2012 PHATS/SPHEM Annual Meeting Meeting Agenda

PROFESSIONAL HOCKEY
ATHLETIC TRAINERS SOCIETY
SOCIETY OF PROFESSIONAL
HOCKEY EQUIPMENT MANAGERS
Newsletter Fall 2011
2012 PHATS/SPHEM Annual Meeting
Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa
June 21-25, 2011
Florida and the Harbor Beach Marriott is a great destination for both members and
vendors alike. The hotel and staff has always been so welcoming and accommodating
to our group so it makes it easy to return to sunny Florida and the beautiful beaches.
You can’t beat the Harbor Beach Marriott for its close proximity to the airport, easy
flight access and a great destination for the whole family… especially after a very
long hockey season!
Meeting Agenda
Thursday, June 21st:
8:00-5:00 pm:
1:00-5:00 pm:
1:00-5:00 pm:
7:00-9:00 pm:
Saturday, June 23rd:
PHATS Medical Course (optional)
Executive Committee Meetings
Member and FOMA Registration
Gatorade Reception
8:00-12:00 pm: Educational sessions
8:00-12:00 pm: Exhibitor Set Up Continued
1:00-5:00 pm: Exhibit Hall Open
7:00 pm: Hall of Fame Reception
8:00 pm: Hall of Fame Dinner
Friday, June 22nd:
Sunday, June 24th:
8:00 am: Opening General Session
8:00-5:00 pm: Educational Sessions
1:00-5:00 pm: Exhibitor Registration
3:00-6:00 pm: Exhibitor Set Up
7:00 pm: Welcome Reception for Members/FOMA/
Exhibitors
8:00-12:00 pm: Educational Sessions
1:00-5:00 pm: Exhibit Hall Open
5:00 pm: Exhibit Tear Down
Free Night
Monday, June 25th:
8:00-12:00 pm: Educational Sessions and NHL Meetings
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Meeting Overview
Hotel
Harbor Beach Marriott Resort and Spa
Room rate: $195
Cutoff date for Reservations: May 28th, 2012
Hotel reservations can be made via the website,
www.phats-sphem.com or by calling the hotel directly at
954-525-4000 or reservations at 800-228-9290. Ask for
the PHATS group rate.
Meeting Registration
Registration will not take place until mid February.
An email will be sent inviting you to register. More
information will be provided on the PHATS/SPHEM
website, www.phats-sphem.com
Attire
Business Casual
Exhibitors:
Exhibit booths: $1200
All booths are 8x10
Space is limited this year due to the size of the exhibit hall.
All booths are first come first serve, so please register as
soon as registration opens in February to make sure you
secure a booth at the show.
Medical Vendors:
Contact the PHATS office at 888-460-9003 if you are
interested in speaking directly to the PHATS members.
$1500 for a 30 minute session.
Equipment Vendors:
Contact Pete Rogers if you are interested in presenting
to the Equipment Managers, rates and times vary.
progers@nashvillepredators.com
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Dear PHATS members,
contact either myself or Anita for further details.
Great to see all of you this past
summer in Phoenix. We had quite the
agenda and I appreciate all of
the effort from each of you to attend
and be involved. Thanks to the vendors
who continue to show support for
PHATS.
We have already begun the education process for next summer.
Please contact Anita if you would like to help the education
committee or have a topic/doctor/procedure that you think would
be appropriate for the group. As the norm each year, please
encourage any new vendors to exhibit at our annual meetings.
We have found some great resources through individual member
relationships.
We continue to welcome new members each and every year.
Please take a minute during your season and reach out to one
another. Communicating with each other during the season is a
great opportunity to share ideas and experiences.
I would like to give a big thank you to our education committee
and our emergency medicine group for all of the organization
that goes into the meetings. Only with your continual feedback
will we be able to grow our clinical symposium into an extremely
valuable learning asset.
With that said, please do not hesitate to contact me if you have
and question, concerns or hot topics that our society needs to
discuss. The growth of this group continues to amaze me each and
every year.
We had a very good turnout from our members to discuss some
hot topics. I believe that our society will greatly benefit from the
passion that our members have shown. With that being said, I
would encourage everyone to continue to discuss the concussion
protocol and the current NHL policy pertaining to prescription
medication with your medical directors and among ourselves.
Thanks to Anita for all of her hard work and dedication to our
society.
Lastly, this is the final stretch for my term. I can hear the “about
time” comments already! This year’s meeting is an election year so
please take a moment to consider taking your turn at this position.
Whether it is yourself or a member you think would be interested,
we need new blood to make a positive impact on all of the hard
work each of you do every day.
I would be remiss if I did not mention and thank the many
sponsors who continue to support our society. Gatorade,
PowerBar and Sutton Medical remain staunch supporters of our
meetings, year in and year out. Please take a moment to thank
them if you see them during your travels.
I appreciate the feedback on the Sutton Medical (AHMS)
program and we continue to utilize all of the features and benefits
of electronic record keeping.
Thanks for your attention and good luck to all of you this season!
Ray Tufts
PHATS President
Head Athletic Trainer, San Jose Sharks
We are currently looking for a volunteer who would be interested
in taking the lead for a Hockey Hall of Fame project. Please
please feel free to contact your respective league rep and forward
those to us.
Our meetings last June in Phoenix
were a great success thanks to all of
our members who attended and our
many loyal vendors who made our
exhibit hall the largest to date! It is
my understanding that all leagues
were very productive conducting their
business in their breakout meetings.
The exhibit hall was bustling and a
great way to network, do business and
catch up with old friends. I think both the members and vendors
felt it was our best show yet!
This will be the third year of our Enhanced Education Program.
We are once again asking our vendors to assist us in educating
all of our members on the how’s and why’s of their products and
services. If you have any ideas of what you might find interesting
to learn or a company you would like to hear from, please contact
Pete Rogers (Nashville Predators) or your league rep so we can
seek out a vendor to properly educate us on it.
Best of luck to everyone, have a great season and travel safely.
Paul Boyer
SPHEM President
Head Equipment Manager, Detroit Red Wings
Planning has already started for this June in Ft. Lauderdale. The
success of our annual convention comes from all the members. If
you have any suggestions or ideas to make the conference better
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By Mark Brennan
PHATS/SPHEM Alumni Chairperson
Before I begin this article, let’s understand the rules.
For one, I am not as young as I used to be. Second, gray hairs
have replaced the lack of gray brain cells. Three, we are only
going by first hand recognition and some things have changed
perspective over the years. (Yes, I tend to forget details at
times) Four, if I get the names or spelling wrong, just go with
it and enjoy the perspective of the article. And five, it was
roughly half my lifetime ago.
(FOMA) from the NHL teams. They conducted their own
business meetings alongside the PHATS/SPHEM Meeting.
Members and Suppliers enjoy four days of good quality,
hands-on educational sessions, vendor sessions, enhanced
education, receptions, Hall of Fame Dinner, daily coffee
breaks and lunches…not to mention the Exhibit Hall. We
owe it to our many loyal exhibitors who attend year after year
and continue to support us. We also thank those companies
that sponsor the catering events throughout the week to allow
us all to enjoy a first rate conference. Without their support,
we may still be down in the basement with only a handful of
members attending our meetings.
