"I show up at the door and he's in his full workout gear just so excited," Riel said.

Riel was led into the basement, where Toews "had Jock Jams just blaring so loud."

"And he had like seven or eight stations set up – for chin-ups, pushups and lunges," Riel said. "We worked out for like an hour. As an 11-year-old year, that's a long time."

Riel got through the workout, and he thought he was in the clear. Nope.

"All right, put your skates on," Toews said. "We're going to play."

So they went out and skated for a few hours. When that was over, Riel thought finally, this has to be over. Bring on the video games and junk food. Nope.

"Hey, we're going to bed," Toews said.

"It's like 9 p.m!" Riel said. "What do you mean we're going to bed?"

Along with a dry sense of humor and a magnificent mustache (as far as Chicago sports ’staches go, his ranks up there with Quenneville’s and Ditka’s), Ahearn is defined by his passion for all things Zamboni. "This is a 1961 Model F," the 58-year-old Lombard resident says, excitedly pointing to an old picture in his cramped office at the United Center. "It’s the first machine I ever drove."