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Jim@AgelessHockey.com (Email Me)
Being a Hockey League Sub is Fun and Hard Work
Over 60 League
6 teams = 60 roster skaters (25 subs)
Each team: 2 lines/10 skaters, plus goalie
30 games
50 minutes run time (last 2 minutes is stop time if the score is within 2 goals)
Roster Team Player: $400 + $20 insurance
I’m a sub, because the league is full.
Sub: $10/game
$10 insurance (lower because you aren’t playing every game)
The following list I’ve created can be Good and Bad:
Playing a different position every game (F/D, R/L)
Many times, I don’t know if I’ll be playing F or D
Different line mates every game
I don’t know all the players
Get called at 9 PM to play the next day at 9 AM.
As a sub, I can say no if I don’t want to play.
Listener Email
Hiro: Questions and maybe Future Topics
1) Here in Japan, not many family members, particularly wives, do not come with their husband when playing drop-ins.
In Canada, I have noticed that many women are waiting for their husband finish practices/games, most of the time, while they chat with their friends and eat snack. Here in Japan, all guys come alone and play and go back without any snack, chat, nor beer.
No one comes to watch us play drop-in or league hockey.
(2) Do young players respect old-timers?
Younger players probably respect the old-timer NHL players, but not us Over 50 Recreational Players.
(3) How much is the sport insurance? I pay around $20 for one year—or less because I am older than 65.
Our league is $20
(4) In our league, if you are shy of players, less than 6+1 goalie at the start of the game, you lost the match and get penalty of -15 points. The game is confiscated and instead we just play a friendly practice match. Also pay a fine?
A couple times we have been one player short (only 9 skaters – two lines). I don’t know if there is a points penalty or fine.
(5) Do you guys drink beer after games? We cannot do that.
We can’t drink alcohol at our arena, because it’s also a city cultural center. They have their own liquor license.
(6) We do not have used-equipment stores like you do in the States. Kids and their parents are lucky in the States or in Canada.
Play It Again Sports stores are nice.
(7) How often do you wash your equipment? I just hang it on the verandah (oh, I have told you that I have lost my sense of smell completely and I am not affected by bad smell anyways—but my wife does.)
Wash after every game: Skate and shin guard socks, jock strap, jersey, undershirt.
Mouthguard (rinse it off and hand dry).
Skates: When you get home, remove your skate blade soakers/protectors, wipe the blades and boots dry. Take the footbeds (inserts) out of your skates so they and the inside of your skate boots dry.
Check your skates for damage. Laces and blades (need to use a honing stone or sharpening?).
Thanks Hiro for the email.
Safety Tips
Last podcast I mentioned that some of the guys in our Drop-In Hockey thought about getting some yellow pullovers for injured players or novice players to wear, so other players would give them more space.
Wes email: The yellow jersey thing is not a terrible idea, but I could see them giving me one on Sundays and I would be embarrassed. I would NOT want to wear a “scarlet letter”.
Something I Tried
Skate Straps (Replaces your laces)
I purchased a set from Hockey Monkey ($29.99, plus $7.99 shipping)
I tried them, but they didn’t keep my skates tight enough. I’m back to using wax laces.
I think they could be great for your kids/grandkids or for the Over 50 Player that has issues tying their skates.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sd57Xokz_68 (video = 5:03 – Peterborough Petes trainer Brian Miller)
http://www.chooseoptionb.com/ (Nash Sports) Straps now look like white laces
https://www.hockeymonkey.com/nash-goalie-accessories-option-b-skate-strap-kit-sr.html (Hockey Monkey Sr. Skate Straps)
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=cAAfNWDLZOk (video = 1:30 – Tying Skates Tighter – DiscountHockey.com)
I’m doing the top two eyelets.
Hockey Trivia
Last podcast I said: 1943 Gordie Howe (15 yr) went to the NY Rangers training camp. He was told “Go home. You’ll never make it in the big-league kid”.
Wes emailed me: Little extra about the Gordie Howe story. The Rangers DID want to sign him. He asked them to sign some of his friends, too, and the Rangers said no. And the Rangers wanted him to play a year at Notre Dame in Wilcox, Saskatchewan and he was not interested in going there. The Rangers weren’t totally at fault for not signing him. But it was a missed opportunity for sure.
I got my information from a hockey trivia book I purchased.
Inside Hockey! The legends, facts, and feats that made the game.
https://www.nhl.com/rangers/news/nyr-training-camp-has-history-all-its-own/c-538265 (confirms Wes’ story on Gordie)
Thanks Wes!
+++++++++++++++++
The fastest hat trick in National Hockey League history was tallied by Bill Mosienko of the Chicago Blackhawks against the New York Rangers on March 23, 1952 – three goals in 21 seconds.
Read the entire story
https://www.nhl.com/news/bill-mosienko-scores-fastest-hat-trick-in-nhl-history/c-290802314 (Search the article for Howe)
Injury Update
DIH Game
I’ve been playing one or two times a week.
In a drop-in game on Aug 8, I was fighting a guy for the puck in the corner. Then he pushed/cross-checked me. Caused me to fall backwards, landed on my butt and the back of my head hit the ice.
I sat out the next shift, then played the rest of the game.
After 5 days off I felt fine the next time I skated. But that was scary.
Thanks for listening!
I love hearing your stories. Please email me at Jim@AgelessHockey.com
I value your time and appreciate all of you that have subscribed to my podcast.
Have fun playing the greatest game on earth!
STAY ON THE ICE