Hockey players are the nicest, most down-to-earth athletes in all of professional sports.  There is really no way to argue this.  It's just fact.  From the fourth-line forward trying to stay on with the big club to the Hall of Fame-bound superstar, everyone who laces up a pair of skates and zips down a sheet of ice is approachable, inviting, and a bit humble. 

This fantastic, refreshing attitude was on full display last Friday, as the NHL's Anaheim Ducks joined forces with some of Orange County's top chefs to host the 12th annual Dux in Tux charity event at the Westin South Coast Plaza in Costa Mesa.  The event, which raised money for the wonderful Anaheim Ducks Foundation charity, allowed each member of the Ducks to join forces with one of OC's finest chefs to prepare a lovely multi-course meal for its patrons. 

The roster for the 12th Annual Dux in Tux (photo courtesy Anaheim Ducks/Deborah Robinson)

The coolness of this pairing cannot be underestimated.  One end of the room featured Ducks legend Teemu Selanne working alongside Mike Rossi of The Ranch.  Another table featured perennial All-Star Ryan Getzlaf doing the sous chef thing with Bruno Serato of Anaheim White House.  The table that I was lucky to be at featured the great folks at Slater's 50/50 along with brand new Duck forward Niklas Hagman, who had just been claimed off waivers from the Calgary Flames earlier in the week.  It made for one of the coolest, most surreal moments of my career, as I spent some time playing OC ambassador, essentially telling this professional athlete and two-time Olympic medalist about all the cool stuff to do in Orange County.  That was, when I wasn't asking him what it was like to play with guys like Jarome Iginla and Mike Modano.  (I can't help it -- I'm a hockey geek).

Hello.  My name is Teemu.  I will be your sous chef for the evening.  (Photo courtesy Anaheim Ducks/Deborah Robinson)

Indeed, the Dux in Tux event serves as a brilliant showcase as to just how cool hockey players really are.  But above all that, it shows just how vitally important the Ducks' presence is to the Orange County community.  This is an organization that constantly gives back to its fans as well as OC's vast network of cities in a manner that it natural and charming.  As a result, they are part of the very fabric that makes Orange County such a great place to live.  The fact that it also helps to grow the great game of hockey locally is merely a bonus.

Then again, what else would you expect from a group of nice guys?