Players who started hockey late and still made the NHL?

[Killion]

You think a 14-15 age start at goalie would be possible?

Playing todays Butterfly probably not, no. Ideally though youd' want the kid to have previously played Forward or Defence, developed skating & stick handling skill's, vision, appreciation & understanding for each position...

 

[eastcoaster]

Ken Schinkel started playing hockey at 14. I remember reading that on his hockey card.

 

[Killion]

Ken Schinkel started playing hockey at 14. I remember reading that on his hockey card.

Geez theres a blast from the past. He had a lengthy career. Long time with Eddie Shore in Springfield having signed directly with him (not an NHL club) & led the league in points on numerous occasions, the Indians to Calder Cups. Eventually became Rangers (some excellent full colour pictures of him at the HHOF Legends website on his players page btw) property, played sporadically for them & the Baltimore Clippers through the 60's; grabbed by Pittsburgh in the Expansion Draft, Assistant Captain & stalwart up front, finally retiring at 40. Went on to Coach, front office etc in Pittsburgh, then moved to Hartford for awhile.

 

[mike14]

To follow up my own question about Akim Alieu (which I'm pretty sure I just spelled incorrectly), according to Gare Joyce in his book Future Greats and Heart Breaks AA had never seen a hockey game, let alone played any hockey or been on the ice, until he came across to Canada as a 12 year old. Can anyone confirm this?

 

[cutchemist42]

Playing todays Butterfly probably not, no. Ideally though youd' want the kid to have previously played Forward or Defence, developed skating & stick handling skill's, vision, appreciation & understanding for each position...

I'm actually going to ask this at goaliestore.com and see what they think. Steve McKichan psots there regularly so I hope he responds too.

 

[Killion]

I'm actually going to ask this at goaliestore.com and see what they think. Steve McKichan psots there regularly so I hope he responds too.

Saw your post there, several replies.

 

[cutchemist42]

Saw your post there, several replies.

Hahaha, you regularly go there? Anyhow, here's a link to an old poster there who did play minor IHL hockey after starting late.

http://www.goaliestore.com/board/1882433-post18.html

I played my first organized game of ice hockey when I was fourteen. It was just park district house league. Never played major junior. Never played division 1. By the time I was twenty one, I was in the IHL, on the bench, but still on an NHL farm team. Then another five seasons in the lower minor leagues. My whole hockey history before pro consisted of one year of house league, three years of Illinois high school, one year of junior C, and two years on a university club team. Sometimes you can just get lucky and be in the right place at the right time. There is no set formula on making it to a pro team. If somebody gives you a shot, don't blow it, but once you are in the door more doors open.

 

[metalfoot]

Was going to say Bill Spunska at 17 years old but then again Scott Young is ambiguous as to whether Bill ever actually makes the Leafs. Oh wait. That's fictional.

Hmmm... I would say that since the advent of more modern hockey theory and training (say, the Bobby Orr era forward) there is just too much of a disadvantage in skating and skills if you don't learn the muscle memory earlier. I don't know that you can find hockey players who first strap on the skates at 16 or 17 who would ever be anything more than pretty good in a senior men's league somewhere, these days.

 

[Killion]

Hahaha, you regularly go there? Anyhow, here's a link to an old poster there who did play minor IHL hockey after starting late.

http://www.goaliestore.com/board/1882433-post18.html

I played my first organized game of ice hockey when I was fourteen. It was just park district house league. Never played major junior. Never played division 1. By the time I was twenty one, I was in the IHL, on the bench, but still on an NHL farm team. Then another five seasons in the lower minor leagues. My whole hockey history before pro consisted of one year of house league, three years of Illinois high school, one year of junior C, and two years on a university club team. Sometimes you can just get lucky and be in the right place at the right time. There is no set formula on making it to a pro team. If somebody gives you a shot, don't blow it, but once you are in the door more doors open.

Occasionally ya. Like to drop in & see what their discussing, some interesting topics and a fair amount of knowledge. Pretty sure that sites part of the group that also runs this one or if not purchased a software program from them as its similar... yet different, and obviously very topic specific; Goaltending & Goaltenders. I guess when I eventually & inevitably get banned from this site, I'll know where to go huh? Yep. Somewhere over the rainbow....

That guy who replied having formerly minor-pro pretty much nailed it. Even back in the day when stand-up was the vogue, an awful lot of teams had trouble finding netminders with the training & skillsets, ability to play it and through no fault of their own; Coaching & training back in the 60's & 70's was often sporadic or just plain unavailable, could be expensive when you found it (summer Camps for eg) and out of reach for many. Some strange hybrids going far by simply being at the right place at the right time who technically were disasters. But, as the game then had as much to do with fists as skill and tended to be higher-scoring affairs, survived, actually thrived. Guys like the character Denis Lemieux, the psychopathic goalie from Slapshot fairly common actually.

 

[Canadiens1958]

Low Minors

That guy who replied having formerly minor-pro pretty much nailed it. Even back in the day when stand-up was the vogue, an awful lot of teams had trouble finding netminders with the training & skillsets, ability to play it and through no fault of their own; Coaching & training back in the 60's & 70's was often sporadic or just plain unavailable, could be expensive when you found it (summer Camps for eg) and out of reach for many. Some strange hybrids going far by simply being at the right place at the right time who technically were disasters. But, as the game then had as much to do with fists as skill and tended to be higher-scoring affairs, survived, actually thrived. Guys like the character Denis Lemieux, the psychopathic goalie from Slapshot fairly common actually.

Low minors. 1960s/1970s teams without NHL affiliations would scramble for goalies, especially a back-up when the tandem goalie system became mandatory. Budgets did not allow for second playing goalie so teams would look for passable back-ups,preferably local, who would dress, play at times, while filling other roles - trainer/assistant trainer,etc.

Also mid season replacements were a function of availability not talent. No scouting so the team would rely on contacts that players had. This meant that a southern team in the E or other minor league had to hope that a goalie somewhere in Quebec or Canada or elsewhere, was unemployed and willing to take a chance on a career.

 

[Killion]

Low minors. 1960s/1970s teams without NHL affiliations would scramble for goalies, especially a back-up when the tandem goalie system became mandatory....

... ya, and previously prior to the tandem system many an amusing story of replacements being found in bars & elsewhere when the starter went down, though most clubs would comp a ticket to a goalie in their system to at least be on-hand should he be required.

Lefty Wilson the long time Trainer in Detroit had played Jr.A, in the AHL & Senior hockey, often suiting up for practices, and available to both the Red Wings & visting teams should he be needed, replacing Sawchuk once I believe; Lumley of Toronto & Simmons of Boston, 2 losing and one tying efforts.

Lefty of course was the guy who designed Sawchuks original mask, running a thriving business thereafter with the exact same style & model used widely by everyone from Vachon early in his career, throughout the minors & into the Jr.B & A ranks of goaltenders.

 

[brec7]

Was going to say Bill Spunska at 17 years old but then again Scott Young is ambiguous as to whether Bill ever actually makes the Leafs. Oh wait. That's fictional.

Thanks for making my day with an epic Scrubs On Skates reference.

 

[metalfoot]

I'd hoped someone on this board had read those books! I read them in their original form in elementary school and bought the slightly revised edition in the mid 80s.