My… how things have changed over the years! Younger
members probably cannot fathom how different the meetings
were twenty-five years ago. Just to give some history, I had
just come off a Calder Cup victory with the Adirondack Red
Wings in 1986. As part of the reward, Detroit offered to
send me to the PHATS meeting that May. Yes, the meetings
were earlier, besides; there were only twenty-six teams in the
league. Who would have thought that there would be teams
in Florida? Also, SPHEM was not in existence at this time.
Equipment managers didn’t get equal representation until
1996. Yes it was twenty-five years ago that I attended my first
meeting.
Booth space in the Exhibit Hall was limited as well back
then. If there were twenty booths sold that would have been a
stretch. Two or three were medical companies and equipment
companies made out the rest of the space. Back then, the
booths were represented by Bauer ( Jim Geary), Cooper
(Warren Lamb), yes they were separate and not owned at
one time by Nike. Of course that has all changed. CCM and
Koho and JOFA (Phil Langlois), again separate companies as
well. Guspro (Charlie Gualtieri) was there as well as Maska,
Louisville (Graham Watson) and Sherwood (Claude LaRose).
Other companies that have gone the way of change were
Doaust Skates and Victoriaville, just to name a few. In 2011,
we had 135 exhibit booths, the most to date! Due to lack
of exhibit space we even turned companies away who really
wanted to be a part of the show. Every year our numbers
increase and this is based purely on word of mouth. Both the
exhibitor and member get so much out of this particular show.
It is a great venue for networking and educational courses and
CEUS. This gives you some idea how things have changed
and grown and if there are errors refer back to the first
paragraph and the rules of the article.
The meetings that year were held in Las Vegas. It was my
first time in Vegas as well as my first meeting. Yes, I can talk
about it! At that time, the Executive Board was made up of
Skip Thayer (President), Larry Ashley (Vice President) and
John Doolan (Secretary and Treasurer). There were no Anita’s,
Lisa’s or Dom’s to take care of us. They did their own meetings
and registration with John Doolan sitting there and handing
out agendas for the three days.
That year, there were about seventy members that attended
the meeting. Only NHL and AHL trainers and equipment
managers were represented. Of that, some of the minor
teams did not send their staff to the meeting. There were no
annual dues but, then again, there was no welcome reception,
no break out food and beverages, equipment or medical
sponsored meals or lunches, and no hospitality room or
welcome gifts. Actually, the hospitality room or rooms were
in one of the vendor’s rooms and they filled the tub with beer
and we spent time there at the end of the night. Compare
that to the 2011 meeting in Phoenix this year…250 members
attended the meeting from all the professional hockey leagues
in addition to the NCAA and Canadian Hockey Leagues.
Also in attendance was the Facility Operations Managers
This past summer, Pete Demers, (Former President of
PHATS) and I (Former President and Treasure of SHEM)
were asked to meet with the current executive boards of
PHATS/SPHEM in Phoenix Arizona. My goodness was
it hot! Both of us were extremely pleased to attend at their
request and cannot express our gratitude enough to them and
Anita, Dom and Lisa for the great hospitality we received.
As for the actual meeting themselves, anyone that was there
continued on page 7
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Keith Robinson, Head Equipment Manager, Boston Bruins
SPHEM: You have been with
the Boston Bruins for 23 years
now. You started as a locker
room assistant, then to assistant
equipment manager and now
head equipment manager. No
doubt you have grown over the
years, but how has the team
grown and changed over the
years?
KR: The biggest change I feel was moving from the old
Boston Garden to the TDGarden .My first several years
working in the old garden definitely created a lot of fond
memories. I consider myself very lucky to have witnessed a
lot of great hockey, concerts ,etc…in such a historic arena. I
guess I can say that the TDGarden has provided some great
memories more recently and is starting to feel like home. I
have worked for twelve coaches and four GM’s, all of which
made some changes to our organization, but never anything
real major, just some adjustments to the day to day operations.
Overall, I think the big changes from when I started to now
are the same for all teams-- the way we travel from the hotels
to the planes and trucks and the amount of equipment we
carry.
SPHEM: What is the advantage of staying with one team
the entire time versus moving around the league?
KR: I know in sports the opportunity to work for the
hometown team is pretty rare. I am fortunate and honored to
have this position in Boston, although there are a few other
cities I could have seen myself enjoying a job like this.
SPHEM: The 2010-2011 season proved to be worth the
wait. The Bruins win the Stanley Cup. Tell us about that
experience.
KR: The 2011 playoffs was like the ultimate roller coaster
ride! Going through two game 7’s in early rounds I thought
would prepare us(me) for just about anything. But I was
wrong. As the finals went on, the level of intensity continued
to rise, reaching its max at the end of game 6. What came
after that lived up to all that I dreamed it would be and more.
SPHEM: Did you feel all your hard work paid off and did
you change how you did things post season leading up to the
Stanley Cup game?
KR: Beets, Matt and myself along with the rest of the
staff took on the “whatever it takes” mentality in the finals.
Personally, I just tried to pay attention to all the possible
emergency scenarios like broken goalie masks, skates etc…
thankfully, nothing unusual came up.
SPHEM: Going back to your longevity with the Bruins, it
sounds as if you had a lot of on the job training, starting out
as a locker room assistant, which led to a head equipment
manager position in pro hockey. Is this the best way to get
started and what do you recommend to others who would like
to get into pro hockey and what skills should they have to help
them be successful?
KR: I guess there are many different paths that may lead to
these positions, but I would say be willing to start wherever
you can get a foot in the door. Being around and getting “on
the job training” is invaluable even if the position doesn’t pay
what you think it should. You have to be available and ready
to work to prove you can succeed in this unique environment.
SPHEM: We know it is important to have a good
relationship with your vendors. Why is that and what are some
things you to do stay current with your vendors/products and
build on that relationship?
KR: I think vendors and equipment managers have the same
common goal-- to make sure players are using products they
are confident in. In order to accomplish this, it requires all
parties to communicate and work well together.
SPHEM: What do you want your NHL peers to know
about you that they don’t already know?
KR: I think one of the things that might come as a surprise is
that as a teenager I modeled tuxedos and suits on the runway
for wedding expo’s. Needless to say, this hockey business has
taken its toll on me!
SPHEM: Who have been your mentors over the years that
have inspired you?
continued on page 6
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By Mark Brennan, Alumni Chairperson
Well, just sitting here in Portland, Oregon, enjoying the
darkness at 4:30 pm, the rain and a fine glass of Oregon Pinot
Noir, (sorry Pierre Gervais), but just wanted to bring everyone
up to speed. Hope this newsletter from PHATS/SPHEM and
the Alumni finds you all well and in good health.
