Any hockey players out there?

[Huntin' Fool]

Because hockey seasons and hunting seasons start at the same time, it doesn't seem like many do both.

I played from 5 to 15 years old. Started playing again when I was 47. Still playing at 64.

Most outsiders don't know that ice hockey is the best lifetime coed team sport there is.

Non-check hockey is quite safe.

 

[SFC B]

I played pee wee etc until I was 14. Parents didn't have $$$for travel and I had to work to pay for league play. I was never very good so football and track took over. From the end of HS until I was 42 I didn't skate at all. While at an Army training event in Keystone I noticed they not only had skating on the lake but boards and goals set up. I rented a pair of skates, a stick and a puck and shot around for an hour or two. Pure nostalgia.

 

[Ben Nicholson]

Mostly coach these days, but still play pond hockey during the winter. Two kids on three travel teams keeps me busy.

 

[MtnElk]

Played since I was a kid and still playing; passed on college hockey as I knew I wasn’t going pro. It’s my favorite night of the week getting together for a fast and friendly skate.

Miss skating with my Minnesota friends though. It’s a whole other level in Minny

 

[stillkickin]

Played from when I could stand up on skates until I was 48 and then a cardiologist told me to quit or my heart might so I did. Miss it to this day a scant 17 years later

 

[Desk Pop]

Had to hang them up after the second game senior year of high school due to a back injury (rear-ended twice in two months, four disc herniations between cervical and thoracic). My HS team in St. Louis was unreal, but I was only average on that team. Tucked a few here and there, but my role was checking and PK being surrounded by serious talent. One player from my team went to the NHL and just retired from the DEL in Germany last week. Four others on my HS team made it to the AHL, and then subsequent various European leagues, but didn't break over to the NHL.

I didn't play after the injuries, except once in college at a non-check pick up game with an old HS buddy and the MIZZOU team. Super fun.

A PE coach who worked for me got me to join the Idaho Falls league four years back. Been playing since and it has been great. I am 39 and some of the younger guys were younger than my gear when I started haha. I started coaching my little guy last season who was four but is now five. Hour drive to the rink when the roads are dry, so it has been tough.

St. Louis hockey was good hockey with legit competition, so I do ok in the Idaho Falls league and have made some good friendships.

Neat knowing a couple HTers are hockey guys.

I didn't draw a sheep or goat tag yesterday in Montana, but since the Leafs lost, it was an overall great day.

 

[Desk Pop]

End of March 2023 with my team in Idaho Falls. Unfortunately, no NHL scouts present for the championship game looking to sign a 39-year-old with the spine of a 90-year-old brick layer...still fun tough.

 

[Hem]

Messed around with stick and puck as a young kid on New England ponds. I was pretty talented moving about the ice mostly on the inside of my ankles.
Didn't skate for maybe 30 years but started again for fun and exercise...couple times a year I do laps at the old Olympic training oval in Butte.
I opted for lacrosse over hockey during my school years.

 

[MNHunter]

Started at 12. Still playing old man league at 44

 

[Fire_9]

I roller bladed as a kid but never played hockey. Last year at 34 I decided to give ice hockey a try after 3-4 times on my ice skates. Ended up dislocating my shoulder during the second game I played. Put a damper on things last year but it went much better this year. I would have loved this sport as a kid and have had a blast playing as an adult even though I suck

 

[Huntin' Fool]

I roller bladed as a kid but never played hockey. Last year at 34 I decided to give ice hockey a try after 3-4 times on my ice skates. Ended up dislocating my shoulder during the second game I played. Put a damper on things last year but it went much better this year. I would have loved this sport as a kid and have had a blast playing as an adult even though I suck

Beginner adults are way tougher than those that learned as kids. The learning curve is very fast. Every time you skate you're better than before.

There are high tech steel blades now that have flex and are easier to skate on. Also having them profiled will improve your skating.

Binnie's Skate Sharpening

www.binnieshockey.com

I got a pair of profiled Stepsteel blades a couple of years ago from Binnies. Improved my skating.

 

[appaloosa]

Still playing at 46 and don't plan to stop. Hockey is a beautiful game and you can play it your whole life.

 

[Wild Bill]

I clicked I played, but never in any organized leagues. They were available, I just didn’t start early enough and by the time I got into it it wasn’t worth the money. Played lots and lots of pond hockey and open hockey. Still love watching and shooting. Definitely will have my kids in hockey when they’re ready

 

[Wildabeest]

Started playing at 40 when my son got into it. Up to that point in my life, I’d only skated once as a teenager and ended up unconscious. Coached him and played adult beer league 2 nights a week for 10+ years until I moved out west. Brought my gear, but just haven’t gotten back into it.

 

[Wildabeest]

We often played our league championship games at the PNC Center - home of the Carolina Hurricanes. Was never quite a sellout crowd , but it was fun playing there.

 

[Desk Pop]

We often played our league championship games at the PNC Center - home of the Carolina Hurricanes. Was never quite a sellout crowd , but it was fun playing there.

View attachment 275761

This awesome!

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

Started playing when I moved to Minnesota 10 yrs ago. Felt like a good time to start. Still not very good, but enjoy playing pickup games just about every week.

 

[MtnElk]

Started playing when I moved to Minnesota 10 yrs ago. Felt like a good time to start. Still not very good, but enjoy playing pickup games just about every week.

You should look into Hockeyfinder.com. It’s a company my buddy started in Minnesota. Leagues for all levels and none of the riff raff of th other leagues… bc as I say “easy guys we all gotta go to work tmrw”

 

[MN_Bowhunter4]

You should look into Hockeyfinder.com. It’s a company my buddy started in Minnesota. Leagues for all levels and none of the riff raff of th other leagues… bc as I say “easy guys we all gotta go to work tmrw”

Very familiar with them! Haven’t played their league yet, but definitely pickup. I play a lot with JMS Hockey too, if you’re familiar. The awesome thing about Minnesota is there are rinks EVERYWHERE.

 

[Fire_9]

Beginner adults are way tougher than those that learned as kids. The learning curve is very fast. Every time you skate you're better than before.

There are high tech steel blades now that have flex and are easier to skate on. Also having them profiled will improve your skating.

Binnie's Skate Sharpening

www.binnieshockey.com

I got a pair of profiled Stepsteel blades a couple of years ago from Binnies. Improved my skating.

Thanks for the info. I currently have a set of low end bauers and have often wondered if a nicer set of skates would help things. Learning to stop has been a real challenge. I end up skating in circles a lot lol