Originally Posted by dbd33

Perhaps I have the wrong guy. I was thinking of Wayne Gretzky, son of Walter Gretzky of Brantford Ontario, former professional ice hockey player now resident in the US.

Originally Posted by lcar

Hi.
Slightly obscure question maybe, but hockey is a big part of our lives, and I guess we've been assuming that it will be in Canada, and I'm wondering whether we're right?
Three of our children (boys aged 6 and 9, and girl aged 11) all play ice hockey, and have done for about two years. Our youngest (daughter aged 4) has been skating since she was two and a half - I'm not pretending she's great, but she can skate forwards and backwards and stop.
We avidly support our local ice hockey team (the Cardiff Devils), and dread the end of the hockey season.
I manage the under 10s team of our hockey club. We reguarly travel from Cardiff, in South Wales, to Guildford, Chelmsford, Peterborough and Gosport in England (around 3 to 4 hours drive) for junior matches.
We have friends who are professional hockey players from Canada, who are lovely, intelligent, caring gentlemen.
Our son went to a hockey camp in Ontario last year, and loved it.
We've been finding that in the UK, we are firmly in the minority. Most people don't understand our obsession with freezing in various ice rinks around the country, and don't much appreciate us sharing our interest.
Will we meet like-minded people in Ontario (our destination, all being well)? Will our children finally have friends who are interested in the matches they played at the weekend?
How many children in Canada actually play ice hockey?
And are we likely to be accepted into the local hockey playing community?
Grateful for your thoughts.
Leanne

Originally Posted by James Martindale

The same Wayne Gretzky who charges $9 for half a pint of beer at his bar in Toronto and subjects people to his own personal commentary whilst they are taking a leak in the washroom?

Originally Posted by dbd33

That I don't know. I find him rather creepy and so wouldn't go into his bar. (That's not a prejudice against hockey bars in general, I've been to Don Cherry's, Eddie Shack's, plenty of others).

Originally Posted by James Martindale

Where is Don Cherry's bar?

Originally Posted by dbd33

It was a chain, went bust, recently reborn. I went to several in west end Toronto while playing in a bar softball league.

Originally Posted by paolosmythe

yup. i thought as much. thanks for the confirmation. i'd best stick to seeking out those lucrative administrative roles!

Originally Posted by clynnog

Wonders never cease...dbd playing the ultimate non-hyphenated Canadian sport...what next:

participation in an office hockey pool
indepth knowledge of which suburban strip mall bars have 'wing night' specials on a particular weeknight
going to Tim Horton's and setting the world to rights with your thoughts on how the world should be run

Originally Posted by James Martindale

If Hockey's a big part of your life then Canada is the only place to be.

There is a common phrase that goes something like:

"First we learn to walk, then we learn to skate!".

All the guys at work played Hockey like we play 5 aside football over here and all the parent's kids played.

By the way the Vancouver Canucks rule!