Wonder35

With my lightning like glove hand I rarely take one in the family jewels. But ......... just in case ........... I wear a Simmons, decent price, good quality/protection and comfortable.

Yes, I am aware that many of you have seen this image before but, not in this context. Small goalie bag in very smaller trunk (boot) with pads buckled together and slung over left shoulder, leaving left hand to carry sticks.

It worked …………

“I like all teams jersey.” Hell no! The one I am wearing in these photos is a game worn Team Canada GC58 from the Canada/Russia Junior Series, 2019. Team Russia would play 2 teams in each CHL Major Junior A Division, the Quebec Junior Hockey League (the “Q”), Ontario Hockey League (OHL) and the Western Hockey League (you figure it out). I don’t own a Women’s’ Team Canada jersey so this one represents Team Canada plus my home league, the WHL.

Thank you kindly. I am with our far flung family and took in the recent Canada Vs USA Womens’ Rivalry Game from Kitchener, Ontario. Good, I mean really good hockey, but we still haven’t figured out the Contact or Non Contact aspect. There were solid checks delivered by both sides, no whistle. Then, something minor resulted in 2 minutes. Our oldest Son and Family hosted us, first gift of the season. Oh yeah, USA 3-2 in a shootout. Two days later in Sarnia in was 3-2 Canada in a shootout. BTW, today is my final as a youngish 73, but tomorrow…………

Fair to say. We have 6 exPros from the 60's, 4 more College Scholarship guys and the first Round Pick of the Montreal Canadiens in 1967. The main beef in our Dressing Room is where to find straight wood sticks, no curve. We marvel at the size, skill and speed of today's players. The odd time I get called up (down?) to play with the 55+ team. I confuse them with my playing style but they get their fair share on me.

Here I go again. A medical/work situation stopped me from playing hockey in the early 2000's. Previously I was a goaltender in an aged 47-55 league, very well run, played twice a week from September until April. Then I subbed in summer hockey, same age group. After retirement, (summer of 2006) we moved across Canada to Kelowna, BC (Pacific Northwest) but my goalie gear remained in Ontario at our son's house. Within a few weeks I discovered Drop In Noontime Hockey. Our Son mailed my gear in 2 large boxes. After only 1 Drop In Session I was asked to join a local 55+ team and here I am, now 18 seasons later. Oh yeah, change in goaltending style. Before I quit playing, BF Goaltending began to show itself amongst some of the younger goalies. It looked graceful when done well, all of the sliding and posing, dropping down on EVERY shot. Some of the guys tried variations but it wasn't natural to us. Our generation was raised on "Stand up, Play your angles, Goalies don't play the puck", you know, or perhaps many of you don't. At 5'7" there was no way in hell I can go down and still cover the high hard ones. Over the years I had morphed into a stand up guy who could throw his legs out with the best of them, double pad stacks and single leg splits. Then age, arthritis and hip/knee replacements demanded more of a stand up routine. But now that our 55+ team has become born again as a 70+ team (how did that happen) I know the typical moves from most of the guys. So now I cheat a lot, a helluva lot. A more polite version is that I anticipate, yeah, that's it, I anticipate. We have a roster of 45 players, each guaranteed 2 games per week with an option to spare on a third. I play Mondays and Fridays, mid day, free for guardians of the cage, $6.00 for the great unwashed (the rest of them). The day before each game a Roster is sent out. Are you on the White or Black Team? Everyone has 2 jerseys. An attempt is made to balance both teams but mid game trades are needed at times. It is rare and unexpected for us to witness a goalie pop up from a slide or skate save. Not that we can't slide. Even I have stolen some modern moves. But the popping up part can be painful to watch, let alone complete. We have one goalie who needs to reach up to the crossbar and haul his carcass into a semi erect position (no sexual innuendo please). So, there you have it. For those of you who plan on playing this long it may not be pretty hockey to anyone else but us. I will be 74 next week.