This past year has been a busy one here for reasons other
than working on the Alumni Association. Spent the last year
working with Pete Demers and the current board members
of PHATS/SPHEM on a special project. I was invited to
attend the meeting this past summer in Phoenix to present
our findings. Hope to have information to share in the next
newsletter about our meeting and the progress that has come
forward from Phoenix. As for attending the meetings, my how
things have changed. Please be sure to read the retrospect on
how things have changed in twenty-five years in this newsletter.
This past month, the PHATS/SPHEM Alumni received great
news from Mr. Jim Darby at Easton Sports. Jim has been a
long time friend and supporter of both PHATS and SPHEM,
and our shared history goes back more years than I care to
remember. We spoke of this last summer in Phoenix and he
was glad to see the old guys, especially Pete Demers and myself.
We spoke of the Alumni and wanted to know how he can get
involved in support of having more past members attend the
annual convention. To that end, we talked about bringing past
members to the meetings and he has graciously sponsored that
cause. Right now it is in the planning stages and we will be
letting the membership know in the coming newsletter who
will attend on the behalf of the Alumni Association next year
in Fort Lauderdale. We look forward to working with Darb’s,
the executive board and Anita over the next year. The PHATS/
SPHEM Alumni Association can not express the gratitude and
thanks to Jim Darby and Easton.
All Alumni Articles will now be in the PHATS/SPHEM
Newsletter. My goal this winter is to update and add names to
our Alumni List. We are asking current and retired members,
if at all possible, to assist in adding to the listings. If there is
anyone out there that we need to add or changes that need
to be done, please feel free to email either our office, Anita or
Dom with additions or changes. I recently spent some time
speaking with Skip Thayer and enjoyed talking with an old
friend of ours. Be sure to take time to read the “Where are they
now” column in this newsletter. Other than that, would really
appreciate hearing from members of our alumni and adding
information in upcoming newsletters. Please keep in touch and
let me know if there is anything that needs to be done going
forward from this end.
Take care, all the best to past members and safe travels for all
active members,
Regards to all,
Mark “Peaches” Brennan
Alumni Chair
the membership from year one to present.
should be able to realize how much has changed in twentyfive years. Compare the Las Vegas meeting with what was
experienced in Phoenix. Trainers and Equipment managers
are equally represented. Both Executive Boards were formed
in 1996, just 10 years after that first meeting of mine in Vegas.
Welcome receptions, luncheons, hospitality room, welcome
gifts, every minor and amateur leagues represented (NCAA
and Major Junior), foreign teams represented and the most
professional support staff in Anita, Lisa, Dom. Rollin and his
guidance and the Executive Boards have taken the meeting to
where I could have never imagined. But, it also should be said
that the meeting could have never got to this point if not for
the hard work and dedication of all those that chose to serve
If anything can be taken from this article, it is that THANKS
need to be given to the Larry’s, Woody’s, and Pete’s. Skips,
Rip’s, Dools, Smittys, Sups, Eddies, and Sluggo’s as well as
the Danny’s, Geary’s, Watson’s, Staffs, Lefties, and anyone
over fifty with a nick name. It is their dedication to the sport
of hockey, foresight and commitment level that has helped
to grow our association over the years and make it what it
is today. Now I know I may have left out some names but
congratulations and thanks to those who have taken over and
made PHATS/SPHEM so much more than we could have
ever envisioned just twenty five short years ago!
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By Mark Brennan, Alumni Chairperson
Skip Thayer, former NHL Athletic Trainer
Just got off the phone with Skip
Thayer, former NHL athletic
trainer and 2001 PHATS/
SPHEM Hall of Fame Inductee.
It was a very interesting call and
added more to the history of
PHATS of which most of this
article will cover. It would be
great to bring back the original
members at some time and let
them see what has happened over
the years since the original idea of starting something akin to
PHATS in 1971.
accident years ago and Lefty passed away a few years ago.
They met for the first time as an organized group in Baltimore
in 1972. That first year they called themselves the “NHL
Trainers Association”. Unfortunately, the NHL could not
be used without permission and the following meetings they
were know as the “Hockey Trainers Association”. But, to that
end, they had to change names again to a “Hockey Trainers
Society” for legal reasons and we are still known as a Society
to this day. Finally, many years later, the NHL and NHLPA,
formally recognized the “Professional Hockey Athletic
Trainers Society”.
Skip remembers when he first got in the league, he was
fresh out of college and really didn’t know that much about
the game. He can recall those first few years that teams had
to carry their own supplies, such as oranges, coffee, tape,
hydrocolators, medical supplies and tape. He began his career
with the Chicago Blackhawks, then went to Pittsburgh to the
Penguins in 1988 and finished his twenty-nine year career
with the Tampa Bay Lightning.
The first board of PHATS was made up of or appointed to
the position by the members present as follows: Ross “Lefty”
Wilson (President), Dan “Grinder” Canney (Vice President),
Dan “Olie” Olesevich (Secretary/Treasurer) and Skip Thayer
(Member of Board). Special mention has to be given to Tom
Woodcock, even though he did not serve on the first board, as
Skip stated, “Tommy was the force behind the formation of
the association. It was his forethought that made the trainers
work towards getting organized for the first time. He met
with me after I was hired in Chicago and since I was the first
Trainer with a Masters Degree, he said that it would add
validity to our group.”
Skip is still residing in Maine and is probably one of the few
Yankee fans in the area. He was the first President that I met
in Las Vegas and remember that first meeting to this day. I
needed a room in the hotel when there was no reservation
for me. Skip came up and asked what was the problem. I told
him I was here for the hockey convention and did not seem to
have a reservation. He said, “let me look into it, we take care
of our own in hockey”. He did get me a room and to this day
I am grateful and still believe we take care of our own.
It should be mentioned that all these gentlemen are PHATS/
SPHEM Hall of Fame Inductees. Two of which have since
passed away. Danny Olesevich was killed in an automobile
KR: That’s easy. It was my honor and pleasure to work for
Ken Fleger. He was a true old school hockey guy. He taught
me a lot about repairs, skates, etc…and how to survive in
pro hockey in general. It would be silly to try to list all of the
others but the guys in the Adams division were in town so
much I got to know them pretty well.
Who knows what is to come after hockey… if the economy
improved, maybe build some houses or open a tavern.
SPHEM: What do you do to keep busy in the off season?
KR: I spend a lot of time working around the house, there
is always a project waiting. I have two boys that keep me
very busy. They want to fish almost every day and if we’re not
fishing we are on some other adventure. I also find time to
squeeze in a round of golf or two with friends.
SPHEM: You have won a Stanley Cup? Now what? What
do you want to do after hockey?
KR: Winning the Cup was a dream come true! But I know
there is a lot of room for improvement on the equipment
side of things here so that will take some time and energy.
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PHATS: To work into June, beyond the regular season is
what it is all about but how do things change from a trainer’s
perspective during those few months? (i.e., travel, hours,
focus, media, expectations by management and players)
Don DelNegro, Head Athletic Trainer, Boston Bruins
PHATS: You have been with
the same team, the Boston
Bruins since 1993. What did you
do prior to working the Bruins?
