In the past few "shut-in days", I've done a lot of reminiscing about favorite hockey memories. From my discussions with friends and social media interactions with hockey fans from around the country, it seems that I'm not alone.

One of the most popular ways to pass the time is the "What If" game. What if you could get a do-over on a certain NHL Draft year? What if a certain trade never happened or a much-rumored trade that never came to fruition had actually taken place? How would the fortunes have changed for a team or the player(s) involved?

For example, some friends have pointed to the 1964 NHL Amateur Draft when the Boston Bruins chose a goaltender with the 14th overall pick. Through wheeling and dealing, that pick was eventually sent to The Montreal Canadians. Remember, in those days, there were only six teams. The so-called "Original Six" (actually, the remaining pre-expansion six) often traded players, one to the other unlike in these days when GM's seem to try to trade their unwanted players to clubs far away.

The player's name: Ken Dryden. How different might the next 15 years have been -- both for the Bruins and Canadiens -- had that particular deal never happened? We'll never know, but it is fun to contemplate.

In my years of following my dad around the ECAC to games he refereed, a time prior to the forming of splintered teams forming Hockey East and others forming The Atlantic Hockey League, I had the chance to be up close and personal watching many teams and players who begged my undivided attention.

In particular, I was mesmerized by a very tall, very athletic guy by the name of Ken Dryden.
My dad would be in the dressing room, slapping on the Ben Gay that always seemed to help his cranky knees, I would be dispatched to watch the teams as they warmed up. The two Referees would come out with a minute or two to go in that warm up and take a quick skate before the start of the game.

In Ithaca, at the famous Lynah Arena on Cornell's Campus, I would have my face pressed against the glass, watching Dryden in his warmup activities.

The band was blasting, Give My Regards To Broadway, while I was caught up in the electricity of this whole captivating experience.

Cornell's coach was the legendary Ned Harkness. Ned always greeted me with a hearty hello. Here I was just 13 and being recognized by this man. It was a magical time as my Dad often spoke in awe of the list of coaches that dominated the game at that time: Murry Murdoch at Yale, Bill Quakenbush at Princeton, Cooney Weiland at Harvard, Eddie Jeremiah at Dartmouth, Jack Kelly at BU and "Snooks" Kelly at BC plus all the others.

I was always mesmerized by the stories that my Dad and his referee partner, Giles, Eddie Barry, Jim Edgeworth, Chuck Scherza and others would tell about each and every one of these Deans behind the bench. I listened as my Dad would then talk about the players and especially "That Goalie" from Cornell.

As Cornell always seemed to be in The Championship games, I often sat behind Dryden as he warmed up in the Semi and then Finals played at Boston Garden.

Playing against BU in 1967, both teams in alternating red and white or white and red uniforms, The Garden was thumping with so much life that the building shook even more than when the train to Marblehead left from the station under that old rink. I was fixed on Dryden as he fielded shot after shot in the warmup prior to the anthem being played. He stopped every shot but one. Usually an emotionless guy, Dryden was really perturbed that one puck slithered past him and over the line swiping at it with his big paddle, shaking his head in disbelief.

Now let's fast-forward to 2000, Toronto's Air Canada Center and the NHL All Star Game. I had been in Edmonton reffing a final game prior to The All Star Break. The League called me just as I was starting out to the Airport by Leduc.

I recall that I had made that trip once before as a WHA player who was being returned to The Minor Leagues after a two game stint with The Edmonton Oilers. I got a ride from my downtown Hotel to the airport in a van driven by an old pro goaltender by the name of Dave Dryden. Yes, Ken's brother.

Now sitting in the lounge having a quick coffee, holding my son McCauley's hand, I had been asked to make The Presentation of a check for $500,000 to The Canadian Cancer Society on behalf of The NHL's Hockey Fights Cancer campaign and Coach Roger Neilson who was battling cancer and not feeling up to the task.

Sitting at a nearby table was a fellow that I had seen play and also announce at the 1980 Olympics, Toronto Maple Leaf President, Ken Dryden. I introduced myself and my son.

I mentioned to Ken that I had seen him play many times at Cornell and in other rinks in The ECAC. Specifically, I mentioned that I sat behind him in the warmup at The Garden in 1967 when he stopped all the pucks but one.

"I remember that" he proclaimed. "That was my thing, I wanted to stop every puck in the warmup and then do the same when the game started. How did you remember that? It was so many years ago."

"Well, I responded, My Dad reffed that game vs BU. I went to a lot of your games and I watched everything like a hawk."

"Who's your Dad?"

"Bill Stewart," I responded.

"Sure! I remember him well. He and Giles Threadgold worked a lot of games together."

Fast Forward to The Ritz Hotel on Tverskaya St. Moscow, Russia. The Reunion for four great teams, The Summit Series Teams from Canada and The Soviet Union's games in 1972.

The 1987 Canada Cup Teams, Russia and Canada all together, once again for a friendly reunion and a chance to honor The Greatest Games that were ever played.

In a dual role as The Chairman of Officiating for The KHL and a past referee in Game 2 of the '87 Finals, 6-5 Canada over The Soviet Union, I was going back onto the ice to referee a reunion game with the Game's Greatest. As well, deep down and as a secret now revealed, imagine me, a kid from Dorchester with Stapleton Esposito, Yakushev, Tretiak, Gretzky, Anderson, Fetisov, Larionov and coaches, Tikhinov and Keenan. The Greatest Ambassador the game has ever known, Walter Gretzky was holding court with all the Russians despite not speaking one word of their language. There's something about Walter that makes him universally understood and loved.

WOW, WOW, WOW!!!!

The "Giraffe", as Espo called him after getting denied again and again in the '71 Stanley Cup Final, was there along with his Ithaca born wife Lynda. Ken, Lynda and I had a wonderful time reminiscing about Cornell, The Garden and that one puck that snuck behind him in that warmup those many years ago. Secrets revealed, I was in awe.

There's a reason why this goalie was always a success on the ice. Why # 29 was always a winner. He truly loved the game as a game. He played it for all those years with passion and dedication. That's the reason why he hated to even let a warmup puck go by.

I was there to see it. Not bad for a kid from Dorchester.

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A 2018 inductee into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame, 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.

Visit Paul's official websites, YaWannaGo.com and Officiating by Stewart.