I kiss the Cup, put it above my head and the guy takes the picture just as the battery dies. I didn’t know I’d gotten it until I got back to Dayton at 7 in the morning. I was so relieved.

“It’s a great story. I won’t let it die. I take a couple of those pictures with me anywhere I go. It’s fun. What an amazing night, once in a lifetime. I’m glad it happened to me.”



i was bored and was online and was looking to see if i could find anymore information on whats going to happen with the Joe and i found this

delete this thread if u want to

[LeftWinger]

Interesting Story....

two issues though, not that I don't believe him, but maybe some pictures to prove it woud be nice, I could make up te same exact story and just change the team, but it could've happened. Two: This really shows us just how safe our beloved players are from stalkers! After this story came out (if it is true) the NHL should adopt a "Family Credentials" program to where you need special ID to get on the ice. This guy could've done some real damage...

[hooon]

pretty good story, good for him. Glad he could enjoy it (while i was drinking away my sorrows). Definately a great tale to tell your kids, and im sure it was surreal for him. His dogs sound pretty ***, but otherwise good article!

[Echolalia]

Interesting Story....

two issues though, not that I don't believe him, but maybe some pictures to prove it woud be nice, I could make up te same exact story and just change the team, but it could've happened. Two: This really shows us just how safe our beloved players are from stalkers! After this story came out (if it is true) the NHL should adopt a "Family Credentials" program to where you need special ID to get on the ice. This guy could've done some real damage...

There are photos floating around the internet. I think Puckdaddy covered this story a week or so ago.

[Wingsequallife13]

Here are photos. http://projects.dayt...80209ryankraft/

[Stu in Israel]

My compliments to "Leftwinger." Good logic, good post!

[dat's sick]

As much as I hate pictures of or stories about the Penguins cup win, that is pretty cool. Lucky guy. If I had pictures like that with the Red Wings, I'd carry them around all the time too, showing them to anyone and everyone.

Although I agree with LeftWinger, there should be some security even in situations like that.

[Holmstrom96]

As much as I hate pictures of or stories about the Penguins cup win, that is pretty cool. Lucky guy. If I had pictures like that with the Red Wings, I'd carry them around all the time too, showing them to anyone and everyone.

I agree, it's fricken awesome. I know we hate the pens and everything, but to be a part of a celebration of a team you love, that would be priceless. I was at Verlander no-hitter and I'll never forget it.

[micah]

Interesting Story....

two issues though, not that I don't believe him, but maybe some pictures to prove it woud be nice, I could make up te same exact story and just change the team, but it could've happened. Two: This really shows us just how safe our beloved players are from stalkers! After this story came out (if it is true) the NHL should adopt a "Family Credentials" program to where you need special ID to get on the ice. This guy could've done some real damage...

Nothing happened because Eric Godard was on the ice.


I agree, this is a great story.

[martyrme19]

I laughed uncontrollably at this post as I could just imagine how much of a kick that guy must've had during the whole thing. Good for him - Thats gotta be the ultimate dream for any hockey fan. Let that be a lesson to all of us, if you ever want to find yourself somewhere you shouldnt be....just act like you belong there and no one will know the difference.

[dat's sick]

Let that be a lesson to all of us, if you ever want to find yourself somewhere you shouldnt be....just act like you belong there and no one will know the difference.

I could swear that's how Kopecky got into the NHL.

[gcom007]

Forte, Birmingham, June 2002, Stanley Cup, Champagne, Luc Robitaille's wife, greatest night of my life. And I've got pictures too. I win.

[awingsincebirth]

I could swear that's how Kopecky got into the NHL.

Hahahaha.

Now that you mention it, I'm pretty sure that I remember a picture of Marian Hossa getting drafted - Hoss is up there wearing a Sens jersey shaking Buttman's hand, but if you look really hard to the back of the stage, there's old Kopecky with a "f***, I hope nobody says anything" type of look on his face.

And so the love affair began.

[Snazzy]

Crosby is a ******

[wingslionstigers]

Hahah thats awesome, sounds like something i would do. If only i could get tickets or afford to go to a game 7 in the Stanley Cup Finals.

This guy could've done some real damage...

Yes he could have single handedly beat down every Pittsburgh player and then raped there families. Or better yet he could of been a terrorist. His gun only works at ice level, i mean theres no way if he had a gun he could just simply shoot people from the stands. Just giving you s*** im not even sure if thats what you meant...

[MadMan Mark]

Crosby is a ******

Nice helmet, *****!

[DMAC 25]

Here are photos. http://projects.dayt...80209ryankraft/

thanks for putting the link up, i must have not been thinking to not put the link up. anyway the guy is lucky as hell i mean just from the pictures he even got to lift the stnaley cup

[ZetterbergFourty]

Delete the thread!