DD: Well everything gets “ramped up” a bit. Attention to
detail is probably foremost. I found it hard to fall asleep, or
stay asleep at night. You are always thinking, and checking
and rechecking that you thought of every possible thing you
may need, or need to do.
DD: Before I came to the
Bruins, I was the Director of
Sports Medicine at Williams
College in MA. A small private,
liberal arts college. Prior to
that I was an Assistant Athletic Trainer at the U.S. Olympic
Training Center in Lake Placid, NY. During that time I
was fortunate enough to work as an AT for: 2 US Olympic
Festivals, Pan-Am Games in Cuba, 1992 Winter Olympics
in Albertville and travel all around Europe working various
World Cup, and World Championships for: US Bobsled,
Wrestling, Luge, Team Handball, Swimming & Diving,
and Hockey. I even worked for 6 weeks with the Harlem
Globetrotters while they trained for their European Tour
The travel for us going to Vancouver was not too bad. The
games were scheduled at 5pm PT that was an 8pm ET start
for our body clocks. So, I don’t think that was detrimental
to our performance. The increase in media attention is
noticeable, but mostly it affected the players and not us.
The one advantage of “Playoff ” hockey for the medical staff
is that you don’t have to manage an injury so it doesn’t get
worse. You’re not saving your players for the playoffs, because
you’re already there. They either “can play, or can’t play”. So
the medical decisions get a little easier to make.
PHATS: The 2010-2011 season was a big year for you and
the Bruins. What was it like to win the Stanley Cup? Was it
everything you had imagined?
PHATS: You have done work with USA Hockey in the past,
tell us about that.
DD: I have been fortunate enough to work for USA Hockey
on 4 different occasions, 3 World Championships, and 2006
Olympics in Torino. It is kind of bitter sweet, because it
usually means your team is not in the playoffs. But, getting
the opportunity to travel to Europe and work with other
NHL players is a great experience. I highly recommend
everyone try to go on one of the trips at some point in their
career.
DD: Winning the Stanley Cup has certainly been the
pinnacle of my career. We all know the work, the hours, the
commitment we put in; it just felt really great to finally reap
the reward. Getting the opportunity to have the Stanley
Cup for a day was incredible. What an amazing benefit the
NHL gives us by allowing staff members to have it as well as
the players. It is a chance for us to pay back, and thank your
family and friends for their love and support for the crazy life
we lead.
PHATS: In your years with the Bruins, how has athletic
training changed in pro hockey?
Winning it was awesome; the intensity of the final two
rounds is incredible. You are just living Day to Day, Game
to Game. It is surreal when it finally happens. We were very
fortunate to be relatively healthy during the whole playoffs
series, so our work load in the training room was actually
minimal. Our staff seemed to be able to really enjoy the ride.
DD: When I first came in ’93. Most teams had only 1 AT
and usually someone at home doing rehab. Now most teams
have 2-3 AT’s/PT’s, massage therapist, Strength Coach,
Nutritional consultants, Psychologists, sleep experts, etc. It’s
amazing, but the volume of personal attention players want
has grown dramatically.
Continued on next page
8
Also, the amount of administrative work that is needed for
team management, the NHL, the PA, insurance companies,
drug testing is increasing yearly as well. So I spend a larger
portion of my day in front of the computer instead of in
front of the players
DD: If I wasn’t an Athletic Trainer, I would have been
a drummer with Bob Seger and the Silver Bullet Band
touring across America using your locker rooms for my post
concert parties. This, of course would delay the visiting team
from hanging up their gear!!
PHATS: What would you like to see less?
PHATS: Who have been your mentors over the years that
have inspired you?
DD: I would like to see less paperwork, computer work and
doing things that don’t make any sense.
DD: Most of my mentors where not hockey related per
se. I learned a lot from all of the AT’s that I worked under
along the way. But, Kevin Moody the head at the USOTC
in Lake Placid was a big influence in my career. Rich Pierce
at Westfield State University was my first mentor, so he is
high on the list in my formative years as an AT student.
My relationship with other PHATS members like, Rammer,
Mulligan, Kingsley, McCrae, Barile, and Ray Tufts are
incredibly helpful throughout the season.
PHATS: What skills set should all pro hockey athletic
trainers bring to the table to
benefit the player and management alike?
DD: I think anyone looking to get into Athletic Training
in professional hockey needs to bring additional skill sets
to the table. You definitely would need a Masters’, or PT
degree. I would augment that with a Massage therapy,
Physician’s assistant, or strength and conditioning degree
as well. I know most teams that are hiring assistants are
looking for someone with multiple skills.
PHATS: Now that you have won a Stanley Cup, what else
is out there for you to attain? What are you future goals and
aspirations?
DD: This question is a layup, another Stanley Cup of
course!
PHATS: You are long standing member of PHATS and on
the PHATS executive
committee for many years. Why
is it important for you to be a part of this group?
PHATS: Although the off season was short for you this
year, what do you do to keep busy in the off season?
DD: I believe everyone should be on the Executive
Committee at some point during their career in the NHL.
It is our association and no one is going to care about our
concerns except us. When I first came in Pete Demers and
Larry Ashley were leading the charge for all of the benefits
we have today. If we don’t continue in the same manner, we
as an organization will remain stagnant. I think PHATS
is a very strong and vocal association that is well respected
by the league. Ray Barile and Ray Tufts have done a
tremendous job in continuing to increase PHATS presence
within the NHL and the NHLPA.
DD: In the off season I go to Lake Placid, NY where I have
had a home since ’86 and spend time re-introducing myself
to my family and friends. It is a great get away, because the
players know that I am there and they tend not to bother
me unless it is real important. I am really able to recharge
my batteries and get ready for the next season. I think it has
helped keep me from burning out to soon. I spend a lot of
time golfing, boating, hiking and just spending time with
the people that mean the most to me.
PHATS: What do you want your NHL peers to know
about you that they don’t already know?
9
Damien Hess, Athletic Trainer, Connecticut Whale
The American Hockey League begins its 76th season in
2011-12 with 30 teams beginning their journey towards
hoisting the Calder Cup. I would first like to take this
opportunity to congratulate Tom Severance, Glen Kinney,
and the entire Binghamton Senators staff on capturing the
title last season with an emotional win while their assistant
coach, Steve Stirling, was recovering from emergency heart
surgery. Coach Stirling is back behind the bench as this
season gets underway.
Albany – Steve Bratspis (equipment
manager), Bridgeport – Matt Bain
(athletic trainer), Portland – Mike
Booi (athletic trainer) and John Krouse
(equipment manager, from San Antonio), St. John’s –
Alain Chabbert (athletic trainer) and Ian Cox (equipment
manager), and Syracuse – Joe Guilmet (equipment
manager). In the Western conference: Abbotsford – Chris
Linder (athletic trainer) and Peter Bureaux (equipment
manager, from Rochester), Grand Rapids – John Bernal
(athletic trainer), Rochester – Rob Frost (athletic trainer,
from Portland) and Ben Laing (equipment manager, from
Portland), San Antonio – Chris Walker (athletic trainer)
and Steve Passineau (equipment manger).
