Ice Hockey Anyone

[Youngster]

Anyone else here still playing ice hockey in retirement. I have been playing most of my life, and still playing at 58. Played a game of pick-up today, and with the Thanksgiving vacation for the kids, there was a good turnout of 18 year olds. It was a great game. I have to use my experience to make up for their speed.
Unfortunately, none of them could go out for a beer after the game.

 

[Asher Aion]

Herniated disc put an end to my rec league 'career'.

 

[Ronstar]

Used to play as a kid, but haven't skated since I fell through the ice on a lake 5 years ago.


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[6miths]

Try to get out twice a week and looking forward to being able to join the local 'over 55' pick up league next year. Great camaraderie and post-game beer afterwards. One night has quite a few younger guys some who have played at quite a high level but fortunately they usually remember who they are playing against and don't go too hard in the corners. Only contact is incidental and no slapshots. Always fun to get out.

 

[donheff]

I played a weekly game of roller hockey into from my mid forties thru my mid fifties but then my lower back started hurting so I called it quits. We played in a school lot and barred checks so ours was probably a pale comparison of OP's games. But still a lot of fun and easy to put together.

 

[savory]

Just got back to it this year after about a 25 year hiatus. I was never a good player but I am having so much fun in this pick-up game with guys and gals ranging from about 35 to 70 years of age. Half of us are still learning and the rest have good to very good talent. With 3 folks on the bench, the rotation is working great. Honestly, 5 people on the second line works for me too. Two games per week but I am playing in one as my b-ball conflicts with one of the hockey days. To play hockey again at 11:30AM is GREAT. One reason I stopped playing years ago was the 11:00PM Thursday night ice times. It made for very difficult Friday's when I was working.

 

[marko]

Played goal 45 years since I was 7 or so. Every Saturday night for 25 years until I was 54.

Went stopped playing for a year and when I came back I had put on 15 more pounds; couldn't get up off the ice! Wasn't pretty.

 

[Asher Aion]

I used to have a very stressful evening meeting with a volunteer org I was involved with. Having ice time at 11 was the perfect way to recover from dealing with people and their multiple agendas.
On the rink the stress melted away.

 

[HFWR]

You've obviously never seen me on ice skates...

 

[marko]

I used to have a very stressful evening meeting with a volunteer org I was involved with. Having ice time at 11 was the perfect way to recover from dealing with people and their multiple agendas.
On the rink the stress melted away.

Yeah! For us it was mostly 'pick up' with the same crew for 25 years. Whoever showed up that night, we divided up along skill lines. Often the locker room banter was as much fun as on the ice!

 

[Youngster]

Pleased to see a few hockey players on here. 6miths, I would expect nothing less from you still playing seeing you are in Toronto. Our pick-up league is also no-contact (except the inevitable incidental contact); but, there is no restriction regarding slap shots.
Our pickup is on Friday afternoons so until I retired this fall, I would have to take vacation time to play. Now I can play every Friday.

 

[6miths]

It's always good to get out. Slapshot rule means stick not above knee on the windup. Unfortunately some of the guys have snapshots that can do serious damage. One of the benefits of getting old is that my knees have gotten to the point where I'm not inclined to go down to block shots too often anymore. Also have the best shinpads money can buy!

 

[davemartin88]

Played on and off for years growing up. As an adult, we lived in a lot of locations that didn't have ice rinks so found roller hockey as a decent replacement. Great memories of playing pick up roller hockey with my two sons when they reached their teen years. We used to rent a roller rink one night a week to play hockey, anywhere from 10-25 people would show up.

I relate to the comments about experience against youth. My boys and the other teens could skate rings around me but they all knew not to get caught too close to me on open ice.

Haven't played since we moved to WV. I'm probably in better shape now than anytime in the last 30 years but no place to play. Not sure I could handle the weight of all the padding my DW would make me wear though.

 

[marko]

Slapshot rule means stick not above knee on the windup. Unfortunately some of the guys have snapshots that can do serious damage.

Got hit in the facemask (cage) with a snapshot once; no biggie, I thought. When I went to blink, my eyelash was brushing against something. The cage had dented in about 2 inches and had bent in to about a quarter inch from my eye.

 

[Youngster]

Yep, those snap wrist shots can be mighty potent. My shots are not as potent as they used to be, kind of like everything else.

 

[irishgal]

How did I miss this? Have been playing in a women's league for many years. We have scrimmage twice a week at the most, very early because the good ice times are reserved for the high school and college kids.
Game is Sunday night. Puck drops at 7:45 PM.