When he returned to the locker room, Niedermayer checked his cell phone and saw the messages stacking up.

“I had about 50 texts,” he said. “That’s the most I’ve ever had at once. I thought I was doing pretty good with 50 or so. But then I heard some of the guys saying they had 80 or 90.”

Getzlaf wasn’t one of those players. He had to switch his cell phone number immediately before the Olympics after a Canadian television station accidentally broadcast the number to millions.

On a preview show on how Team Canada was selected, a dramatic shot zoomed in on some paperwork. Right there for every viewer to see – especially those equipped with TiVo technology – was Getzlaf’s number.