Dan Ellis

Dan Ellis was acquired by the Ducks from Tampa Bay for Curtis McElhinney February 24. (Photo by Michael Martin/NHLI via Getty Images)

Mark Malinowski
2011-04-03 09:30:00

Ht: 6-foot-1 Wt: 191 pounds

DOB: June 19, 1980 In: Saskatoon, Sask.

First Hockey Memory: "Just playing in the backyard with my brother and my dad."

Hockey Inspirations: "In terms of players, I'd say Grant Fuhr was my idol growing up. And hockey inspirations - just watching Stanley Cup playoffs and Canada Cup. Those two kind of made me want to go out and win."

Nickname: "They just call me ‘Ellie.’ "

Last Book Read: "The new George Bush - Decision Points."

First Job: "Was a garbage pick up, clean up, parking lots."

Current Car: "I have a Jaguar XJL."

Greatest Sports Moment: "Would be playoffs against Detroit, 2008."

Most Painful Moment: "I haven't had too many painful moments. Maybe a shot to the knee. It was actually pre-game skate. (Who?) Greg De Vries."

Favorite Uniforms: "Chicago."

Most Memorable Save: "Two years ago against (Nicklas) Backstrom. Just diving back and knocking it out of the air with my stick."

Closest Hockey Friends: "We actually go back to my college days, my roommate David Brisson. Another close friend in Omaha - Ty Hennes."

Funniest Players Encountered: "(Pavel) Kubina is definitely one of the funnier guys. He's just constantly joking around with the guys, he knows how to play practical jokes and things like that. Then, Steve Ott. He's more of your little weasel. So it was fun to watch him antagonize opponents and maybe goad people into doing things that maybe they wouldn't have done if he wasn't around."

Toughest Competitors Encountered: "Sidney Crosby is probably the toughest competitor that I've faced."

Funny Hockey Memory: "Would be getting introduced for the All-Star Game and I had a piece of tape stuck to the bottom of my skate. So I had to skate from the Zamboni to the far blueline on one foot basically (smiles)."

Favorite Movie: "Law Abiding Citizen."

Favorite Players To Watch: "I love watching Pavel Datsyuk. And then it used to be Mike Modano."

Favorite Sport Outside Hockey: "Lacrosse."

Strangest Game: "This year in Tampa against Philly where we had all four goalies went in and it just seemed that anything that went on net went in."

Favorite Meal: "Steak."

Favorite Ice Cream Flavor: "Chocolate."

Mark 'Scoop' Malinowski is the author of "Heavyweight Armageddon: The Tyson-Lewis Championship Battle" and creator of two websites: www.thebiofile.com  and www.tennis-prose.com.