Wheeling and Wilkes-Barre are blue-collar towns. So, it only makes sense that Patrick McGrath, with his blue-collar style of play, has been a fan favorite throughout his six years in the Penguins' minor-league system.
It sure doesn't hurt that McGrath is a hometown kid, hailing from Shavertown, only minutes from Wilkes-Barre.
McGrath, 25, remembers frequenting the Mohegan Sun Arena at Casey Plaza for Penguins games as a child. The days of players like Tom Kostopoulos, Darcy Verot, Jesse Boulerice, and his favorite, Dennis Bonvie.
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Dennis Bonvie and Pat McGrath. -- PAT MCGRATH / TWITTER[/caption]
McGrath says the thing he remembers most about those years was just the atmosphere of the arena. The Penguins were always in the playoffs, and the crowd was loud. Now, McGrath is on the ice instead of in the seats as the first local product to ever suit up for Wilkes-Barre.
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