– Tara Hun-Dorris –

Autographs are typically not my jam (see https://canesexpress.com/2023/09/10/that-time-marty-launched-a-beer/). However, I always see my fellow ‘Caniacs with the sigs on jerseys and hats, and it does look cool. I’m not opposed to unobtrusive fan encounters, I just don’t like the idea of bothering a famous person. So Gabriel and I took the opportunity to load up our jerseys and hats and attend to our first STM all access event.

For other newbies, here’s how this worked. I received an email a few weeks prior to the event asking for an RSVP. Once I RSVPed, two tickets (the number of STM tickets I have) appeared in Ticketmaster along with my season tickets, parking pass, and STM discount card. The event started at 6 pm – meaning that’s when PNC opened its doors. Parking was free (for once!). When we arrived around 5:50, the line already wrapped around the port-a-potties (and truly thank goodness for those). I guess some folks get there as early as 1 or 2, which seems a whole other level of devotion. I’m glad I got a full work day in prior to heading out.

Fortunately, it was a perfect fall evening, so the waiting in line wasn’t too bad. Once the line got moving promptly at 6, we got in the door pretty fast.

Then it was decision time. Each STM account received one autograph fastpass. Yes, like they use at Disney. Each fastpass provided near immediate access to two to three players – one to two major players paired with one or two minor players. I’m not sure how allocation is determined, but I do plan to ask my rep. I’m curious if the fix is in to get Andrei Svechnikov, Sebastian Aho, or Brent Burns because those lines get l-o-n-g fast. (If you’re curious, Svechnikov was paired with Jesperi Kotkaniemi, Aho with Antti Raanta, and Burns with Stefan Noesen – so three great fastpass gets.)

We did not fastpass to any of what I call the Big Three, but we did get Brady Skjei paired with Ryan Suzuki and Jamieson Rees, so I’m not complaining. Fastpass in hand, we knew we could get the Skjei autograph anytime.

My favorite player is Jalen Chatfield (I admire how he puts his all that heart and energy into every moment on the ice!), and Gabriel’s favorites are Martin Necas (watching him skate is a thing of beauty) and Pyotr Kochetkov (who is just absolutely adorable – my opinion, not my kid’s who respects him as a goalie and would cringe that I said adorable out loud). We lucked out in that Chatty was paired with PK (and also Dylan Coghlan). So once we got into PNC, we made straight for section 314 and the Chatfield-Coghlan-Kochetkov line. And it wasn’t too bad, not because the players aren’t popular (there were loads of PK jerseys including my kid’s), but because I’m guessing a lot of people went straight for one of the Big Three.

We waited for the players to arrive around 6:30 pm (they sign from 6:30 to 8 pm sharp, and you have to appreciate the time limit because we certainly don’t want our players suffering marker-related hand fatigue or injury). Once the signing started, the line moved fast. We were to the front in no time. And despite the line moving fast, the players were friendly with STMs, joking with one another, genuinely enjoying themselves, not rushing us at all, which made me, as a fan enjoy the event more, and not feel so bad about getting the autograph.

Chatty even seemed genuinely happy that I had his jersey (I love my silver anniversary edition #5), and gave Coghlan a hard time when I asked him to sign it too. Coghlan graciously signed it with a smile, as did the (freaking adorable) Kochetkov.

After that I was ready to do our Skjei fastpass and move onto the locker room tour and ice. The Skjei fastpast worked like magic, in and out in less than three minutes. (The staff check your name off and you get the next opening – it really is ala Disney.)

Gabriel really wanted to have his Necas jersey signed, so we made our way to the Necas and Teuvo Teravainen section on the second floor. The line looked longish, but the friendly staff assured us it was moving, and we made it through in about 20 minutes. Necas and Teravainen were as gracious as the other players had been, and my son got to briefly meet his hockey hero.

We collected eight autographs in well under 2 hours and had time to tour the locker room (super cool if a little smelly – professionally cleaned icky smelly not my son’s local hockey league decades of unwashed, unbearable cold-sweat stench), shoot a goal (I actually did it!), and have our picture taken on the bench by friendly Canes Crew. We were out of the arena prior to the 8:30 closing and even went up to Lynnwood for a pizza on a school/work night (we skipped out on PNC dinner since it’s expensive even with the STM discount and we eat there so much during the regular season).

I came away from the experience charmed by our individual players and impressed by the seamlessness of the event. It’s a true STM perk. And I got to score a goal! If only they’d let me wear my skates!