Legends of Hockey

Old-timers take to the ice.

People often say they want to watch hockey, but they have trouble keeping up with the action. Well, there’s an opportunity to view, or play, the game in slow motion: the Legends of Hockey Senior Tournament. Put on by the Bozeman Amateur Hockey Association, the tournament is held over two weekends at the Gallatin County Fairgrounds. Players compete in two age groups: over-50 and over-60. It’s all the same hockey you see on TV, but the speed is mainly in the players’ minds.

The penalty box is often fully occupied.

The sport has always labeled senior hockey players as “old timers.” But the concept of aging is being modified in the current generation. Not long ago, an old-timers’ tournament meant age 35 and over. In 1998, the first Montana Senior Olympics hockey tournament upped the starting age to 45. Soon, the age cut off was 50, and a few years ago a 60-plus division was added. Now there’s talk of 70 and over.

Although the calendar has advanced, the players’ passion for the game has not diminished. A lot of these men, and a few women, have hockey roots that go way back. As one teammate told me: “There are people who grow up Catholic or Protestant. I grew up Detroit Red Wings.” Some players took up the game as an adult. Others played high-level competitive hockey: high-school champions, college varsity, Junior A, and a few ex-pros, including former NHL players.

A lot of these men, and a few women, have hockey roots that go way back.

With these backgrounds, there is plenty of skill on display. Dekes around defenseman, top-shelf shots, acrobatic goalie saves. Yes, speed is down, but there are many oldies that can still dazzle. These are not former athletes; they are actual athletes. One thing that has changed, however, is the locker-room scene. In their younger days, the chatter while putting on the pads centered on Saturday-night escapades. Now these oldies are more likely to get a review of Joe’s colonoscopy prep. There is neoprene everywhere; every joint that can be wrapped is wrapped in neoprene. Other joints have been rehabilitated with titanium. It’s almost a prerequisite for joining the team that a player sets off the TSA alarms at the airport.

The game has a reputation for violence. Just look at a list of infractions that result in a penalty: roughing, tripping, hooking, boarding, charging, spearing, slashing, even biting and eye gouging. Horror-movie stuff. At the senior level, the game is toned down, designated “non-contact.” Non-contact is not the same as gentlemanly, however, and disputes arise. The penalty box is often fully occupied.

The old timers at the Legends Tournament freely admit that they are like Peter Pan, the boy who never grew up. After all, “You can’t stay young forever, but you can be immature for a really long time.” A glance at the bench and you see these Peter Pans have grey hair and grey beards under their helmets. Most importantly, everyone is smiling.

You won’t see the author in the penalty box at this year's tournament. He’s finally hung up his skates, after playing 50-plus-hockey for 27 years. You can do the math. If you’re interested in watching or playing hockey at all levels, for all ages, for both men and women, check out gallatinice.org.