At 6’4 he looks pretty intimidating and with a last name like Hanson he’s got to be tough! Both parts are true but off the ice he’s about one of the nicest guys you can talk to. His name is Christian Hanson and yes he is related to the Hanson Brothers, he’s Dave Hanson’s son, the one who played Jack Hanson in the 1977 classic “Slap Shot.”

Christian currently plays for the AHL’s Toronto Marlies and has been good enough to be selected and play in the AHL All-Star game this season and was even called up to the NHL to play a few games with the Toronto Maple Leafs this season and last.

With hockey already in his genes you’d figure this was the shoe in for him to play, but not really. “I played baseball in the summers, football in the fall, hockey during the winter, and lacrosse during the spring. My parents really urged me to play every sport and find the one that fits and it just so happened to be hockey.”

Also, this big guy was not always the power forward that Toronto fans know him as. “My idol was actually Martin Brodeur growing up, living in upstate New York the Devils were the only team we got on TV and I was a goalie and that’s when he was just breaking in to the league.”

Well when that young boy grew up he made it extra special when he met Marty. “It’s pretty funny I netted my first goal of my career against him last year.” Strange how things always work out that way.

Hanson was born in Glens Falls, NY in 1986. The family was there because his dad played a couple of seasons for the Adirondack Red Wings in the early 1980’s. “He was on one of the teams that won the Calder Cup Trophy in ’81 or ’82.” Earlier this season he had the chance to play in the same arena as his dad (Glens Falls Civic Center) when the Marlies visited the Adirondack Phantoms. It was truly a memorable visit.

“It was awesome, I loved it. I hadn’t been back in a couple of years so we got there a day early and I was able to walk around downtown and walk around the Civic Center and the place was exactly like I remembered it, walking down through all the tunnels it was pretty neat.”

While Glens Falls will always hold a place in his heart, the city that he most enjoys playing hockey in besides Toronto is about two and a half hours north of his original home town. “I played in Montreal earlier this year and that experience was amazing. They honored the team that won the Grey Cup before the game and they came out on the ice and that place was bumpin’. I actually started that game and the fans were crazy from the start of the game to the end of the game.”

So what does Christian do when he’s not lighting the lamp at an AHL or NHL arena?

“When I have some down time I’m really getting into music, I like music a lot. I’m trying to play guitar but I’m not too good at it, I’m trying to make an effort with all my free time. I’m a big fan of the Dave Matthews band, they’re my favorite artists, I try to see them a couple of times every summer. So I’m picking up the guitar and trying to play. If I learn a couple of those songs I’ll try to get around the camp fire and try to impress some of the girls,” chuckled the 2009 Notre Dame graduate.

Finally, he knew he wasn’t getting away without sharing his experience growing up as the son of a “Hanson Brother.”

“It was great, I loved it and cherished every moment of it. People think that you might get sick of it or not be happy because you’re living in someone’s shadow but I actually love it. I’ll talk about it day in and day out, I love the movie and love what he’s done.”

“I’ve never had the chance to meet Paul Newman but he was a pretty good friend of my dad’s. My dad used to go out to Detroit when Paul was big into car racing so he used to go out there for a couple of years and he would hang out with Paul and the Andretti’s.”

Best of luck to Christian it looks like he’s got quite a bright future of ahead of him,,,,,,,and no he doesn’t wear “those” glasses!