Marc Crawford argues a call from the bench. (Jeff Vinnick/Getty Images)

Marc Crawford was drafted in 1980 by the Vancouver Canucks where he played 176 games over 6 years. His coaching career has been more successful. His first NHL team was the Quebec Nordiques where he won the Jack Adams award for coach of the year. He moved with the team to Colorado where he won a Stanley Cup in 1996. Since then he's coached the Vancouver Canucks and the Los Angeles Kings.

CBC Sports: How did you get into hockey?

Crawford: "I came from a hockey family. My dad was a professional hockey player. He played for Montreal, and he played a lot of senior hockey, in international leagues and in semi-pro. So, he was really involved, and my older brothers were in it, too, so I gravitated into it. "There were seven boys in our family, and six of us played at the university level or higher -and three of us played in the NHL... So, not too bad. "The two other boys in the NHL were Bob and Lou, and then myself."

CBC Sports: What was the first game you can remember playing?

Crawford: "First game? It's funny. I was five-years-old and I can still remember playing at the Belleville arena.

"It was divided into three, and my father said they used to watch me from the glass, and I used to go out on the ice and just stand there. The puck would go one way, and I would turn that way. Then it went the other way, and I turned again. I just stood there.

"I remember my first goal, too. I thought I was Frank Mahovlich. Frank Mahovlich was my idol, and I thought I was him."

CBC Sports: Who was your funniest teammate, and why?

Crawford: The funniest player that ever played for me was Mark Bergevin - 'Bergie'. He's an extremely funny guy. You talk to a lot of players, and ask them the same question, they'll mention him.

"I remember the first time he came in the dressing room, the first time we traded for him. He's a defensive style defenceman, and I told him, 'You're going to be in the power play meeting,' and he said, 'You mean, I'm not part of the power play?'

"Other players I played with? Kevin McCarthy, the late Gary Lupul, they're tremendously funny."

CBC Sports: Where was the most memorable tournament you ever played, and why?

Crawford: "The most memorable tournament I ever played in was in Burlington [Ont.], in the bantam finals. I got to play against Gretzky, and the likes of Paul Coffey, Steve Larmer. We're all guys of the same age, we grew up playing together."

CBC Sports: Where was the worst arena you've ever played at? What was it like?

Crawford: "The worst ones were usually the ones that were really cold. In Belleville, we only had one arena, so we played a lot at the old Stirling arena. And I remember my feet freezing. It had a lot of charm, but it was cold."

CBC Sports: Where was the coldest game of hockey you ever played? Describe it.

Crawford: "Playing in Point Anne [Ont.], that was an outdoor rink. I remember it snowing, and again, you're young, but you do remember your feet freezing."

CBC Sports: Who was the most memorable hockey parent you ever met? Why?

Crawford: "My father [Floyd] for sure, and my mother [Pauline]. My father is pretty memorable, they had such an impact on me. My mom used to sit in the same seat in the Belleville arena, she supports you so much she would sit there all day, because we were all in the different age groups. And my dad was there for everything, too.

"Another parent who was really good to me, for driving me around, and coaching, was Leroy McBrian [in Belleville]. He was a great father, his son was on the team. I had him until peewee, and then they moved to Montreal. I look back and can say he was a really good hockey parent.

"Another father is Bob Cook. He was a coach in Belleville, too, I had him for a few years. They [Cook and McBrian] were really involved and always looked out for the kids' best interests."