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My Battram Leather Gloves are my only set. I don’t wear their matching Battram pads as much (heavy) but near 15 years late the gloves are my choice. Granted, leather demands some upkeep but the dividends ……… My arthritic hands suffer less hurt due to the leather absorbing much of the shock from a hard shot.

Question Do any of you wear out your gear to the point that it is unsafe to wear? Admittedly, I am not a typical representative of today's goaltenders. But the amount of gear lust on this forum makes these pages, at times, sticky and near pornographic. Does anyone buy off the shelf? I realize that there is a vast network of nearly new equipment readily available on a multitude of sales sites. Do they increase the buying and turnover frenzy? Perhaps the butterfly style and its seemingly endless variations encourage one to seek and find the latest pad/glove/C/A gizmo? I don't fully understand this phenomenon. The manufacturers need to push their products and I understand that. It''s business. But why is there such a massive and lucrative market there which encourages y'all to throw money at the latest and greatest?

One of our forwards collided with one of their BIG defensemen 2 weeks ago today. The result, a broken hip for our guy. He had hip replacement surgery the next morning. Yesterday he walks in the local A&W where we gather post game for a midday coffee. No crutches, no cane, no limp, surgery was 13 days ago. It was amazing. He said that it was a routine, zipper up the side , full hip replacement procedure but no hockey until Spring. He is 76 years young.

Realistically I cannot call these action shots. Show off my gear, I suppose so. Five years ago our local Junior A Team, the West Kelowna Warriors, wore these tribute jerseys on November 11, known as Remembrance Day in Canada. We honour the memories of those Canadian Soldiers, past and present, who have represented our Nation over the years. I was able to get a Goaltender’s Jersey from that day. Each year I wear this uniform in honour of my Dad who was a Sgt/Wireless Air Gunner in the Royal Canadian Air Force in WWII. Today is that day. Then it goes back on my wall until next year. Please disregard the hokey poses but photographers don’t come to our games. No one comes to our games. But this year’s Warriors Team practice right after us. They would never have seen this jersey until now. I got a whole bunch of thumbs up and banging on the glass today. We lost 5-3, bummer ………….

I am at the far end of the goal playing graph, 74 years old, a goalie all my life. Our 70+ team has mid day ice 3 times per week, 8 months of the year. I had my first knee surgery at age 29, cartilage removal from a combination of HS Football and Goaltending. In the 70's this surgery was a cut, slash and cast for 8 weeks. I wore a brace from then on and got shots of Depomedrol (steroid) when the pain became an issue. This drug has a history of diminished returns so later procedures involved less invasive surgery. Arthroscopic was quick and easy, in and out within hours with a small bandaid on my knee. Throughout these times (ages 35-50) I exercised more, tried out newer (lighter) goalie gear, but keep in mind that my generation was taught to stand up, play the angles, stay in our net. Our bodies were not stressed and strained in the same manners of todays 'tenders. Eventually I succumbed to surgery, hip (2007) and knee (2018) replacements. These required me to pay more attention to my body. Well, that, and I found hockey that was in my age range, first a 55+ Team and now my fourth year with the 70+ guys (and girls!). For arthritic pain I take a cannabis medical prescription of CBD/THC compounds, not heavy on the psychedelic side, more tuned towards CBD. I do not get stoned on my sports potion but on a nasty pain day I have a 50/50 prescription that is the only drug I ingest that truly removes most pain. The side effect, I get stoned. So this is an evening application, not going anywhere, and I'm sure to tell my wife (like she doesn't sense this after 51 years of marriage). An over the counter topical I like is Voltaren Joint Pain, Extra Strength. In an hour I will be rubbing some on my artificial knee/hip and a shoulder rebuilt in 1996. Then off to the rink. The brace I wear on my knee is not elaborate, just a pull on, velcro adjustment straps and a hinged knee. Anything more elaborate restricts my movements too much. So, there you have my sports injury history. Avoid major surgeries for as long as you can. There are much better procedures out there. Be aware, have fun and listen to your body. Steve B ADDENDUM Oh yeah and ...... In order to keep the arthritis somewhat under control, I do daily morning Yoga Exercises focussed on upper and lower body stretching. Following my knee replacement surgery in 2018 I joined an Aqua Fit Class. Our twice a week one hour session is all movement. I am up to my neck in the pool the entire class. Buoyancy keeps your full body weight lightened and its resistance adds to the effort required from your limbs. In good wether I'm on my bicycle as often as possible, non-electric of course.

