Having been around hockey for so long, I’m used to the smell and many times unaware of its effects on others.  I have actually had a conversation with my wife and many of the other players’ wives over the years discussing how bad the smell is and what can be done to put an end to “Hockey Hands.”

REMEDIES:

Unfortunately ladies, there is nothing that can be done to stop the smell, but there are a few helpful remedies out there that can help mask the smell postgame.  

First, and probably the most effective, is generously lathering the hands with shaving cream while in the shower.  The thickness of the cream, combined with its pleasant aroma, seems to tackle the unwelcoming stench.  

Sometimes if I’m in a rush, and forget to use the shaving cream, I turn to my wife’s fruity hand lotion!! Yes, I’m not afraid to admit that I prefer the flowery or fruity smell of women’s hand lotion rather than the unpleasant order of my hockey gloves.  Plus, with my hands smelling better after games, I don’t have to hear about it from the wife and that fits right into the married guys handbook rule number one: Happy Wife equals Happy Life!!!

THE ICE CREAM CRITIC IS BACK!!!

Back by popular demand, I will again be rating our pre-game ice cream meals at the various hotels on the road.  For those you who don’t know, I have a bit of a sweet tooth and thoroughly enjoy devouring ice cream and other sweets.  I take my ice cream very seriously and in order to earn top scores, hotels need to bring their best.  

The ice cream gets rated on the following criteria:

• The overall presentation of the ice cream.  Are the bowls appropriate size? Is it pre-scooped? If I have to scoop myself, is there a proper scooper? Etc.
• The ice cream itself, texture, frost-bitten, flavor, etc.
• The variety of toppings. Many guys have different likes when it comes to toppings.  Is there enough variety to satisfy the whole team?
• The timing of the dessert.  A common mistake is bringing out the ice cream to early and it starts to melt or the opposite side bringing it out to late and messing with players’ schedules.

So, as you can see, ice cream is very important to a lot of players on the road.  Many feel that a little scoop helps them digest their big meal, while others find that it helps relax them before pre-game nap!!!  Anyways, the moral of the story is never take life to seriously, unless you’re dealing with dessert!!!

Maddog…OUT!

As mentioned in my previous blog, we had our first road trip of the year last week.  Overall, it was a good weekend, we obviously didn’t get two wins, but we did end with a split.  

Many of you probably know how the weekend went and were able to watch the game or at least find out the scores, so I’m not going to bother recapping the on-ice details. I want the purpose of my blog to give you, the fans, a glimpse of what happens away from the rink.

For Starters, I’m Canadian. One of the perks of playing a Canadian team is the fact that you have a chance to be back in your home country.  It’s always nice to grab some dinner from a familiar restaurant or visit places that are local to the area.  Anyone from Canada will tell you that Tim Hortons is a landmark establishment across the country. So, you could imagine my excitement when I landed in Vancouver, after a four hour plane ride, and the first restaurant I see is a beautiful Tim Hortons.  Unfortunately, the excitement diminished rather quickly, because the service was not up to par.  I was one of the first to order and I decided to go with a Panini Sandwich and a side donut, obviously.  Sure enough, orders start coming out and I’m a little concerned that the people behind me had gotten their order first, but I had my donut so I wasn’t about to panic yet.  But then the same thing continued to happen as order after order came out and still my sandwich was a no-show!! At this point I was pretty fired up about the situation and couldn’t believe that Timmy’s had let me down.   Finally, after almost 25 minutes of waiting and having to eventually re-order the sandwich, I received my Panini.  By that time, the excitement had worn off and the sandwich seemed average.  Come on, Tim’s…. You Are Better Than This!!!!!  

Fortunately, our team dinner that night at the Cactus Club made me soon forget about the Tim Hortons debacle.  The food, service and of course the company there was excellent.  A chance for the booooyss to relax after a long travel day, share some food, drinks, laughs and enjoy the Canadian scenery.  It gives us players a chance to share funny stories of each other’s past and share our thoughts on various topics like discussing why Apple products are the best with Bill Sweatt. What’s interesting about hockey is that in the hockey world you soon discover that there is about four degrees of separation between you and any other hockey player in the world.  The hockey world truly is a small one!

This is why road trips can be so important in creating a close atmosphere amongst the team.  It begins to feel more like a family and thanks to our great organization, we are provided with various opportunities that give us the chance to hang out amongst our teammates and form the necessary bonds that can last a lifetime.  

On a side note, the return plane ride home was a bit of a grind for me.  I was in the middle of heated game on my Ipad with Yann Sauve, when I got a bit excited and knocked an entire glass of water onto my lap.  Of course I was wearing a grey suit, so the water splotch was very noticeable, which made the location of the spill that much more unfortunate.  Definitely had a flashback of kindergarten class.  Fair to say some of the boys had a good chuckle as I spent the next two hours sitting on a blanket and attempting to dry off using a napkin.  Thankfully it was only water as I wish I could say that this was the first time that this I had spilt my drink on a plane! Helpful Tip: Don’t fall asleep with your drink still on your tray. 

Every hockey player goes through a full cycle throughout the year.  In the winter, players are in full swing competing amongst teammates on a regular basis trying to solidify their team’s spot in the top half of the standings.  Then, there is the spring hockey, where the best teams battle it out for the chance to be named that year’s best.  After that comes summer, where players can unwind, rest and free their minds of the intense mental stamina necessary to compete for nine months.

This of course brings us to fall, a very exciting time for players, because the summer training and visiting with friends and family is over and we return to a familiar scene.  It’s a chance to reconnect with former teammates and an opportunity to meet new ones.  Last season is long gone and players look forward to a fresh start and another chance to be named this year’s best!  

Personally, this year has been no different. You can feel the energy in the dressing room as we work through our last week of practice before the 2012-13 season opens on Saturday against the rival Rockford Icehogs.  It has been fun to get back amongst teammates and regain the sense of being part of a team again.  As usual, there are a great group of men on the team and I look forward to battling alongside them throughout the hockey season.

Again, home opener is this Saturday, October 13!  Can’t wait to play in front of thousands of loud Wolves fans! Better see you there.

Maddog…OUT!

Hey guys, I hope everyone is excited to start the playoff season. Yesterday, we put the finishing touches on a very solid year in which we put ourselves in a good position heading into the postseason.

There is a definite energy in the room among the players, coaches, and organization, because we have the team that could potentially have a very successful playoff run.

I’m looking forward to writing this blog throughout our journey and will be sure to keep you updated with travel on the road, beard-growing status (for those players that can actually grow a beard) and a few other behind-the-scenes looks.

If there’s anything you, the fans, would like me to blog about, feel free to write in questions and I will do my best to address them. You guys are the best fans in the league and we really appreciate the continued support.

Follow me on Twitter @25maddog.