How good are professionals?

[Gunnar Stahl 30]

afenigenov is kind of a ******

we have a few ex pro players and they dont go all out all the time. this one guy could probably score 10 goals a game, and several times has been "traded" to teh other team mid game beacuse they were losing so badly (a few times they came back and won) but he usually just skates past everyone and passes tape to tape back hand saucers to everyone intead of shooitng

 

[ChokingV]

I played with Scott Thornton once right before he retired, and he blew me away. Just watching him casually play with the puck while talking to the other skaters was amazing, even more so when he started to run some drills. And this is Scott Thornton I'm talking about - a good, but not great grinder that was at the tail end of his career.

There used to be a house team here in SJ that a lot of current and former Sharks would play with in the off season. Guys like Mark Smith and Owen Nolan would have three games played but lead the league in scoring against guys that had played 15 games.

 

[Hfboards2010]

If they made the NHL because of their superior athletic abilities, they will dominate pick up games.

If they made the NHL because of their superior hockey sense, they will look great, but may or may not dominate.

 

[Heat McManus]

If they made the NHL they will dominate pick up games.

Fixed.

For most pick-up games you're talking about guys who never played at a high level.

 

[Gunnar Stahl 30]

Fixed.

For most pick-up games you're talking about guys who never played at a high level.

yea pretty much

even scrubs in the nhl are RIDICULOUS and would dominate prettyu much any pickup

 

[TheLokNesMonster]

When I was about 23 and going to school, several of us would go to Parade Ice Gardens in Minneapolis on Saturday mornings and goof around.

One morning, about ten other guys showed up, and used the other half the ice. They were drilling like pros, it was really high level. Their half of the ice was beat to hell.

With about a half hour left, a guy came over and asked us if we wanted to play. Turns out, these guys were the freshman (and some sophomore) class of recruits at the University of Minnesota.

Guys like Randy Skarda, Jason Miller, Ken Gernander, Scott Bloom, Rob Stauber, Grant Bischoff etc;

So we mixed it up, a few of us with a few of them and played. They were going hard, and they were all padded up. Most of us just had helmets and gloves, a few had shins.

These guys were elite. A level or two (or three) above us. It was a fun and interesting experience, and one I'll never forget.

 

[NDiesel]

In Thunder Bay there are quite a few ex-NHL draft picks who never really ended up with big NHL careers that play in our men's leagues. Bobby Bolt came to a pick up skate once, never played an NHL game but was drafted....he made us look like fools.

Another guy Jeff Hereema was drafted 11th overall, played about 30 NHL games and a bunch of AHL/Euro games. You can tell he wasn't skating very hard and he could stickhandle through us at will.

I could only imagine how good someone like John Scott would look against some of us.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

When I was about 15 or so, I was playing at an outdoor rink with some friends. I was pretty good but nothing spectacular. One of my friends older brother played for, at the time, the Laval Titans. He decided to come by with a few friends one day.

It was sickening. At one point, we changed the "teams" so it was them 3 against 7 of us (plus a goalie). Bad. News. Bears. Its almost as if we werent even on the ice or we were mosquitoes or something.

It was that day when I realized that if I ever had any desires to try and make it .. to forget it lol

 

[ZigZagBluesFan]

I'm a goalie that had the pleasure of taking warm-ups against Reed Low who was hanging around after coaching one of the youth teams at the facility.

Enforcer Reed Low was hitting bar-down at will, 5 or 6 times before I stepped into the net. He kept his shot down once I got in there and ripped 3 of 4 post and in and I could tell he took something off the shot.

The other hit me square in the pad and I still felt it way more than I've ever felt a shot to the pad.

These guys are unreal.

 

[MullerBrotenVerbeek]

We have guys who played in the UHL, CHL (the pro one, not the junior league), Sweden and Germany on my mens league team. The two D guys who played in Europe are excellent defenseman, but none of the ex-pros dominate the league. We also had a guy currently playing in Ligue Magnus with us last spring and still only got the last playoff spot and got bounced in the 1st round. We did make the finals this fall, but got swept 2-0.

 

[Cams]

Even guys that played Jr A (CHL) would dominate a bunch of beer leaguers for the most part. A poster above mentioned a guy like Jeff Heerema - barely got a sniff in the NHL and toiled in minor pro - yet he was a 30 goal scorer in the OHL.

I'd love to skate with the local pro guys (NHL, minor pro, Europe) in their summer skates, although I am too old (44 this Saturday), and would seem awkward in a way, but one of the European pro guys - I work with a family member.

I can still hold my own in a fast paced rec league, and when I was younger I had an older guy I know tell me I could have played Jr C, maybe B back when I in my teens. Not sure I really believe that, but anyway.....I know these JR C guys who went on the play pro in Europe for a brief stint who are a year older than me, and I remember them being very very good. A lot of these guys could have gone further in N America, but partying and girls have derailed many a hockey career, and so has dedication/work ethic.