The AHL All Star Game and Skills Competition will be
held at historic Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ on
January 29th and 30th this season. It marks the first time
in the history of the AHL event that a non-league city will
play host. Historic Boardwalk Hall and the Atlantic City
Boardwalk should make for an excellent backdrop to this
year’s event.
The AHL and its members have been working hard over
the past few months on improving the standards by which
we operate to make it as close to NHL quality as we can.
On the medical side, we have been working with Sutton
Medical Technologies on reaching an agreement to put
AHL contracted players on the AHMS injury tracking
system. While we do not have an agreement in place yet,
significant progress was made this past summer. We are
working hard to gain the full support of all 30 member
clubs so that we can try to make this a reality by the
beginning of next season. In addition, on the equipment
side, we have been working to update and get approval for
a standardized list of supplies that home teams provide
for visiting teams in the AHL. We are asking all AHL
members to help push these ideas with your team’s
management so that we can try to put them in front of the
Board of Governors for a vote at the All Star break BOG
meeting.
The AHL has seen quite a bit of change over the summer.
We have a team back in St. John’s, Newfoundland, who
will be the AHL affiliate to the new Winnipeg Jets and
will be playing in the Eastern conference. Charlotte has
moved over to the Western conference to fill the spot left
by the Manitoba Moose. There have been a few affiliation
changes as well for the upcoming season. The conference/
division alignments have changed, as has the qualification
process for the Calder Cup playoffs. There are still two
conference (East and West), but each conference is now
comprised of three divisions with 5 teams in each. The
seeding for playoff teams will follow what the NHL uses.
The three division winners will secure the top three seeds
with the remaining 5 teams ranked according to conference
standing. One other change is that the first round of the
playoffs will be a best-of-5 series with the remaining three
rounds being best-of-7.
Finally, on behalf of all AHL members I would like to
thank Anita Ramsay and her staff for everything they do
to help make PHATS/SPHEM run efficiently. They do a
great job, and we should all thank them for their hard work
and dedication. Best of luck and good health to all of your
teams this season!
In addition to the league changes, there has been quite
a bit of change in staffs on both the athletic training
and equipment sides. Here is a list of the new/relocated
personnel for the upcoming season. In the Eastern
conference: Adirondack – Greg Lowden (athletic trainer),
10
By Mike Schroeder, Chicago Express
As the ECHL begins its 24th season, we would like to extend
our congratulations to Alan Diamond, Mike Burkhead,
and the rest of the 2010-2011 Alaska Aces’ players and
staff on winning the Kelly Cup last May. A well-deserved
congratulation also goes to Tara Gilliland-Smith and Eric
Bechtol of the Kalamazoo Wings for their successful playoff
run through the Eastern Conference prior to a tough, fivegame series with Alaska.
A special congratulations to Kevin Anderson of the Stockton
Thunder and Mike Burkhead of the Alaska Aces on being
voted the Reebok Athletic Trainer of the Year and Equipment
Manager of the Year, respectively, as voted by their peers
around the League.
This season sees some changes around the ECHL as the
League welcomes the expansion Chicago Express to the
Eastern Conference and the Colorado Eagles (formerly of
the CHL) to the Western Conference. The Victoria Salmon
Kings have withdrawn from the League making the ECHL
a 20-team league with 12 teams in the East and 8 teams
competing out West. Trenton’s ECHL club is under new
management and will now be known as the Titans (nee
“Devils”). Also, the League recently announced Expansion
Membership to the city of Orlando, FL.
Orlando will officially begin competition in
October of 2012 and will play its home games
in the Amway Center, home to the NBA’s
Orlando Magic.
In it’s continued efforts to improve the safety
of
our athletes, the ECHL has stiffened the rules regarding
mouthguard usage amongst its players. Beginning this
season, any player found without a mouthguard will be issued
a 2-minute minor penalty with full power-play granted to
the opposing team. Exact statistics regarding the number of
mouthguard-related penalties and/or dental injuries affected
by this rule change were not available at the time of this
update.
As always, a HUGE thanks goes to Anita Ramsay and the
staff at the PHATS/SPHEM offices for their hard work and
assistance throughout the calendar year and with the planning
and execution of our summer meetings.
Best of luck to all in the chase for the 2011-2012 Kelly Cup
as well as a safe and successful season to all members of the
PHATS/SPHEM family!
by Bryan Rodgers, Dayton Gems
The Central Hockey League will begin its milestone 20th
season on October 21, 2011 with 14 teams and a 462
game scheduled season. The 2010-2011 season ended
with the Bossier-Shreveport Mudbugs winning the Ray
Miron Presidents’ Cup in a thrilling 7 game series versus
the Colorado Eagles. Congratulations to the Mudbugs
staff George Bullock Jr (ATC) and Billy Welker (Eq Man)
as well as to Colorado’s Chris Porowski (ATC) and Tony
Deynzer (Eq Man) for their hard work and post season
accomplishments.
The summer of 2011 produced many changes across the
league. New team staff positions were filled as members
moved on to other opportunities. The CHL will compete
this season with 14 teams divided into 2
Conferences (Berry Conference – South)
and the (Turner Conference – North). The
team that wins the Turner Conference will
capture the Turner Trophy, and the team winning the
Berry Conference will in turn capture the N. Thomas Berry
Trophy. The Evansville Icemen will be moving into their
brand new arena this season, The Ford Center, with a capacity
of 8,800. Congratulations to the Icemen and their new arena.
We want to welcome the new faces across the league this year.
The new additions are as follows:
Allen Americans – Kacee Coberly, Equipment Manager
Continued on next page
11
Arizona Sundogs – Vince Fedorowich, Athletic Trainer –
moved from Quad City to Arizona
Bloomington Blaze – Dan Huling, Equipment Manager;
Matt Aiello – Athletic Trainer
Dayton Gems – Graham Pepperman, Equipment Manager
Evansville Icemen – Brian Patafie, Equipment Manager
Fort Wayne Komets – Joe Franke, Equipment Manager
Laredo Bucks – Jorge Lopez, Equipment Manager
Quad City Mallards – Eric Hufnagel, Athletic Trainer
Rapid City Rush – Greg Heuer – Athletic Trainer
Rio Grande Valley-Rico Buentello, Athletic Trainer
Wichita Thunder – Mark Sweeney, Athletic Trainer
Star squad comprised from the 14 CL teams playing against
the Arizona Sundogs.
The CHL is extremely proud to have a number of affiliations
with both the American Hockey League and the National
Hockey League. We look forward to these continued
relationships. For the 2011-12 season: Allen Americans
affiliate with The Dallas Stars and the Colorado Avalanche
of the NHL and the Texas Stars and Lake Erie Monsters of
the AHL. The Arizona Sundogs affiliate with the Phoenix
Coyotes. The Missouri Mavericks affiliated with the Chicago
Wolves of the AHL. Rio Grande Valley affiliates with the
Florida Panthers of the NHL and the San Antonio Rampage
of the AHL.