When Greg Harrison was taking a mould of my face he cursed my bushy beard, He used yards of Saran food wrap and gobs of Vaseline to flatten my facial hair, cussing the whole while. By the time my mask was ready I had trimmed my beard substantially. To this day (35+ years later) there is still a tiny gap between my chin and mask whenever I glance down to my feet.

I too began to lighten my load by reducing the size of some gear. John Brown was good in making me a smaller C/A with short arms. With my arms extended any previous C/A's still pushed down into my gloves so I asked for a C/A that ended at the cuff of my gloves. My BROWN pants were a harder sell. John believes in big, baggy Goal Pants, "extra stopping bulk". When I ordered mine with a smaller surface it never occurred that this overall reduction in size rendered his patterns useless, thus additional work for his staff. I did though go for his advice in switching to 12" pads (2015). Being a 5'7" 'tender I found the additional width awkward. My body and goaltending style couldn't take advantage of the extra stopping area. I now use a set of 11" Vaughnn V3's, 32+2, well used. So, my secret advantage over the shooters is to out think these mere mortals. Rather than adapt to the butterfly standard stances for each potential scoring opportunity I make use of my superior intellect and baffle these Gretzky wannabe's. I yell at them, throw the odd deke or begin to sing a favourite campfire song as they prepare to shoot. It works! Sure, they think I'm nuts but isn't that a goalies prerogative? There, all my secrets revealed.

Harrison mask, mid 1980’s with a Harrison catseye cage, back plate and all straps weighs in at 2.83 lbs. Oh yeah, and add a sham sweat band (game sweat included).

Hell, we aren't even beer league. How about a post game coffee, bran muffin and a midday nap? My 70+ team plays at 11:15, 3 mornings a week. The turnout is great, enjoyment level high and competitive nature off the charts. Sure we are as old as the hills but who would have thought that we would be playing at this stage of our lives? I was told as a youth, "stay on your feet, do not attempt to play the puck and attack the shooter by cutting down the angle." I am 5'7", would never be allowed to play in the nets in today's world. Admittedly, today's goalies fill way more of the net than my contemporaries, but you folks pay a price for that. Old Guys rant over. Y'all stop way more pucks than us but ........ I wish every one of you 60+ years of playing goal.

You current generation 'tenders might just be coming around. First its leather straps, then shorter and softer pads. What's next, catching a puck whilst standing up? Your bodies will love you for this ........ maybe.

Yessir ..........

Go Leafs Go! Ain't I pretty in Blue?

In the early 80's I was asked to be the Goalie Coach with a AAA peewee (now called U12?) team. I learned to not wear my gear whilst on the ice coaching. It was very distracting to the players and other coaches. The kids only wanted to take shots on me, "Wow, a real goalie on the ice." I coached the goalies in my goalie skates and shooter's stick. That worked much better.

Welcome to the Zipper Knee Club, limited membership. No, trust me, no more of you want to join up.

This principle was one shared by Greg Harrison. Let the paying customers and those watching on TV see his work. I recall once (only once) asking Greg to paint #35 on my Harrison mask. His snide reply was "I don't do numbers."

Upon retiring my leather goalie gear I recently picked up this set of McKenny gloves for under $100. Yes, I am old and cheap.

Remain positive Chenner29. Easy for one of us to say but the anxiety and wait can eat you up and create a negative mindset. Make no rash decisions and for sure Do Not have a fire sale on any of your gear (spoken from experience). You are a young man and good stuff is happening in the world of orthopaedics.