 

[Goonzilla]

Even guys that played Jr A (CHL) would dominate a bunch of beer leaguers for the most part. A poster above mentioned a guy like Jeff Heerema - barely got a sniff in the NHL and toiled in minor pro - yet he was a 30 goal scorer in the OHL.

I'd love to skate with the local pro guys (NHL, minor pro, Europe) in their summer skates, although I am too old (44 this Saturday), and would seem awkward in a way, but one of the European pro guys - I work with a family member.

I can still hold my own in a fast paced rec league, and when I was younger I had an older guy I know tell me I could have played Jr C, maybe B back when I in my teens. Not sure I really believe that, but anyway.....I know these JR C guys who went on the play pro in Europe for a brief stint who are a year older than me, and I remember them being very very good. A lot of these guys could have gone further in N America, but partying and girls have derailed many a hockey career, and so has dedication/work ethic.

It's something I find a little fascinating, given you can pick up most any sport and compete at an even or closer level with anyone else no matter how good they are in terms of getting about; you've been walking or running or getting about on two legs as long as anyone else, but skating is quite different. Doesn't matter how big or strong you are, how high you can jump or how quick you can run 100 metres, if you can't skate you aren't getting far.

I marvel at the skating and skills of some guys who played junior or college and seem to have a skill set not too dissimilar from what you see NHL guys doing on YouTube, but yeah, these guys never even got a sniff. Perhaps like being a fast runner. If you run a 10.5 you're probably not even in the finishing line photo at the highest level.

It takes a lot more than talent; and for a lot of people undoubtedly a little luck too; not getting injured, having great coaches, being afforded the opportunities to learn and play..and pay.

It's interesting that where you had a guy like Gretzky who lived on the backyard rink when he was a kid; and now you have a guy like Auston Matthews from the desert. You know as much as he's done that he must have been fortunate to have a lot of people going out of their way to help make it happen for him..but of course he's had to do the work himself ultimately to get there.

 

[Cams]

It's something I find a little fascinating, given you can pick up most any sport and compete at an even or closer level with anyone else no matter how good they are in terms of getting about; you've been walking or running or getting about on two legs as long as anyone else, but skating is quite different. Doesn't matter how big or strong you are, how high you can jump or how quick you can run 100 metres, if you can't skate you aren't getting far.

I marvel at the skating and skills of some guys who played junior or college and seem to have a skill set not too dissimilar from what you see NHL guys doing on YouTube, but yeah, these guys never even got a sniff. Perhaps like being a fast runner. If you run a 10.5 you're probably not even in the finishing line photo at the highest level.

It takes a lot more than talent; and for a lot of people undoubtedly a little luck too; not getting injured, having great coaches, being afforded the opportunities to learn and play..and pay.

It's interesting that where you had a guy like Gretzky who lived on the backyard rink when he was a kid; and now you have a guy like Auston Matthews from the desert. You know as much as he's done that he must have been fortunate to have a lot of people going out of their way to help make it happen for him..but of course he's had to do the work himself ultimately to get there.

To build on this too, you wonder how much natural ability a lot of the guys have. Some of these top end pros never needed to take a power skating program, etc. Yet, you have guys who are in top shape and super motivated, etc., that will never be as good as some are naturally.

 

[hototogisu]

Enforcer Reed Low was hitting bar-down at will, 5 or 6 times before I stepped into the net. He kept his shot down once I got in there and ripped 3 of 4 post and in and I could tell he took something off the shot.

My brother was working a radio gig and hosting a celebs vs. locals ball hockey game, and P.J. Stock was one the guys playing on the celebrity team. He was watching him warm up and said Stock was just ripping top-corner shots on an empty net from center ice. This is long-retired, TV host Stock we're talking about, not prime playing shape Stock.

One of the guys who played on Stock's team was a ball hockey player and said the first pass he got from him almost knocked the stick out of his hands it came so fast.

 

[ccarrigan]

When I was about 15 or so, I was playing at an outdoor rink with some friends. I was pretty good but nothing spectacular. One of my friends older brother played for, at the time, the Laval Titans. He decided to come by with a few friends one day.

It was sickening. At one point, we changed the "teams" so it was them 3 against 7 of us (plus a goalie). Bad. News. Bears. Its almost as if we werent even on the ice or we were mosquitoes or something.

It was that day when I realized that if I ever had any desires to try and make it .. to forget it lol

I'd say this is the most legit comment. If you can skate and think, you can "sort of" play against a higher end player (not NHL, but juniors or lower level "**HL" guys). But once there's more than one it's a crapshoot. One on one, speed, pace, whatever. Maybe. But get two or three of them? No. Just no.

