Teddy Purcell

Status: Tampa Bay Lightning right winger.

Ht: 6-foot-2 Wt: 200 pounds

DOB: Sept. 8, 1985 In: St. John’s, Newfoundland

Hockey Inspirations: "I guess my parents. They pushed me all the way and helped me out. But my favorite player growing up was Teemu Selanne."

First Hockey Memory: "I always liked hockey as a kid. I remember just getting a hockey video game during Christmas, or street hockey gear. Boxing Day is the 26th in Canada, I remember turning on the World Junior Tournament on TV and rooting for Team Canada. Those are probably my earliest memories."



Nicknames: "Purcy, Newf, Theo."

Hobbies/Leisure Activities: "Summertime I like to go back to my family and friends back home. I'm starting to pick up golf. Actually started doing Pilates a little bit, too, a little bit of a different hobby."

Favorite Movies: "Dumb and Dumber, Usual Suspects, Forgetting Sarah Marshall."

Last Book Read: "I read the Anthony Kiedis biography. From Red Hot Chili Peppers."

First Job: "My aunt and uncle owned fish plants back home in Newfoundland. So I worked in the processing line, picking shrimp."

First Car: "In junior, my parents bought me a Pontiac Sunfire (silver)."

Current Car: "I have an Audi S4 and Chevy Tahoe."

Favorite Arena To Play: "Montreal."



Favorite Meal: "Steak, potatoes kind of guy."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Mint chocolate chip."

Greatest Sports Moment: "Was probably just signing my first NHL contract. I didn't think I'd ever have a chance to play in the NHL. But the first step of becoming an NHL player was pretty special and something I'll always remember."



Most Painful Moment: "It's never fun to lose, but I guess, painful, losing my teeth I guess. (From a shot?) Skate."

Favorite Uniforms: "I always like the original teams. I think New York's is pretty cool. I like Montreal. I like our third jerseys, too."

Closest NHL Friends: "Probably Brian Boyle for the Rangers. Kyle Quincey in Colorado. All the guys in L.A. I spent those first three years with those guys. But some of the guys here I'm starting to become pretty good buddies with, too. So, a lot of good friends throughout the league."



Funniest Players Encountered: "Ryan Malone. And Brian Boyle is pretty funny, too."

Toughest Competitor Encountered: "Chris Pronger."

Most Memorable Goal: "When I got traded to Tampa, my first home game here. I got a penalty shot - the first penalty shot that I've had. In the second period. And I ended up scoring, so it was pretty cool (vs. Atlanta)."



Strangest Game: "The one this year against Philadelphia. It was like every shot was going in. There weren't even that many shots. A goalie's nightmare. We were leaving both goalies out to dry, but it was a lot of fun to be a part of. We were joking around with the guys on the Flyers - last shot's going to win (smiles)."



Embarrassing Hockey Memory: "One of the first times I got called up, the guys put my skate guards on my skates. Forgot to take them off. So went out to practice and took a nice tumble for all the guys. So it was pretty funny."



Favorite Sport Outside Hockey: "Soccer."



Favorite Players To Watch: "Semin, Ovechkin. I still like watching Selanne, too. He's still one of my favorites."

Personality Qualities Most Admired: "Easy-going, down-to-earth, funny."

Mark 'Scoop' Malinowski is the author of "Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle" and creator of two websites: www.thebiofile.com and www.tennis-prose.com.