Penguins Players Deliver More Than Season Tickets: Sharing Stories and Gratitude

When Zachariah Sellman was just a couple of weeks old, his parents took him to Mellon Arena, waiting in line for three hours to take a picture with the Stanley Cup after the Penguins won in 2009.

“When it was our turn, my husband was like, can I please put him in the Cup?” Zach’s mother Jessica said. “He almost couldn’t get him back out since he was a floppy infant!”

Earlier today, Jessica shared that anecdote with Sidney Crosby after he stopped by to hand-deliver season tickets – on Zachariah’s 14^th birthday, giving him the best present a kid could ask for! – to continue the team tradition that began in 2007. The captain has been to many houses over the years, and always enjoys hearing memories like that one, which are tied to the team.

“I think just to meet everybody and thank everyone for their support, it's always different stories,” Crosby said. “A lot of stories are all unique in their own way, and it's fun to be able to connect with everyone. So, I think it's just a great way for us to show our appreciation.”

The season ticket holders receiving house calls know that a player is going to be stopping by, but have no idea which Penguin will be walking up to their door. As Crosby walked up Bill Radocaj's driveway, the reaction from his family members - particularly from his daughter, who began to cry tears of joy - shows why this tradition never gets old for the lucky Penguins faithful.

Crosby was impressed by how long Radocaj has been coming to games, as he first bought Penguins season tickets in 1979. He’s had some remarkable experiences in the decades since, but a recent one that stood out is how Crosby made sure to give his young granddaughter a puck when she did the Highmark High Five.

"I got to tell him about that game, and the class act he was, and to thank him,” Radocaj said. “I still kind of can't believe all this took place today. I kept thinking, this guy is the best hockey player in the world, not just here (in Pittsburgh) and stuff like that. It was just fantastic to get to meet him.”

Tim Gregorius and his family felt the same way. Tim and his wife Lisa started attending games after Mario Lemieux first got drafted in 1984, and now share tickets with their son Evan and daughter Cara, who have grown up with Crosby as a role model. Both Tim and Evan thanked Crosby profusely for the example and standard he’s set.

“He acts like he doesn’t know that you know who he is. He’s just a normal person who treats everyone the way they’re worthy of being treated,” Evan said.

This is the first time since Crosby started doing season ticket delivery that the Penguins missed the playoffs the season before. But despite that disappointing ending – “I would’ve liked them to have kept that playoff streak going forever!” Tim said with a smile – that hasn't dampened anyone's spirits for this upcoming season. There was nothing but optimism at each stop the players made. “It’s always fun to get out there and see the fans, experience things with the fans, talk with them and see how excited they are,” Bryan Rust said. “It gets us more excited, too."

A total of 14 players traveled around the Pittsburgh region to have personal interactions with Penguins fans who have supported them through so much. Here’s more from each player on their experiences today.

Kris Letang

“It’s always good to meet the fans and the people that have been cheering for our team for that long, or the new season ticket holders who are joining the older ones. It’s fun to deliver in person and meet their family, their kids and see how the city is behind us. That’s what makes it special for the players that come to Pittsburgh, we have such a good city behind us. The fans are great, the people are great.”

Jake Guentzel

“It’s pretty cool just to kind of hear their backstories and how long they've been season ticket holders. Their support means the world to us. Obviously, they’re behind us regardless of the situation. So, it's just cool to meet new people every year and kind of see what they're about and how much they love the Penguins.”

Bryan Rust

“When you do things like this and you can see how excited the fans get and how much support we have, especially in a city like Pittsburgh where the fans are unbelievable, I think it just gives you that re-found appreciation for how lucky we are to have their support.”

Tristan Jarry

“Obviously, it's great to give back to the fans that do so much for us. Without them, we wouldn't be anything – we'd be playing in an empty stadium. So it's cool that we get to do this and interact with them when usually, you don't get to see that. You see everyone from the ice, but it's awesome to have these interactions and face-to-face talks, and it's something that you always remember. Every day, you see how hockey crazy the town of Pittsburgh is. Just being able to go out and visit some of these families and getting to know their stories a little bit, and how long they've been season ticket holders, like, you have some that have been for 30-40 years. It’s crazy that they've been season ticket holders for that long. But it really makes you appreciate being able to play for the city of Pittsburgh and being able to pull over this jersey every night.”

Marcus Pettersson

“It's nice to be able to get out into the community and get to see people that actually are there to support you and cheer for you all the way. So, I think it's a great initiative to go out, for us players to see families and different people to kind of say hi and thank you for what they do and see a smile on their face, too.”

Rickard Rakell

“You can really get a sense of how much hockey means to this city. Everyone is just as excited as we are to start this season, and have high expectations like we do.”

Jeff Carter

“It was a fun day. I think any event with the fans, you kind of get to see their excitement and see how much the team means to them. It's always nice to kind of get out, interact and put a face to the people that are always in the stands cheering us on.”

P.O Joseph

“It was fun to be welcomed in those people’s houses, and it’s fun to see the smiles they have when they see us come in. It’s also fun to see that the season is coming up for them as well, and they’re such a big part of the organization, really. To be able to play in front of them, they’re so loud. It’s a fun feeling to see the smiles on their faces. It's fun to see that they're still supporting us no matter what, and it's definitely giving us a boost for the next season.”

Drew O’Connor

“It’s my first time doing this, getting out and giving away tickets. It was a lot of fun meeting some of the fans and some of the kids. I think it's just cool to see the people up front and in person. We know we have great fans, so kind of getting to meet them in person and seeing the people that are supporting us night in and night out is really special.”

Reilly Smith

“The experience was great today. I feel like the fans here in Pittsburgh are so welcoming and engaged in hockey. It seems like they're true fans that are very knowledgeable of the sport, and very excited about the season ahead of us. So, it was great to be able to meet some of the season ticket holders, spend a little bit of time with their families, and especially to be able to see their kids in the next wave of Penguins faithful.”

Lars Eller

“When you meet people and greet them and talk to them a little bit, even though it's a short amount of time, you make some connections. You know they're always there. When the team is doing well, it just touches a lot of people. It's a part of their lives, and kids, they look up to you, to these athletes. It's another reason it's important to be a good role model and carry yourself a certain way. Then, whatever happens on the ice happens, but you try to just do your best and compete and be proud of yourself, and I'm sure the fans will be proud of how you represent their team as well.”

Ryan Graves

“It’s a cool experience to get to meet them in their own home, it’s different than what it usually is when you meet the fans. Usually, you meet them in a setting where it's in an arena or at an event, something like that. So, it's cool to meet them in their own home. They can have their family around; you see a lot of jerseys and flags and things like that. It's a good welcome to Pittsburgh, and it kind of gets you excited for the year.”

Matt Nieto

“It was awesome. You can tell they’re really passionate about the Pens. I’ve been playing the Pens for a number of years, and you just get that feel of a complete sports town here. It’s something that I’m excited to be a part of, and I’m really excited to play here.”

Stick tap to Andi Perelman, Jonathan Kabana, Sydney Blackman, Darryl Hill, Jordan Lawson, Ilyse Silverman, Cassy Opela, and Spencer Thomas, who all contributed to this article.