 

[Ducks Nation*]

I played in the fedorin cup the last couple years. Clayton Stoner was medicore probably because it was non contact. He was chosen to shoot in the shootout and his hands are so bad I was almost embarrassed for him. I am sure I would be singing a different tune if it was a contact game haha. Getzlaf, Sbisa, Etem, Cogs, Selanne, etc. among others played but they weren't even trying. The Stoner shootout attempt was hilarious.

 

[CanadianPensFan1]

I'd say this is the most legit comment. If you can skate and think, you can "sort of" play against a higher end player (not NHL, but juniors or lower level "**HL" guys). But once there's more than one it's a crapshoot. One on one, speed, pace, whatever. Maybe. But get two or three of them? No. Just no.

Dude it was sickening. Like we couldn't believe it. They were legit laughing at us. It was totally in good fun and they weren't being jerks but they were laughing.

It was a good time though. We laughed so much.

 

[goalie29]

I've played pickup with a number of guys who were *HL back in the day (*N,A,O,W).

Three things have stuck out:
That even if they're in their 60s and maybe skate a bit slower than some of the younger non-pro guys, they're footwork is insane.
Mental quickness - they can release the puck so quickly for a perfect pass to you before you know you're open, it's ridiculous to us mere mortals.
And the biggest thing is quickness of shot release. I played goal for a friend's work pickup group a few times. The boss played in the NHL for a bit many decades ago, and he scored on me a couple of times as I watched him, and I never saw the release. Had my eye on him with the puck, then it was in the net. Whoosh. It was awesome to behold.

 

[jnk96]

My dad loves to tell the story of a charity game he played in. His beer league team and two top-tier pro teams from Germany mixed their rosters and just had a fun game. The part my dad has told me multiple times is how the opposing goalie dangled around behind the net and my dad couldn't get the puck. He obviously isn't a great player himself, but it's ridiculous how much skill even pro goalies have with their goalie sticks.

Personally I've only played with a third-tier pro (D-man) in Germany at pick up. He probably only went at quarter speed, but had I not known who he was, I would not have thought he was a pro.

 

[StLHokie]

My dad loves to tell the story of a charity game he played in. His beer league team and two top-tier pro teams from Germany mixed their rosters and just had a fun game. The part my dad has told me multiple times is how the opposing goalie dangled around behind the net and my dad couldn't get the puck. He obviously isn't a great player himself, but it's ridiculous how much skill even pro goalies have with their goalie sticks.

Personally I've only played with a third-tier pro (D-man) in Germany at pick up. He probably only went at quarter speed, but had I not known who he was, I would not have thought he was a pro.

To be brutally honest, the German leagues have a huge drop off after the second league. I lived and played in Germany the last two years, and had no problem skating with the local fourth league team (Regionalliga Suedwest). I also got to play against a couple of Oberliga players on multiple occasions as well. Tier III Junior teams in North America would wipe the floor with the Regionalliga team I played with, and the higher tiered junior teams wouldn't have much of a problem with the Oberliga teams. The second league is where the competition rises dramatically, because the allowable number of International players jumps, and a ton of guys that played college and minor pro in North America play on the teams as opposed to the lower leagues.

 

[WolfgangPuck]

When I was 13 or 14 and was at the community centre playing one night and it was really cold and not many players on the ice there was this younger girl who practicing that I knew from school
Wanted to play "take away" and thought it would be easy cause she was so small.
I couldnt touch the puck. She was fast and agile and I quickly found out she was better than a lot of the boys that I play with
Ten years later I was cheering her as she won a gold medal for our Women hockey team at the Olympics

Not a pro story , but I knew she had a lot of passion and skill to get far in hockey

 

[jnk96]

To be brutally honest, the German leagues have a huge drop off after the second league. I lived and played in Germany the last two years, and had no problem skating with the local fourth league team (Regionalliga Suedwest). I also got to play against a couple of Oberliga players on multiple occasions as well. Tier III Junior teams in North America would wipe the floor with the Regionalliga team I played with, and the higher tiered junior teams wouldn't have much of a problem with the Oberliga teams. The second league is where the competition rises dramatically, because the allowable number of International players jumps, and a ton of guys that played college and minor pro in North America play on the teams as opposed to the lower leagues.

Totally agree that below Oberliga, it's not very competitive. Some of our top beer league division teams could probably compete in the Regionalliga. The Oberliga is fairly good although I also agree that the top CHL teams could easily win the championship.

That said, there's a giant GIANT gap between me and Oberliga.

 

[HansonBro]

I dangled Korolev once

 

[hitman9172]

My Midget coach was a really good player. Great hands, great skating.

He did a 1 on 1 drill vs a former NHLer who had long been retired. The NHLer said if my coach could stop him from making a move even once, my coach would win the drill. The NHLer came at him 10 times and deked him out badly all 10 times. My coach would always make the first move to try to check the puck away and the former NHLer would have the patience and quick reflexes to beat him clean every single time. Didn't even look like he was trying.