Getting To Know: Kyle Wellwood

Kyle Wellwood has 13 goals and 18 points in 31 games with the Canucks this season. (Photo by Jeff Vinnick/NHLI via Getty Images)

Mark Malinowski
2008-12-27 16:25:00

HT: 5-foot-10  WT: 180 pounds

DOB: May 16, 1983   In: Windsor, Ont.

Hockey Inspirations: "I guess I liked watching Lemieux, Mogilny, just guys that scored pretty goals."

Nicknames:  "Mostly ‘Welly,’ there was ‘Artie.’ I think that's it."

Hobbies/Leisure Activities:  "I like reading and video games, like sports, tennis, volleyball."

First Hockey Memory:  "Playing on the backyard rink. Just being out on the ice at night by myself. All day. Wake up, start at maybe seven, still 11 at night."

Favorite Movies:  "Forrest Gump, the Batman movies."

Last Book Read:  "The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand."

Favorite TV Show:  "Seinfeld."

Musical Tastes:  "I like U2; The Killers."

Pre-Game Feeling:  "I'm thinking about trying to score early in the game."

First Job:  "Was concession-stand worker at a baseball park. (Where?) Weston Park. Local, small-town park."

First Car:  "Old Ford pick-up (gray)."

Current Car:  "Mercedes E63 AMG (silver)."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor:  "Vanilla."

Greatest Sports Moment:  "Scoring on the Leafs." (smiles)

Most Painful Moment:  "Losing the front tooth. (How?) Highstick. (Where?) It was in the minors. And it was the last game of the season. And we weren't making the playoffs. And it was probably my second to last shift the whole year. Going into the summer. And I knocked my tooth out (at St. John's)."

Closest NHL Friends:  "Matt Stajan; Carlo Colaiacovo; Darcy Tucker."

Funniest Players Encountered:  "Wade Belak; Darcy Hordichuk."
Toughest Competitors:  "Mats Sundin; Bryan Marchment."

Most Memorable Goal:  "I'd say my first NHL goal was my biggest goal. It was in Toronto against Philly."

Funny Hockey Memory:  "Probably singing a song at rookie party, in front of a bunch of strangers. (Which song?) Some Madonna song."

Embarrassing Hockey Memory:  "That's probably it, too. Actually, on the ice it would be getting hit and then my helmet spinning around on my head, with the back so I couldn't see where I was going on the ice. I was trying to fix it and I couldn't."

Strangest Game:  "In junior, there was a game that was 10-7 and it just seemed like every three seconds there was a goal. And we were playing an inter-league Quebec team. I think it was like 10-7 and that was the highest scoring game. Versus Victoriaville, they had Antoine Vermette."

People Qualities Most Admired:  "Sense of humor, honesty and humble. People that are humble."

Click HERE to read more "Getting to Know" features.

Mark "Scoop" Malinowski's first book "Heavyweight Armageddon: The Lewis-Tyson Championship Battle" is available at amazon.com. For more features from the world of sports, check out thebiofile.com.