ORONO – A few years ago, the University of Massachusetts Lowell’s hockey media guide included responses from its players to several interesting questions.

One of those questions was if you could invite anyone, living or dead, to a dinner party, who would you invite?

The same question was posed to Maine hockey coach Tim Whitehead, assistant Grant Standbrook, and eight players, and they took time between preparations for Thursday’s Frozen Four to give answers that ranged from fun to serious.

There was a limit of three invitees.

Junior defenseman Troy Barnes: “That’s a tough one. I’ve always been a big [reggae musician] Bob Marley fan. So I’d probably want to talk to him. I probably couldn’t understand him. I’m a big Brad Pitt fan, too. I get made fun of for that. Then I’d get a good-looking girl in there so the guys don’t get suspicious so, I don’t know, maybe Brad can bring his wife [actress Jennifer Aniston] with him.”

Junior defenseman Mat Deschamps: “I’d definitely have to say my [late] grandfather [Oliver White]. I’d like to sit down and be able to talk to Shawn Walsh. Maybe Chris Martin from [rock band] Coldplay.”

Sophomore center Derek Damon: “The first guy would obviously be Wayne Gretzky because he was the greatest hockey player ever to play the game. He has been my idol. I’d like to ask him what it was like to be the best in the world and know it. The second would probably be Dave Matthews because he’s such a talented songwriter. I love his music. Everybody else loves him. I’ve been to a lot of his concerts. It would be neat to see somebody like that. I’d have to say I’d want my father [Doug] there because I know he’d ask all the questions there and he’d bug the hell out of Wayne Gretzky. I’d want him there to take the pressure off me. Maybe we should take my father out and put in John Lennon. I’d like to know what it was like to be a Beatle.”

Junior center Ben Murphy: “First, I’d probably have to go with Abraham Lincoln. Just to wonder how it was being president during the time he was and how his life changed while he was president. Second, I’d probably go with David Gray. I respect his music. He’s not mainstream but still has a great following. Kind of like our hockey program here. We aren’t nationally mainstream, but we’ve got a great following up here. Third, I’d probably go with Wayne Gretzky, too. Just wondering how he dealt with the pressure of being the greatest, especially growing up. I’d like to know how he dealt with all the pressure, probably having everyone trying to knock him down all the time. I wonder how he dealt with that.”

Sophomore center Jon Jankus: “Michael Jordan because I grew up, more or less, in a basketball type of family. He was the idol of all my cousins and he quickly became mine, even before I played hockey. That’s basically why I wear the number 23. Then it would probably be Wayne Gretzky. When I started playing hockey, I used to watch all the [Edmonton] Oilers tapes. There wasn’t a game he couldn’t completely dominate and take into his own hands. Every hockey player, I would assume, would want to be Gretzky for at least a day. Third, my granddad [Peter Huska]. He died in 1980, three years before I was born. I don’t know much about him. I just know from what my mom told me. It would be nice to be able to sit down with him and have a conversation with him and figure out how his life was.”

Sophomore defenseman Steve Mullin: “I’d have to bring my best friend, Riley Kemp, because my second guest would be [analyst and former Boston Bruins coach] Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada. I’ve always wanted to meet him. Riley would kill me if I didn’t invite him to come visit with Don Cherry. The third one probably have to be [Hall of Fame defenseman] Bobby Orr. Don Cherry and Bobby Orr would kind of go hand in hand. I never saw Bobby Orr play, but I’ve always wanted to meet him.”

Senior defenseman Prestin Ryan: “I’d take my fiancee [Trish Matula] and my mom and dad [Cindy and Barrie]. That would work for me.”

Sophomore defenseman Jeff Mushaluk: “[Vancouver Canuck defenseman] Ed Jovanovski, [golfer] Phil Mickelson, and my dad [Roger]. Phil and Ed are my heroes and my dad always makes me laugh. My dad and I would probably team up on those guys and try to make fun of them some way.”

Coach Tim Whitehead: “Jesus Christ. He would be fascinating. I’d invite Sting to see if he really looks like me and see if my family could tell us apart. And I’d invite Gandhi. Again, like Jesus, he would be fascinating.”

Assistant Grant Standbrook: “Jesus. I saw [Mel Gibson’s movie] ‘The Passion.’ To think of the tremendous sacrifice he made for us.”