Have you ever seen one of those questionnaires or interviews where someone is asked "if you could have dinner with any three people in history, who would it be?" Much of the time, people respond by choosing religious, political or celebrity figures they never met. As for myself, I would choose people I actually knew and stay within the hockey realm.
The first two choices are easy. I would love to have just one more night to converse about hockey and about life in general with my late grandfather, Bill Stewart, and my dad, Bill Stewart Jr., just to partake of their wisdom once again. Although they still guide me from beyond -- especially my father -- at times when I've faced tough on-ice or off-ice decisions, I'd give anything to sit down with them.
I'd love to talk about how they helped mold me as a hockey player, hockey referee and a person. I'd love to listen again to their own experiences in coaching and officiating and to now be able to relay my own experiences as someone who has been in hockey for over 40 years.
As for the third person I'd choose, I'd happily choose from among many now-deceased hockey greats whom I had the opportunity to meet at various points in my life. My first inclination is to pick Jean Beliveau, the epitome of grace and class on and off the ice. If there was one player I wish i could have been on the ice, it would be Le Gros Bill.
But maybe I'd choose Maurice Richard instead. He was fond of my grandfather and used to come the officials' room in Montreal to see me. Perhaps it could be another intense hockey competitor like Eddie Shoe. Just don't put the Rocket and Shore together in the same room.... they didn't get along (although, come to think of it, that might liven things up a bit).
Now I'll turn the question over to the readers: Who would be your dinner conversation trio if you could pick any three figures from hockey?
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Follow Paul on Twitter: @paulstewart22
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Paul Stewart holds the distinction of being the first U.S.-born citizen to make it to the NHL as both a player and referee. On March 15, 2003, he became the first American-born referee to officiate in 1,000 NHL games. After his retirement, he began a long career as a collegiate hockey officiating director, officiating trainer and supervisor, and an officiating and supplemental discipline consultant to the KHL.