Welcome to All.
The 2011-12 seasons’ All-Star game will be hosted by the
Arizona Sundogs and will be played on January 11, 2012 at the
Tim’s Toyota Center. The game will consist of this year’s All-
Good luck to all of the teams and their Staff for the 20112012 Hockey Season.
Jeff “Smoke” Adams, Columbus Cotton Mouths
Greetings from the SPHL!
Schweinsberg will replace Matt in Mississippi.
This was a busy summer for the SPHL. The big news is the
addition of the Memphis Riverkings (formerly of the Central
Hockey League), bringing the total number of SPHL teams to
nine. Welcome aboard to their CHL veteran staff of Athletic
Trainer Rick “Rusty” Hanlon and Equipment Manager Patrick
“Loaf ” Stevens.
Elsewhere around the league there was
a lot of changeover among training
staffs. In Augusta, Trainer/Equipment
Manager Brian Patafie has been replaced
by Athletic Trainer Erin Palangio and Equipment Manager
Jim Chesnut. The Huntsville Havoc once again have a new
Equipment Manager, Billy T. Welker (another CHL alum).
Trainer Matthew Louis will join him behind the Havoc bench.
Former Riverkings Equipment Manager Jared Mycyk now holds
the same position with the Louisiana Ice Gators, replacing Mike
Lefczik (who is now the Assistant Equipment Manager for the
AHL’s Houston Aeros).
Congratulations are in order once again for the Mississippi Surge
staff of Athletic Trainer Eric Hufnagel and Equipment Manager
Matt Broyles for repeating as winners of the Coffey Cup
(regular-season championship) and following it up with a sweep
of the Augusta Riverhawks to win their first SPHL President’s
Cup. Hufnagel has since moved on to the Quad City Mallards
of the CHL and will be replaced by Tom Rainney. Broyles
moved on to Fayetteville, where he will take over for the retired
Frank “Rizzo” Jury as the Fireantz’ Equipment Manager. Jason
12
Good bye to all our departing friends, and welcome to all the
newcomers. Good luck to all on the upcoming season!
by Bryan A. Boyes, Oshawa Generals Hockey Club
Hopefully this finds everyone well and enjoying another great
season. On behalf of all the Athletic Trainers/Equipment
Managers in the Canadian Hockey League I would like to
thank SPHEM and PHATS for allowing us the opportunity
to attend our inaugural meeting as members in Phoenix 2011.
The Enhanced Education Sessions were extremely informative
and the warm welcome by everyone was noticed by all. Now
that PHATS has also accepted the Athletic Trainers as
members we look for great numbers in Florida.
The National Hockey League and
Canadian Hockey League have
always worked closely together.
This past June at the NHL draft,
21 first round selections were from the Canadian Hockey
League, with a total of 101 players drafted from our member
teams.
Welcome to all the new personnel as either Athletic Traines or
Equipment Managers in the OHL, QMJHL, and WHL.
As our goal is to have as many Athletic Trainers/Equipment
Managers from the Canadian Hockey League as possible in
Florida next year as it will only strengthen the relationship
with all SPHEM and PHATS Members and ultimately aid in
doing the best possible job for our players.
Lastly, we certainly need to acknowledge all the hard work
from those Athletic Trainers/Equipment Managers working
this year with the Canada vs. Russia Subway Series, Top
Prospect Game , and of course any Hockey Canada Events.
By Rob Gagne, Portland WinterHawks
Greetings, from the 22 member teams of the Western Hockey
League, we would like to thank the members of SPHEM and
PHATS for the inclusion of the Canadian Hockey League
trainers and equipment managers into the membership.
As we embark into a new season, we would like to congratulate
our conference winners from this past season. In the Western
Conference, the Portland Winterhawks, with Equipment
manager Rob Gagne and Athletic Trainer Rich Campbell,
defeated the Spokane Chiefs 4 games to 2. In the Eastern
Conference, the Kootenay Ice, with Equipment manager/
Trainer Marty Palachuk defeated the Medicine Hat Tigers
4-0. The Ice then claimed the Ed Chynoweth Cup as WHL
Champions with a 4 games to 1 series win over the Portland
Winterhawks.
We would like to take time to congratulate some members
on their accomplishments for the upcoming season. Victoria
Royals Equipment Manager, Matt Auerbach served the same
position for Team Canada at the U-18 World Championship
in Germany. Kelowna Rockets Athletic Therapist/ Equipment
Manager Jeff Thorburn, will be
on staff for Team Canada for the
2012 U-20 World Championship
in Calgary the upcoming
December. Regina Pats Athletic
Therapist/ Equipment Manager
Greg Mayer worked his 1000th game in the WHL. Also, Tri
City Americans Equipment Manager, Innes Mackie began his
35th year in the WHL. Congratulations to everyone on their
accomplishments.
As an elite development league for some of the top prospects
of the NHL, we note the moving on of members to the
professional level. Jason Berger (Seattle Thunderbirds) to
the Florida Everblades of the ECHL and Kacee Coberley
(Spokane Chiefs) to the Allen Americans of the CHL.
Finally, as we travel the many miles on the busses from
Brandon, Manitoba to Portland, Oregon to Prince George,
BC. We wish all the training staffs of the WHL safe travels
and good luck for this season
13
By Phil Fait, QMJHL medical coordinator
Greetings,
We also want to acknowledge all the
hard work from those Athletic Therapists
and Equipment Managers working for
Team Quebec this year at the Subway
Series : Vincent Tremblay and Patrick
Villeneuve from the Victoriaville Tigres; Steve Bélanger and
Stephane Savard from the Quebec Remparts. We also would
like to congratulate Jeff Kelly from the St-John Sea-Dogs
for his participation to the U18 Team Canada 2011 training
camp and Brian St-Louis from the Baie-Comeau Drakkar for
his selection as the Equipment Manager for Team Canada at
the 2012 IIHF World Junior Championship.
We would like to acknolwledge SPHEM and the PHATS
for the inclusion of the Canadian Hockey League athletic
therapists and equipment managers into their association. So
a warm thank you from the 17 teams of the Quebec Major
Junior Hockey League!
We want to welcome to the Q all the new staff : Richard
Girardin with the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles, Nicolas
Nault with the Drummondville Voltigeurs and Graham Black
with the Moncton Wildcats.
by Mark Pane, University of Nebraska, Omaha
Well another season has begun and I want to start by saying
good luck and safe travels to all. As some of you may know,
in the next two years the face of college hockey is going to
change quite a bit. 2013 brings two new conferences to the
Big 10 and the NCHC. While the WCHA gains members
from the CCHA and the CCHA will no longer exist.
When this comes about, we will have one new division, one
school, Penn State, will move its team from club hockey to
Division 1. More on this as we get closer.
Recapping the annual meetings from the NCAA side, it was
great, we had the largest attendance ever from our group and
the response was very positive. From all of us at the NCAA
side, we would like to thank Lisa Sherry.
