cathybites | (no subject)

Ryan Callahan and Dan Girardi: BFFs = OTP 4EVA

Basics

History
In 2003, Girardi was traded from his OHL team, the Barrie Colts, to the Guelph Storm. Ryan Callahan was also playing for the Storm at this time. In a 2006 interview that is sadly GONE FOREVER sobsobsob, Girardi explained how the day he was traded, the Storm had a game, and he arrived to their practice facility only to have to board a bus without being formally introduced to the team. He ended up sitting in front of Callahan, and a beautiful friendship was born.

After almost two years of playing together, Girardi would once again be traded, this time to the London Knights, where he famously played through most of the playoffs with a broken hand, helping to lead them to a championship.

Girardi went undrafted but was invited to the NY Ranger's training camp in 2005. He was signed to an AHL contract and assigned to the NY Ranger's ECHL affiliate, the Charlotte Checkers, but after only 7 games, earned a call-up to Hartford. While there, he continued to impress the Rangers' management, leading to an NHL contract although he would finish the season in Hartford.

Callahan, a 2004 draft pick by the Rangers, joined Hartford for the 2006-7 season, the first time he and Girardi played together since 2005. By the latter half of 2007, both he and Girardi had been called up to the Rangers and stayed with the team through their playoff run (ended by Buffalo, stupid fucking team.) Both started the next season with the Rangers, and save for a short assignment to Hartford for Callahan, have been together since. um. with the Rangers, that is.

The Interview
At the start of the 2006 NHL Playoffs, Girardi and Callahan were interviewed together to talk about their friendship and playing hockey together. At some point in 2010, the video was removed from Youtube and ~~I have been whining~~ fans have missed it ever since. Fortunately, I had watched it so many times that I can pretty much describe it from memory.

So it starts with the interviewer asking them how exciting it is to be playing together, and Danny and Cally are both, 'yeah, it's great, never thought it'd happen.' She asks them if they remember the first time they met, and Cally is all, 'um, no, not really' and Danny is all 'I REMEMBER EVERYTHING' and talked about being traded and the bus and all that. She then asks Danny about being undrafted, and he's all, 'uh, yeah, I was hurt my draft year, so I didn't expect to be drafted then, and I'd hoped to make an impression on somebody the next year, but I guess not.' The interviewer then asks Cally why Danny was undrafted, and he was all, 'yeah. I don't understand how that happened. Playing with him, and against him, I always knew how good he was.' (meanwhile looking all fondly at Danny and Danny being all, *blush*.)

They then talk about chirping each other, and Danny says, "Sometimes I like to give it to him, and sometimes he likes to give it to me." Then they talk about how they're always hanging out, doing everything together - watching TV, going out, going to the movies, playing video games - and how their teammates always tease them about it. and Danny says something again about being together all the time and how comfortable they are together, "but not, like, in a boyfriend way." and the interviewer - who I swear was shipping them something fierce - was all, 'Wait, what do you mean 'boyfriends'?', and Cally was all *HA HA NERVOUS LAUGHTER* "I DON'T KNOW WHY HE SAID THAT", and Danny was all, "No! I said *not* in a boyfriend way."

and then the interview ended.

Conclusion
yeah, so, Danny and Cally are pretty much in love and have been forever. They even have adjacent stalls in the locker room. <333

They arrive to games together...

...and they leave games together.

These photos were taken for a charity golf outing for Big Brothers Big Sisters of South Niagara, which makes sense why Danny took part, because he grew up in the area and a bunch of other local players took part. Cally? Grew up over an hour away and on the other side of the border. The only logical explanation for his presence is that he and Danny are in love and Cally wanted to support him. obviously.