Hockey Handymen
Sunday, 12 August 2007
Originally published in Prospects Hockey in 2007
By Lucas Aykroyd
It’s fitting that Home Hardware has sponsored the CHL Top Prospects game since 2000. Hockey players need to be good with their hands, after all, whether they’re snipers, stay-at-home defensemen, quick-reacting goalies, or enforcers. Some CHLers, past and present, even show a talent for using the tools and materials that Home Hardware carries.
Calgary Flames defenceman Dion Phaneuf is a great example. As his proud father Paul attests, the former Red Deer star’s love of carpentry is a homegrown affair: “We have a summer home in Prince Edward Island, and his uncles out there would take on projects like building cottages. As a youngster, Dion always wanted to pick up a saw and help them out. They’d give him little jobs, and that’s how it started.”
Under the tutelage of Red Deer high school teacher Dan Johnson, Phaneuf enhanced his shop skills while playing for the Rebels. For his family’s Edmonton home, the future Calder Trophy finalist built a 20-foot-wide entertainment centre that encloses their 60-inch big screen TV. He also constructed some lawn furniture and night tables.
“I think the real reason Dion turned to carpentry is that it totally pulled him away from hockey and allowed him to focus on something else, relax, and create,” says Paul. “That’s the biggest draw when you build something with your own hands.”
Phaneuf isn’t alone among WHL alumni in his taste for manual trades. For instance, Calgary Hitmen winger Jordan Krestanovich spent the summer of 1998 mixing cement and repairing sidewalks in Surrey, BC. Ronald Petrovicky (ex-Prince George Cougars) remodeled his basement while playing for the Atlanta Thrashers and plans to build a BC home for his family in the future. Reggie Leach (ex-Flin Flon Bombers), who shares the NHL single-playoff record for most goals (19) with Jari Kurri, now operates a landscaping company in the state of Delaware.
Of course, we can’t all be dedicated tradesmen. Current St. John’s Fog Devils winger Josh MacKinnon took a more laissez-faire approach toward the carpentry job he once held: “I was allowed to be late and leave when I wanted.” Hall of Fame goalie Glenn Hall (ex-Windsor Spitfires) famously claimed to be painting the barn on his farm as an excuse to skip unwanted training camp sessions and exhibition games.
Ultimately, for top prospects, it’s all about acquiring the tools they’ll need to succeed on the ice.
HockeyAdventure.com brings you the best of Lucas Aykroyd's current blog entries and archived articles. Based in Vancouver, Aykroyd has written about NHL, international, and junior hockey for The Hockey News, The Sporting News, the NHL Yearbook, Rinkside, NHL.com, Eishockey News, and Prospects Hockey. As an editor and journalist, he has covered three Olympics, ten World Championships, three World Junior Championships, one World Women's Championship, and one World U18 Championship for IIHF.com and HockeyCanada.ca. He was one of 56 experts chosen to vote for the IIHF's Centennial All-Star Team.
No. 1 — April 2nd, 2011 at 6:57 pm
Sometimes just getting away from the game for a little can help a lot, especially if you’re burned out. Believe me, now and then even the players that love the game the most get burned out.
No. 2 — April 18th, 2011 at 11:13 am
Well may I use a bit of of your post to my website. I will surely give a attributable link to hockeyadventure.com if i use any info. Tell me if you don’t have any issues with it. Cheers
No. 3 — May 18th, 2011 at 12:53 pm
I have been looking for the exact content like this. You have made my day. Now I can think of just one thing and that is commenting as a way of showing gratitude.And yes i have digg your site hockeyadventure.com .
No. 4 — June 9th, 2011 at 11:22 pm
No matter in functionality or in appearance, Canada goose clothes perform well. Furthermore, Canada goose collections offer some new and special styles of canada goose coats in 2011. Therefore, the people who are interested in canada goose will get satisfaction from Canada goose collections; the buyers will never regret to buy Canada goose after they experience the Canada goose coats. [Ling]
No. 5 — June 14th, 2011 at 4:49 am
Hi, I am here to try to understand this better. A lot of it doesn’t make sense to me.
Here is my website:www.ibuyherveleger.com
No. 6 — July 4th, 2011 at 8:27 pm
I think i saw these today in fat, they are really hot!
But have no idea of the style name, sorry!
Beautiful! your stuff is so pretty. love love love.
by the way,my favorite is Herve Leger ,what about yours?
No. 7 — July 4th, 2011 at 9:37 pm
ah fantastic. Thanks for that!
Beautiful! your stuff is so pretty. love love love.
by the way,my favorite is Herve Leger ,what about yours?
No. 8 — July 5th, 2011 at 11:45 pm
Hello, the title might be a little darker than I needed to be, but I feel I just have to share this somehow.i am 20 years old, 5′9” and 167 lbs today, last August I was about 145 lbs and I thought THAT was huge. I eat junk every day.:)hope to get to know you guys soon!
No. 9 — July 6th, 2011 at 10:57 am
Well I’m Bernard. I like the idea of this forum so I’ll be posting here and stuff.
No. 10 — July 6th, 2011 at 9:46 pm
Fantastic.Can admin make this into a sticky?
If only I had somewhere to go I could actually wear one, I sure would get one. Luuurve them. Even if they?re last season in Crazywood, amongst us normal peeps, they?re still fab.
cute stuff - cute cute
Adorable
Today I open my SHOP maybe you want to check it out:
Herve Leger
No. 11 — July 7th, 2011 at 8:25 pm
I think i saw these today in fat, they are really hot!
But have no idea of the style name, sorry!
cute stuff - cute cute
I. LOVE. HERVE LEGER!!!
The dresses are absolutely fabulous!
I’ve found this useful,check it out:
Herve Leger
No. 12 — July 8th, 2011 at 12:28 pm
I think i saw these today in fat, they are really hot!
But have no idea of the style name, sorry!
cute stuff - cute cute
I absolutely LOVE those dresses, I have seen them all over the place. If I had the body (and money) I would definitely get one. I love Megan Fox too, she is my height. I wish I had her body!
I bought most of my Herve Leger dresses from this store: Herve Leger