I know from my standpoint I will miss
her, thanks Lisa for all your help.
We would like to welcome the NCAA
trainers to the association, it will be nice
to have them along with us in the future
years. Welcome and congratulations to a new NCAA member
but a wiley, old veteran, Rodney Blanchford. He has assumed
the duties as the equipment manager for the women’s team at
Syracuse University. Once again, have a great year and maybe
we will cross paths this season.
EDITORS
A Big Thank You to our Contributing Newsletter Editors:
Ray Thill, Head Equipment Manager, Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)
Tom Mulligan, Head Athletic Trainer, Tampa Bay Lightning (NHL)
Damien Hess, Head Athletic Trainer, Connecticut Whale (AHL)
Mike Schroeder, Head Athletic Trainer, Chicago Express (ECHL)
Bryan Rogers, Head Athletic Trainer, Dayton Gems (CHL)
Jeff “Smoke” Adams, Head Equipment Manager, Columbus Cotton Mouths (SPHL)
Bryan Boyes, Head Athletic Trainer/Equipment Manager, Oshawa Generals (OHL)
Rob Gagne, Head Equipment Manager, Portland Winter Hawks (WHL)
Phil Fait, Medical Coordinator (QMJHL)
Mark Pane, Head Equipment Manager, University of Nebraska, Omaha (NCAA)
14
By Scott Adams, Pittsburgh Penguins
(1) Morning fatigue and difficulty getting up (even after
a full night of sleep)
Adrenal fatigue is a syndrome that occurs when the
function of the adrenal glands decrease. These changes
generally occur as a result of intense, prolonged, or repeated
stress. This syndrome may occur in our coaches, athletes
and even us. The athlete or staff member may present with
a general sense of tiredness and fatigue without any signs of
physical illness.
(2) Tiredness in the early morning or mid afternoon
(3) Symptoms of hypoglycemia
(4) Feeling rundown and overwhelmed
(5) Difficulty bouncing back from stress or illness
(6) Cravings for salty or sugary snacks
(7) Feeling best after 6pm
Adrenal fatigue is assessed through measuring the amount
of cortisol secreted by the gland. This is accomplished
through a saliva adrenal hormone test. Such test are
available online, and are performed at various times
throughout the day.
If your cortisol levels are deemed to be abnormal, there are
natural ways to help your body to repair and prevent this
imbalance.
(1) Add ground flax and extra virgin organic coconut oil
to your meals
(2) Foods rich in omega-3’s (fish oil, wild caught
salmon, albacore tune and sprouted walnuts)
The adrenal glands are endocrine glands that sit atop the
kidneys. Their primary function is to release hormones in
response to stress by synthesizing corticosteroids (cortisol)
and catecholamines (epinephrine). In addition, the adrenal
glands secrete aldosterone and contribute to kidney
function. Aldosterone is a hormone involved in regulating
the osmolarity of blood plasma.
(3) Consume lightly cooked animal and vegetable
proteins, dairy products with live, active cultures
(probiotics such as organic yogurt and kefir)
(4) Eat plenty of unrefined low-glycemic carbohydrates
(brown rice, sprouted grains and winter squash)
(5) Limit the intake of high glycemic fruits (raisins,
apricots, banana, mango and papaya)
Causes of adrenal fatigue come from four common sources
that overwhelm the glands.
(6) Consume plenty of vegetables (kelp, sprouts, olives,
peppers, spinach, celery, zucchini and chard)
(1) Disease states (pneumonia, bronchitis, flu and autoimmune disease)
(7) Drink purified water throughout the day
(2) Physical stress (surgery, addiction, injury and poor
nutrition)
(3) Emotional or psychological stress
(4) Environmental stress (toxic stress from chemicals,
air pollutants, water of food)
Adrenal fatigue is difficult to assess, as there is no obvious
cause for the syndrome. Symptoms of adrenal fatigue are as
follows.
15
Adrenal fatigue is something that hasn’t been measured in
professional sports. Studies claim that adrenal fatigue may
occur in 16% of the general population. It can be expected
that with our stress, travel and long sleepless nights that
we should see a greater percentage of this occurring in our
athletes and staff members. This is something to consider
when all of our conventional testing has not been able to
determine a cause for someone that is complaining of these
common symptoms.
By Rob Kennedy,
Tampa Bay Lightning
The importance of being organized can never be over
stated. As professional equipment managers, being
organized is key to the success of each of us. By virtue
of being organized, we can quickly and easily access any
piece of equipment or supplies that we may need in an
instant. Just as important is having the tools to maintain an
organized equipment or storage room.
DESIGN
Here in Tampa, we are lucky enough to have Mr. Vinik
(owner) and Mr. Yzerman (GM) recognize this importance.
During this past summer, Mr. Vinik funded a $40 million
renovation project to the St. Pete Times Forum. Included
in this project were the Lightning main locker room,
equipment room and storage room. This gave us the ability
to add a carousel storage system in our storage room. A
carousel storage system is shelving units on a track system
that enables you to make the most of your storage area.
For our room, we tripled our storage ability within the
same space. Other teams that use this system include the
Pittsburgh Penguins, Toronto Maple Leafs and Montreal
Canadiens.
The next step was to sit down and design a detailed and
custom storage system. This process took about 3 days
to complete. We were allowed six carousel units and two
stationary units. The stationary units line each of the side
walls, while the carousel units fill in the middle and allow
for two aisles to be open at once. Getting the proper design
is critical to getting the maximum storage space out of the
system. This involved measuring equipment, helmet boxes,
jerseys etc. Each stationary unit is 16” deep and 77” from
floor to top. Each carousel is 36” wide/deep, 77” tall and
divided into seven sections. The first section is 48” long and
the rest are 42” long. This gave us our basic layout. From
here, Carl walked us through the design of each carousel.
The process involved in making this carousel system a
reality takes time, patience and attention to detail. Athletic
Facilities Group is who we went with here in Tampa. Carl
Lechliter is the gentlemen that helped design and create
the final product.
MEASUREMENTS
The first step in the process, was having Carl come down
and take measurements of the space we had allotted for our
storage room. By taking the proper measurements, Carl was
able to determine exactly how many carousel units we were
allowed. He also measured our walls to install a cantilever
system for storing our sticks.
16
With each carousel being 36” deep/wide, we were able
to customize each side of each carousel. This gave us the
ability to have shelves that were 12”, 18”, 24” and possibly
36” deep. For our needs, we used measurements of 12”, 18”
and 24”.
Once we had our depths determined, Carl took us through
the next step of customizing each shelf based on what we
were planning to store there. For example, we were able to
divide two sections of a stationary unit into cubbies. We use
these cubbies for gloves for each player. Another example
is dividers we used for our shin guards. We also used these
same dividers to organize our stock gloves and any over
flow custom gloves. Finally, we were also able to add racks
for hanging jerseys.
continued on next page
CUSTOM GLOVE CUBBIES
DELIVERY AND INSTALLATION
The lead time for this system is eight weeks from final
design to delivery. For installation, you need to allow ten
days, but it can take as few as four.
