Pro Hockey Player For a Day...Sharing my Experience

[GoalieFan89]

My work sent me to participate in Hockey Helps the Homeless to support the community and meet with local business leaders. Roughly 16 former NHL Pros played in the Tourney with each team having two pros. My team featured Ric Jackman and Scott Thornton.

So on November 17th I proceeded to my work day which consisted of playing 3 games of hockey and hanging out. Not a bad way to earn a living : )

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

The tourney featured lots of great players outside of the pros as well. My team only managed to score 8 goals in the 3 games and I was able to score 2 goals and 1 assist. My team featured the jersey colors of the Golden Knights!

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

The Hockey Hall of Fame popped by too with the Hart and Conn Smythe!

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

Got my picture with 2 Time Cup Winner Adam Graves

Untitled by jbud1984, on Flickr

It was an amazing day, one I will hold fond memories of for the rest of my life. All the pros were super nice and it was great to seethe love they had for the game and talking about their careers! We also managed to raise $150,000 to combat homelessness!

 

[Chillychow]

That's a fantastic experience for an amazing cause. Scott Thornton lives here in Collingwood and he and his family have made a wonderful impact in our community. He tells me that he was never the most talented player on the ice, but, the way he was able to succeed in playing 19 years in the NHL was by making sure he was the most fit. That hasn't changed - I can't imagine being on the receiving end of one of his checks!!

 

[BigBarracuda]

Win win win! Love the story, well done

 

[SNobles]

Very cool story thanks for sharing. Sounds like a pretty great place to work.

 

[geschrocks33]

That sounds pretty awesome. Wish my work would do something like this. Lol

 

[will-411]

Congrats on an awesome day! A friend of mine that I play pick up with was there as well - he was on that blue team in your pic. All he could talk about afterwards was how big Georges Laraque is.

Again, what an awesome way to spend a work day, and all for a good cause!

Cory

 

[GoalieFan89]

Thank you for all the comments!

Laraque is a very big guy out on the ice. John Scott is even bigger! Nik Antropov also looked massive!

 

[GabbyGuy]

AWESOME!!!!!!! :beer:

--Curt

 

[debtriddin]

Hi

Sounds like every beer league players dream day. If you have to next year and can’t make it let me know I’ll be happy to sub in. My bag is packed.

Cheers Mike

 

[Fritz]

Wow what an adventure! Next time you see Gilbert Dionne, axe him if he wants to buy a GU stick from his AHL days in Fredericton

 

[creasecollector]

That looks like an incredible experience. Wow! What a day this must have been. Cherish those memories Thanks for sharing these pics (& autos) !

 

[GoalieFan89]

Thanks for all the comments!

Anyone can play in the tourney! Registration is $150 which covers your uniform, breakfast, lunch and dinner reception as well as a lifetime of memories!! You also need to fund raise $500. I started early and got to $600. Some of the big corporate people raised thousands of dollars!!

 

[johnse27]

Great event! I am sure you will great conversations about scoring 1/4 of your teams goals lol. Thanks for sharing such an inspirational post.

 

[GoalieFan89]

Great event! I am sure you will great conversations about scoring 1/4 of your teams goals lol. Thanks for sharing such an inspirational post.

The goals were nice but for me just to get there and fundraising the money meant a lot to me. I have some uncertainty going on in my life right now, sort of like a hockey player on the trade block knowing they will get moved, its just a matter of where. I wasn't even sure if I was going to make the tournament and potentially could have been 1,500 kms away when the tournament was going on.

It was nice to feel included and treated as an equal, although I did get teased for wearing a full cage (took a slapshot square in the mouth a little while back and didn't want to go through that again when I wore a visor) although it was in good fun! The day was certainly in my top ten best days of all time. It is something I am sure I will share with people for a very long time!