Hockey Evaluations

(Guest post by Scott)
As mentioned previously the hockey evaluations were last Sunday. Unfortunately we don't have any fun videos since it started at 8:50 pm and went until just after 10, but I will try to recap.

There were about 25 new folks to the league in total, some (most) were very advanced players who just happened to be new to the league. There were not many new folks that were close to my level, ergo in my eyes I was probably among the worst ones there. Oh well, that will change by season end.

The session started with a bunch of drills. I knew going in that my skates were a bit dull but I thought they would be okay...I was wrong. It had a pretty big effect on my skating ability and I feel like I shortchanged myself a bit by not having them sharpened up beforehand. Lesson learned.

In one of the drills we were supposed to receive a long pass from another player, then skate to the net, make a move on the goalie, then try to put one home. This was the first time I have ever handled a puck on the ice, it was a tense moment.

1st attempt: The puck comes in on a good, hard pass. To my relief I receive said puck with great ease and advance quickly toward the net. I find it is quite difficult to stick handle on ice. My shot is high, left, and pretty weak.

2nd attempt: Pass received with no issues, I close in, make some goofy move that fools no one and weakly tap the puck harmlessly into the goalie's pads.

3rd attempt: I'm getting better. Pass received. Going hard to the net...straight cash homey:

In my mind it looked just like the above. Don't try to tell me otherwise. You weren't there:)

Yes, it is evaluations. Yes, other people did better. The hell with them, this is my first goal. I celebrate as follows and am tempted to go fish the puck out of the net. The goalie (who was pretty good) had been shamed.


Then there were some 2-on-1 drills. Sometimes I was on offense, sometimes defense. Fortunately I have an actual photo of what I looked like when playing defense. I am the one in the orange with the white stripe below. It didn't go so well when I was defending against two dudes who probably have been playing since they were fetuses.


After the drills we scrimmage for an hour or so, it played just like a real game. Line changes, off-sides, you name it. I actually did pretty well for never having played. I'll get some video of these games when they start in a week or so.

After the game the Captains for all teams are called off ice to do their draft. The best players go to the "A" division (highly competitive, ex college players, etc), the next group go to the B league (intermediate\advanced), then there is the C level for beginners and novices.

Guess where I was drafted to play! That's right baby, C league all the way, and that is exactly where I wanted to be. Good playing time to be had, good instruction from some experienced players as well since our team has a mentor from the B division who at one time played minor league hockey.

The name of the team is the Icemen, I'm not sure what the logo looks like but hopefully it is something like this:



I have a great goal celebration picked out should this be the case and God-willing I can put a few in the back of the net. I will call it the "Iceman Teeth Chomp", because that's right...I am dangerous.



More to come as it unfolds.