"A Skinny Little Kid"

In many ways, Dan Snyder was the typical small-town hockey underdog. These days, the heart of Canadian hockey has shifted to the cities and suburbs, where middle-class families drive kids to modern arenas, and young stars are hothoused in elite, fast-track programs. But talent continues to emerge from hamlets like Elmira, Ontario, and many of those towns can tell a story about the unlikely guy who somehow clawed his way to the NHL. That's Dan Snyder's story, as a reporter from the Atlanta Journal-Constitution discovered this week. Snyder's funeral takes place today in Elmira, and the entire Atlanta Thrashers team, including Dany Heatley, will be there. The Thrashers' scored an emotional opening night victory over the Columbus Blue Jackets on Thursday, and left immediately to fly north and help bury their teammate.