Ask Dan Question & Answer

(An index of subjects covered on the Q & A page of the web site,

 the Newsletters, and Dan and Jay's books  can be found on the

 Index of Subjects page)

Question #138:
Dear Dan: My son downloaded the wallpaper of you from the Mighty Ducks' website. I notice that like other pictures I've seen of you and other NHLers, you are not clean shaven. Do you do that to look tough or what? Mom in Anaheim

Dan Replies:
Dear Mom: You sound like my mother, "Why don't you shave so you look nice for those pictures?" (I wish I could say that picture was taken when I was growing a playoff beard - maybe this season).

The reason for the beard stubble is simple and practical. Occasionally, some opposing player mistakenly thinks I need a "face wash" and the words "gentle" and "tender" don't come to his mind at the same time as he's scrubbing my face with his rough hockey gloves. A bit of beard stubble goes a long way toward preventing my face from looking even worse than it does with over 550 stitches in it.

If you see me after the game I'm clean shaven. Unfortunately, the photographers aren't interested in what I look like then and are long gone when I come out of the locker room.

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