DiscoShrew

Afternoon all, Just wondering if there are any expat hockey teams/groups around the Calgary/Med Hat Area? Trying to keep up with some of the locals will be the death of me!

Cheers!

SchnookoLoly

Not sure how much luck you will have as most of the Brits around here despise hockey... however, AndrewBrit is organizing a Meetup in Calgary for next month, you might meet some people that way! The thread is in the Maple Leaf part of the forum. Good luck!

JamesM

Field Hockey????

caretaker

I'll bet he means iced hockey.

DiscoShrew

I did mean ice hockey!

Pizzawheel

So I like Hockey, I like Toronto and I went out in the yard in a T-Shirt cos it was only -2 a couple of weeks ago.

I'd best go hand in my UK passport eh?

SchnookoLoly

Hahahaha that is awesome. Love it. All you need to do now is barbecue in that -2 weather and you're all set

Also, love that you added the "eh" into your post.

JamesM

How on earth can you be an expat and play Iced Hockey?

I've only ever been ice skating about 6 times and unless a girl offers to take me round I don't leave the side.

Are you a troll?

JamesM

You only like Toronto because it means that you get to watch less professional Iced Hockey in a year than if you lived anywhere else.

HGerchikov

Like this! (it helps if you are five when you move here)

Pizzawheel

Thanks Scnooks!

James- I just look like a troll Oh, and double Flag for thread drift.

And I'm not an expat- I was an expat in Botswana and then Nigeria, I'm a resident here. (Said in best Hyacinth Bouquet voice).

I thought it was a disadvantage that I'd started cheering the Canucks before actually moving here and landing in TO, now I realise that it's a blessing in disguise as you get a longer season for the same money.

HG: I would add one of my eldest ice skatering but it's a lousy picture compared to yours. But Boo to Oakville anyway.

haggis88

Have you played before at all?

I joined up to the NCHL's discover hockey program - www.discoverhockey.com

They put you through a 10-week beginners course and teach you all the basics...then they put you into a team to play in their league

its all non-contact and tonnes of fun, met a lot of good people through it

JamesM

So can you play now?

Pizzawheel

I don't know what Alberta is like but this winter I went and played some pickup shinny (recreational non-contact hockey for any- er- poms out there) on the outdoor rinks. Must admit some nerves (ie shat myself) after throwing the stick in the middle but everyone was pretty cool about it. There are some really good hockey players who come out for some practise/ love of the game and play down to our level; and one or two asshats who probably aren't good enough for the leagues and hate themselves for it.

After I'd got over that I found it was tremendous fun and great exercise. My Nigerian cricket jersey may have passed off as an obscure hockey jersey so wear something clearly highlighting you as a beginner. And I found my "Canadian Tire's Cheapest" may have been fine for teaching the ankle biters how to skate but not enough for anything more; $60 at "play it again sports" sorted that.

The problem in Toronto is only the outdoor rinks have this sort of drop-in session and they've all melted now, so I'm back to eating chips and getting fat until December.

Partially discharged

How about you tell us your thoughts on Wayne and Shuster, Bowser and Blue, CBC Drama, Don Cherry and Tim Horton's..then we'll make a sweeping generalization to determine if you are no longer UK worthy