The lovable Karl Alzner is the subject of this excellent feature by Brian Murphy of Homer McFanboy, which is most definitely worth your time. In Part I, Alzner discusses his journey to the NHL, his youth hockey experience and the lead-up to the 2007 NHL Draft.
↵Here, we find out that Alzner didn't think the Capitals even wanted him in the first place. Why? He told a bad joke.
↵↵↵↵↵"Another reason I didn't think they liked me was because at the end of the meeting they asked me to tell a joke," he continued. "I told one, but it was bad though and no one laughed. So now it's like, ‘they probably don't think I'm that good of a guy.'"
↵
For someone as personable as Alzner, this seems hard to believe. Then again, it can be tough to come up with a joke on the spot. How this relates to hockey, I'll have no idea, but obviously it wasn't that big a deal since the Capitals took him fifth overall. Four years later, Alzner is part of the league's most up-and-coming blue line tandem, and he's probably telling better jokes.