HELMETS
JERSEY RACKS
continued on next page
17
This carousel storage system is a tremendous tool in keeping any equipment/storage room organized. One of the greatest
advantages is having the ability to set up your storage room in a department store style. This allows for easy location and
access of anything you could need.
18
By Jim McCrossin, Head Athletic Trainer, Philadelphia Flyers
Two years ago, I received a once in a lifetime gift – to
be Head Trainer for the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2009
Winter Classic at Fenway Park against the Boston Bruins!
That experience met my every expectation and then some.
Well, I must have done something right because I now have
the good fortune of participating in my second Winter
Classic! This time it will be held in my own backyard at
Citizens Bank Park, home of the Philadelphia Phillies.
I have been to many
baseball games at this
amazing venue and
cannot wait to watch its’
metamorphosis into a
Winter Wonderland and
outdoor ice rink.
For anyone who loves
hockey, the Winter
Classic conjures up
memories of carefree,
outdoor pick-up games
among friends. My
Canadian com-padres
speak about playing “on
the pond.” I grew up
playing with my brothers,
Lou and Tom and our
buddies on the frozen reservoirs of Delaware County, PA.
It is amazing how similar our memories are and how dear
we all still hold them. There is nothing like playing ice
hockey outside in the dead of winter, “smoke” pouring out
of your mouth and nose. I know our boys are very excited
about this years’ Winter Classic and sharing all that goes
along with it.
The events leading up to the actual game are going to be
a blast. The family skate is another event our players and
staff are really looking forward to. Having an opportunity
to watch our kids race around the ice with runny noses and
big smiles on their faces is worth their weight in gold!
December 31st will be
the Legends Game.
Former Flyers greats
face off against former
Rangers greats! I have
the privilege of serving
as Head Trainer. Just
the thought of watching
guys likes Bob Clarke,
Orest Kindrachuck, Eric
Lindros, John LeClair,
Mark Recchi, Wayne
Gretzky, Mark Messier,
and Mike Richter all
on the ice together is
surreal.
I have been around
professional hockey
players for all of my adult life. What I have learned is that
their quick feet might only be matched by their quick wit!
These are some very funny guys. To be able to stand behind
the bench of this group of guys WILL be a “classic!”
19
by Mark Brennan, Alumni Chairperson
By the time everyone reads this short article, Gaetan
Lefebvre, will have returned from the Hockey Hall of Fame
Inductions. This year was a little different than those in the
past. For the first time, our inducted member took part in
the Legends Game at the Air Canada Center.
Last year when Judy and I attended the
weekend ceremonies, we took part as
spectators of the game that takes place the
day before the formal inductions of the
newest members to the Hockey Hall of
Fame. Sitting in the stands, realizing that
I had worked with almost half the players
taking part in the game, I had wished that I
could have been on the bench one last time,
rather than sitting in the stands as a spectator. Our place has always been on the bench. After the game,
returning to the hotel that afternoon, I had the good
fortune of running into Ron Hoggarth, the former NHL
referee and the official who takes part in the Legends Game
each year on the ice. After some discussion with Ron about
the idea of having our inductee’s participate each year, he
put me in the direction of Steve Shutt and Cathy Sproule
who coordinate the game each year as well as the Legends
Games throughout the year.
After several emails and discussions with Cathy, she was
able to make being on the bench a reality. She
was also gracious enough for our inductee
and societies to have an article in the souvenir
program as well. Gaetan as well as Cathy were
excited about our participation in the game and
we look forward to making it a regular part of
every inductees’ experience of the weekend for
years to come. Special thanks has to be given
to Ron for putting me in the right direction,
Steve for his acceptance at making it happen, Cathy for working with us and putting it all
together and Jimmy Mann for making Gaetan a part of the
experience of being on the bench “One Last Time”.
Mark “Peaches” Brennan
Alumni Chairperson
Photos courtesy Graig Abel/Hockey Hall of Fame.
20
by Gaetan Lefebvre
I can still remember the call from Ray Tufts, on a typical
Sunday morning in January, 2011 in Montreal. The weather
was as usual, cold, damp and lots of snow. The main subject
of conversation despite all activities in pro sports….was the
game played by the Habs the night before.
than 30 years later, with players with whom I had won a
Stanley Cup: M Keane, G Carbonneau, S Shutt or others
like R Bourque, B Smith, P Coffey for a Canada Cup
and finally other greats like L McDonald, J Peplinski, G
Roberts, and the list goes on and on.
Then came “the call” from Ray, who told me that my peers
have selected me for the HOF! To have this ultimate
recognition from my peers is
priceless. The awards reception
and dinner in Junen, with Larry
Robinson as a guest speaker and
all of my colleagues, provided
me and my family some great
moments. To be able to share
this with my immediate family
and also friends from the
ATC community was much
appreciated.
I also remember my initial contacts with the great names
that made PHATS possible: Lefty Wilson, Dan Canney,
Tom Woodcock, Larry Ashley,
Pete Demers and especially Eddy
Palchack, who was in his last days,
and really gave “a kid his first
chance”!
As the months went by and the
HOF weekend in Toronto was
getting closer, I went through so
many emotions and memories.
It was with lots of anticipation,
and to a certain extent anxiety, as
I was counting down the days of
the calendar. Our dear friends,
Mark Brennan and Anita
Ramsay, were outstanding resources for me to make this
unique experience a memorable one. I must say that they
made my life so much easier in the days and weeks that
preceded the weekend.
As I stepped into the locker room before the Legends
Game, it felt like someone had turned the clock back 20-30
years! Same jokes and pranks among the guys, same unique
hockey locker room atmosphere.
My mind was full of great memories. My first day walking
into the Montreal Canadiens locker room I see Henri
Richard, Yvan Cournoyer, Larry Robinson, Guy Lafleur,
Steve Shutt, Bob Gainey, Ken Dryden, Guy Lapointe, Glen
Sather, Scotty Bowman, Sam Pollock. All of these amazing
guys in one room on one specific day, and all these greats
would make it to the Hall of Fame! And here I was, more
The one thing that came out of
this entire weekend, we at PHATS
SPHEM are truly appreciated
by these unbelievable players
and all of them took the extra
step to congratulate me and also
acknowledge the fact that our
community is truly respected
by these athletes that make the
NHL the greatest league. I also
realize after discussing with fellow
Athletic Trainers from various
leagues such as MLB and the
NFL that we are the only athletic
trainers so far that have members
recognized by the HHOF at the induction as being
inducted in the PHATS/SPHEM Wall of Honor at the
HHOF.
Those great moments truly made me realize how fortunate
I have been to live a dream, but more importantly to live
such a dream with great friends and coworkers surrounding
me during my 30 years with the Habs and for the past 10
years with AHMS.
Allow me to thank the board and the entire PHATS/
SPHEM community who have made these moments
possible. I will cherish these moments for the rest of my
life.
Gaetan Lefebvre
HOF class of 2011
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