STATS: Real Name: Brendan Shanahan Occupation: hockey player Birthday: January 23,1969 Birth Place: Mimico, Ontario Sign: Aquarius Contact Address: I don't know but if you do please send it to shan_the_man_fan@yahoo.com

All about Brendan Brendan came form a family of four boys, all sons of Donal and Rosaleen. Donal was from County Cork, Ireland, and Rosaleen came from Belfast. They immigrated to Canada in the 1950’s, where they met at an Irish dance in Toronto and later married after five years. Brendan, the youngest child, was a daddy’s boy. He always loved to spend his mornings with his father at the ice rink. Brendan would skate while his father would drink coffee and read the Toronto Star, gently using the paper as encouragement. In ninth grade he noticed his father was forgetting things, easily confused, and drove erratically. He had never heard of Alzheimer’s disease when his father was diagnosed with it. About two years later, Brendan and his family took a trip to Ireland. Little did he know this would be his first kiss on the Blarney Stone and his father’s last. Donal died in 1990 during Shanahan’s third season in the NHL. During the national anthem, Shanahan crosses himself, recites Our Father, and follows with, “Dad, watch over me. Let me play my best. Take care of me.” He believes his father is with him always. This faith was tested one night in ’91. He was hit with a teammates slapshot and suffered a broken jaw and cheekbone. He was wondering if these prayers really meant anything. Just then the doctor added, “If that puck had hit an inch higher, you would have lost an eye. Someone must really be after you.” Then he knew his father really was watching after him. Before he joined the NHL, Brendan played junior hockey with the London Knights (OHL) where he played mostly center. In 1986 he played on the Canadian National Junior Team at the World Junior Championships in Czechoslovakia. Then finally on October 9th, 1987 he played his first NHL game ever, with the New Jersey Devils. He scored his first career hat trick in a game against Toronto on February 13th, 1989. On July 25th, 1991, he was signed as a free agent to St. Louis. There he broke the fifty-goal mark for the first time. Then in the next season he broke fifty goals in a season again. He played in two All-Star games while on this team. On July 27th, 1995 he was traded to Hartford for Chris Pronger. There he led the Whalers in goals, points, power play goals, and served as their team captain. Shanahan was loved by many in Hartford, but his job seemed like child’s play after playing St. Louis. This is because mainly Hartford stood no chance at ever getting a Cup and in St. Louis they were at least a contender in the race to get the Cup. He felt like he was playing in the Minors again. One day he went to his coach and asked to be traded. He was finally traded, to one of the original six! This day was his lucky day, October 9th 1996. The wings lost Keith Primeau, Paul Coffey, Bryan Glynn, and a first round pick in the 1997 Entry Draft but gained what could be the key to the Cup. He came four days into the season and quickly earned the “A” on his jersey. Here he scored his 300th goal, posted back-to-back hat tricks, was NHL player of the month for February, was first in playoff goals, and tied for first in game-winning goals. But, of course the highlight was ending the cup drought in Detroit with a sweep of Philadelphia. In the summer of 1997, like many of his teammates, Shanahan brought the Stanley Cup to his family. The reason this was so special is because he got to bring it to his father’s grave. During that long summer break players do many interesting things. Shanahan proves this. He had resided in an Irish manor, run with the bulls in Pamplona, auditioned for the role of Dino I the Flintstones movie, played backup goalkeeper for Ireland in soccer’s World Cup, served as a ball boy in an Andre Agassi match at the U.S. Open, been and extra in the football scene in Forrest Gump, and played saxophone at a jazz festival. Some call these happenings “Shanny’s tales,” but others believe they hold as much truth as a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. After the limo accident that involved Vladimir Konstantinov and Sergi Mnatsakonov happened, the Wings wanted to win a Cup in their honor. Shanahan helped by scoring twenty-eight goals. That was the team high for the season. He also tallied fifteen power-play goals and nine game winning goals. Although he was hit by a back injury late in the season, he still played in seventy-five regular season games and twenty playoff games. This season ended in a sweep-peat (sweet repeat) over Washington. During the 98-99 season he also played on Team Canada in the Nagano Winter Olympics and was voted a starter in the NHL All-Star game in Vancouver for team North America. Brendan Shanahan's Links Official Reddwings website My Home page Shanny's Yahoo Profile > > When I met Shanahan... On day during the playoffs the wings were having a practice. Me, my dad, abby, and my cousin Beth waited outside the Joe for them to get done. Most of them had come out we were begining to lose hope, but then he pulled up in his dark green and tan Ford Explorer!!!!! He signalled us to come to his car. I had him sign my jersey then I got my picture taken with him. He slowly pulled away and I had a permanent smile on my face. But being brilliant I opened the camera to take the film out and I ruined my picture. I was sooo devastated. Maybe I will get to meet him again. :o]