Let’s face it. Fans love getting an autograph of their favorite player or players on their team. It’s commonplace everywhere you look. Whether it’s at a season ticket holder event or randomly on the street if you’re lucky enough to run into someone, fans are always looking for an opportunity.
When they get their opportunity, it’s great for both the fan and the player. You usually see a puck or a stick or a shirt or something basic. It gets the job done.
Then there are times that something unusual happens. By unusual, I mean weird. Some fans decide simple is not good enough for them. They take it up a notch when they meet their favorite player.
The McDavid Example
Let me give you an example that I personally know happened. I asked this question of Edmonton Oilers’ captain Connor McDavid back in his Erie Otters’ days. As the star of the show, one could only imagine the kind of weird requests he would get. He shared his weirdest one with me.
A forehead.
Yes, a fan wanted their forehead autographed. And you know what, McDavid said no. Good for him. What’s the point of putting permanent marker or whatever it was the fan had on their head. It makes no sense.
Fast forward to Saturday night. The Columbus Blue Jackets are looking for a sweep of their Western road trip in Vegas against the Golden Knights. One of the things Vegas is known for is their celebrities. The Blue Jackets to a degree are celebrities. What a perfect time to ask several members of the Blue Jackets what their weirdest autograph request was. Get ready for some of these. You won’t believe the level some fans have gone to.
Connor McDavid once had someone ask for their forehead to be autographed. (Perry Nelson-USA TODAY Sports)
The Blue Jackets’ Weird Autograph Requests
In no particular order, here are the weirdest requests the Blue Jackets have received at some point in their hockey careers.
- Pierre-Luc Dubois: A baby’s arm. If asking for your forehead was bad, inking your baby is in a different stratosphere. Why would the parent ink their baby for the sake of a hockey autograph? Get a hockey card. Get a jersey. There’s so many better ways to do this.
- Boone Jenner: Both a shoe and a set of keys. Ok now. Where do we begin here? Why a shoe? The wear and tear of it will only disintegrate the ink. Perhaps it’s a true keepsake and the shoe would never be worn. Ok but that’s still weird. And a set of keys? How do you even sign the keys? Was it on the key itself or on the chain somewhere. Jenner admitted it was the actual key. Yikes! Where is this said key now? I have so many questions.
- Alexander Wennberg: Someone’s forehead. So McDavid was not alone in the forehead requests department. Wennberg said he got that request on opening night on the blue carpet. So there had to have been several fans around to watch this. I wonder if they looked in shock and amazement as I would have had I been witness to this.
- Scott Harrington: The back of a phone. The phone itself? Yes, the phone itself? Did they not realize the trade in value of the phone? Yes it was an iPhone. Sure it might look cool and all. But it wasn’t on the case, that at least I would understand. Nope the back of the actual phone had Harrington’s autograph on it. And in a funny moment, Harrington said the fan should have at least gotten someone good to autograph it if they were going to go through with it.
A fan once asked Scott Harrington to sign the back of their phone without the case. (Aaron Doster-USA TODAY Sports)
- Markus Nutivaara: An arm. At least this time, the arm was an adult’s arm. Progress! Still, why? There’s just so many better approaches than your skin here, but that’s just me.
- Joonas Korpisalo: A baby. Back in Finland, Korpisalo said someone wanted their baby inked. Ultimately, the autograph ended up on the back of the shirt. Will fans who offer up their babies ever learn? Considering the one later, I don’t have much hope.
- Seth Jones: Various phone cases. At least this one I sort of, kind of get. It’s not on the phone. But now you have to keep the case in tip-top shape. That’s too much work for me.
- Ryan Murray. Are you sitting? Good. Because this might top them all. Murray admitted that he and Jack Johnson when he was a Blue Jacket had a baby put on the table in front of them. Then one at a time, they each signed the baby’s shirt and handed them to the next player. It was a game of pass the baby for an autograph. This wins weirdest ever hands down, no contest. What more can be said? Does this count as baptism?
Ryan Murray wins weirdest autograph request hands down. Pass the baby please. (Amy Irvin / The Hockey Writers)
- Anthony Duclair: An unopened chapstick. Hmmm. That’s, certainly different. But I have questions. Why? And how was Duclair able to get his legible autograph on the tube? He says he did. I’m very impressed. I just wonder what the status of the tube is today.
- Dean Kukan: Forehead. Ok, this seems more common than I thought. Doesn’t make it any less weird though.
- Markus Hannikainen: A baby’s shirt. Again back to the baby thing again. He refused to sign the baby (thank goodness) but did sign the shirt. A shirt I totally get. Kudos to Hannikainen for showing proper restraint.
- Artemi Panarin: A passport. He did what? Naturally Panarin will have worldwide fans. Some don’t care if their government document has ink on it. Now was it on the outside cover or on the inside? If it was the inside, not a smart move. Panarin’s English still isn’t great, but he was able to admit about the passport. He couldn’t help but laugh himself when recalling this incident.
- Nick Foligno: A $20 bill. This was funny. Foligno said it might have been illegal to sign currency. But he did it for a fan. Hopefully it wasn’t spent soon thereafter. The status of the bill may never be known. But could you imagine if a random person got a hold of the Foligno bill? They’d be like, who the heck is this guy and why is he on my twenty?
There you have it, the list of Blue Jackets’ weirdest autograph requests. Please don’t be like any of these examples if you can help it. The players will gladly sign someone for you. But if you bring something strange, you might be the subject of a funny story later on. Proceed with caution.