Havertown Welcomes Hockey Legend Rick Tocchet

The young teenager in the orange long-sleeved shirt needed a little prodding. His father kept telling him the guy behind the table won’t bite. Still, the teenager seemed hesitant to approach. After all, some pro athletes can be unapproachable, foreboding, intimidating. More so when they’re sports legends.

Apparently, not Rick Tocchet.

The 18-year National Hockey League veteran welcomed everyone who approached him during a 90-minute autograph session at in Havertown, gladly taking pictures with everyone, happily willing to sign anything and everything presented to him, including chairs from the old Spectrum, a huge picture collage of former Flyers, shirts, coats and pictures. You name it.

But perhaps above everything else was Tocchet’s magnetic, engaging personality. He mingled with everyone he signed for, a true breath of fresh air, considering how some legends handle autograph sessions, rarely bringing their heads up as they conveyor-belt one autograph after another, wanting to get out of there as fast as they can.

Not Tocchet.

The former Philadelphia Flyer fan favorite and Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins seemed to have a personal touch with everyone he came in contact with.

“I really enjoy it, I enjoyed playing in Philadelphia and loved the way the Flyers treated me, and the way they still treat me,” Tocchet said after the session, taking additional photos with some of the employees of Carl’s Cards & Collectibles and making sure everyone got an autograph. “What I appreciate most is that people have memories of when I played. That’s something nice to know, knowing that you touched someone in some way when you played.”

They came from all over to see and shake hands with Tocchet.

Skip Vaughn, from King of Prussia, a life-long Flyers fan and season-ticket holder, met Tocchet in person for the first time.

“Tocchet is very personable,” Vaughn said. “This was great, a real treat meeting someone like him in person. Most hockey players are like that anyway, and I noticed how great Rick was with the kids. I got a chance to talk to him a little, and I like what he has to say about hockey. Everything he says is interesting. I can see him doing bigger things on TV. I wish he had more fulltime status on a station like Versus nationally, because he brings great insights into the game.”

Tocchet currently works as an analyst on Flyers Postgame Live on Comcast SportsNet, a position he began during the 2010 Stanley Cup playoffs, when the Flyers were making a charge. Tocchet was everything Vaughn said, adding a unique perspective to the 2010 NHL playoffs.

Tocchet made a hockey fan of Upper Darby’s Stephanie De Nicolo, who came away shaking from meeting the player she admired growing up.

“I became a hockey fan because of Rick Tocchet,” De Nicolo said. “This is the first time I ever met him in person, and I’m still shaking. I’m a very big hockey fan, and meeting someone like Tocchet makes me more of a fan. I was really surprised by how down-to-earth he is. Some stars you meet are so into themselves, but Rick was very approachable. I waited for weeks for this. I’m happy.”

Everyone was.

From the kid hiding behind his mother, to the bashful teenager who had a beaming smile after shaking Tocchet’s hand and walking away with an autographed glossy picture.

Apparently, some legends are approachable.