From the “Why didn’t you say anything earlier?” file...
The Philadelphia Flyers made a jersey modification on Tuesday, adding an “N” to the surname of defenseman Nicklas Grossmann. Even though he’s been playing in the NHL for six seasons as “Nicklas Grossman,” a secret has been in hiding.
“I just started off and they put it on the wrong way and I just kept it like that,” he told reporters following the Flyers’ morning skate. “My dad said something a while ago, why is it spelled wrong, and I said that’s the way it came and I didn’t change it.”
It was Flyers Director of Team Services Bryan Hardenbergh who noticed recently that Grossman’s name was spelled one way on his jersey and a different way on his passport.
“He (Hardenbergh) came up to me and said I notice your name (on your jersey) is a little different than what’s in your passport and I said that (the passport) is what it should be,” Grossman said. “He said we can change it for you, so I said OK.”
Glad that’s resolved. Hopefully it won’t take another six years for Grossmann to reveal his first name is actually Gary.