Autograph Questions With...Dan Paille

Another "AQW..." that was gathered at the recent Guelph Storm Alumni Game.

I watched a young Dan Paille in 2003-04 play for the OHL's Guelph Storm, and he tore up the league that season.

















He picked up 80 points in only 59 games, that year. He made the Canadian squad for the World Junior Tournament, and was named captain. He led Team Canada to a silver that tournament, his same medal result the year before. But he grew from that loss, and helped lead the Storm to an OHL Championship that year. He scored 18 points in 22 games, that playoff drive. He was great to watch, as a Storm fan that year.














I've had a few things signed by Dan, that season, which turned out to be his last with the Storm. The next season, the Buffalo Sabres assigned him to Rochester, after drafting him in the 1st round, 20th overall in 2002. After spending the 2005-06 season in the AHL, Buffalo called him up next season. Paille scored his first NHL goal on January 14, 2006, against the Los Angeles Kings. In the summer of 2007, Paille signed a one-year, $535,000 one-way contract to remain in Buffalo, then re-signed with Sabres for two years, which was announced on July 16, 2008, for $2.2 million: $900,000 in the first year, and in the second, $1,300,000.

He got to play in the, now famous, 2008 Winter Classic with Buffalo, against the Pittsburgh Penguins. Buffalo ended up losing in a shoot-out, as Sidney Crosby scored the game winner on Ryan Miller.

Paille was traded to the Boston Bruins on October 20, 2009 for a third-round and a conditional fourth-round draft selection. Paille's move to Boston marked the first ever trade of a player under contract between the two division rivals in their common 39 years in the NHL.

This trade enabled Paille to play in his second Winter Classic. On January 1st, 2010, his Bruins faced the Philadelphia Flyers, at Fenway Park. Again, this game went to overtime, but his time wouldn't lose this time! The Bruins won in Boston, as Marco Sturm scored early in overtime.















When Paille returned to Guelph, a few weeks ago, for the Alumni game, I had a couple of photos for him to sign. When I got to see him, at his signing table, he gladly signed each of the photos, commented on how much he liked the Sabres photo, in which he is jumping after a goal! After chatting for a minute, we shook hands and that was it.


















After the game, I decided to stick around and meet some of the players and hopefully interview them for my blog. When Paille came outside of the Sleeman Centre, after the Alumni game, he agreed happily to answer some questions about autographing.

Which now leads me to our interview.

Autograph Questions With...Dan Paille

Who was the first person, you ever asked for an autograph?
DP; "Walter Gretzky."













Who was the most recent person, you've asked for an autograph?
DP; "My teammate, Zdeno Chara."














What's the 'coolest' thing you've been asked to sign?
DP; "Hmmm...a baseball bat, in Boston!"














What NHL city do you find is the worst for autograph hounds?
DP; "Montreal." (He immediately had an answer for this question!)












Finally, if you could ask anyone, living or deceased, for an autograph...who would it be?
DP; "Hmmm...Mario Lemieux."


















There's another "AQW..." in the books.














Hope you enjoyed it, I should another one ready soon for posting. Want a hint on who it is?! It's not a Storm alumni...it's a San Jose Shark, and I didn't have a single thing for him to sign! Thanks to Bill, again, for the photo of Dan and I.

All the best,
C.

PS- I realize the last few postings have been nothing but interviews, but this summer has been pretty quiet on the autograph front, and when I get an 'adventure' worth posting...you'll see it! Until then, please visit regularly, and try to enjoy the "AQW..." interviews!