Oaktown Wolverine

September 1st, 2011 at 1:05 AM ^

Off topic season is over. It is game week and we are putting on our game faces. Most off topic posting is hereby illegalized until after the Ohio State game.

The exceptions: local pro teams in moderation, general college football in whatever quantity you'd like

Blue in Yarmouth

September 1st, 2011 at 8:30 AM ^

Being the third enforcer to die this year this is getting bizarre. After my time in the QMJHL I never got drafted, but got invited to several tryouts for professional teams. The only ones I actually attended were Montreal and Toronto because of their proximity to where I was living. 

In junior I was a power forward who fought on occasion, but it wasn't why I was there. My final season I had 31 goals and 39 assists so I thought I had what it took to be a player who could contribute offensively in  the league.

I made it into training camp (with Montreal) and was told that if I was going to make it in the league, I would have to be as a fighter. For the first few practices I thought I could do it. That year they had Donald Brashear as their resident enforcer so the first practice after getting this information we fought during the scrimmage. It was a good tilt, but he won. The next three practices fought and finally, the fourth time I won. 

After that practice I went to my hotel and wondered if I could be happy doing this for an extended time. This wasn't the game I loved, I was an offensive player my whole career to that point. I felt as if somehow, I was selling out if I was going to continue on that path, so I gave it up. 

There have been hundereds of time since that I look back on that decision and wonder "what if", but after seeing what has happened over the past few months I am beginning to think I made the right decision. I know many of these enforcers go through what they do and have no issues. I still have a couple close friends who fill these roles playing in the NHL who seem to be fine, but by all accounts Wade did too, so who knows. 

My thoughts and prayers go out to Wade's family. This is tragic stuff.

Blue in Yarmouth

September 1st, 2011 at 9:53 AM ^

My final year stats out and given other history i have shared about myself on this blog I won't say much other than I played for the Moncton Wildcats. If I went into further detail it would be too easy for my identity to be known, and I'd rather not have that. 

I will say that I have friends that played for the mooseheads and thought it was a top notch organisation during the time you played. It has seemed to go downhill somewhat as of late, but from the time they came into the league (1995 I think) until that memorial cup run they were a good team. 

Your time didn't overlap with Jody Shelley did it (I think he finished with the moose in '99 and the memorial cup year was 2000 if I'm not mistaken, so maybe you didn't)? We are still good friends to this day and played our minor hockey together. I played golf with him this summer.

Blue in Yarmouth

September 2nd, 2011 at 8:48 AM ^

Not too small but not excessively large by any means. I thought Jody was probably the year before you from your comment about the memorial cup. Nice to find fellow (former) CHLer's on the site, especially ones that played in my home province. 

Six Zero

September 1st, 2011 at 9:08 AM ^

during his stint here with Hershey.

Think I remember reading somewhere last night that he had 136 career fights.  That's a lot of sore knuckles right there.