Disclaimer: Links on this page pointing to Amazon, eBay and other sites may include affiliate code. If you click them and make a purchase, we may earn a small commission.

Results 1 to 8 of 8
  1. #1




    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    1,648
    SCF Rewards
    1,422
    Country
    See antropov14's Items on eBay

    Minor League Hockey - CONTEST ENTRY

    Usually everyone who follows hockey has a favourite NHL team and worships it to some degree or another, whether it be watching the games, or naming your pets after your favourite players. Though NHL is seen as the face of hockey, it always intrigues me how loyally people follow minor leagues and home town teams. I know that there is nothing better than stopping in somewhere for a hockey game and observing the sense of ‘secluded’ community that exists, and that one die-hard fan that sits in the nosebleeds and hollers at the top of his lungs like there’s no tomorrow. To me it almost seems that because of the lack of media these teams receive, it just makes the experience greater. This is my story of my first hand encounter with AHL hockey and the great passion to the game it delivered.




    Firstly there are a few main differences from AHL and NHL hockey. The play is definitely more intense in AHL, the teams care more about their fans, and you can purchase tickets at the box office a few minutes before the game (as I did when I saw my only AHL game so far in Chicago). Right off the bat I could tell the difference walking into the arena: it was cozy, basic, but packed with stuff for the fans. How about an adopt a dog program right when you walk in the main lobby. There was nothing like walking through a crowd of people… and animals trying to get to your seats. Further more, they even took the dogs out on the ice during intermissions to showcase them, and someone adopted one right at the game! Talk about great fan interaction!

    After heading up to the empty upper level, I realized who the super fan was going to be. A man in his sixties had a single seat row (yes they had a single seat for a row), right on the front of the upper level, which in total had about 300 people in it, and he was decked out in his Chicago Wolves colours and content watching the game by himself. That is what I thought of course. About part way through second period, the few people sitting around him all started talking like they were best buddies, and one woman even pulled out a Rubbermaid container of banana bread and started passing around the slices to the little group. I realized how awesome the sense of commitment to the team was, and the great community this created for this man who appeared to be a stand alone guy.

    So as we took our seats, upon opening remarks, I realized that it was an honourable mentions night. Sure enough, the prior GM of the Chicago Wolves walks out on to the ice for a ceremonial banner rising, with a long tribute video and great thank you speech to the fans. Even more so, to my surprise, this man turned out to be the current GM of the WINNIPEG JETS! That’s right, the man who was in charge of my favourite player’s (Antropov) contract was in the same building that I was! I had to talk to him…(which I will explain later).



    After the ceremony wrapped up, the arena crew hauled out this cardboard cut-out arch of a Wolf face (literally) and fired up a solid 4 minute fireworks show that was to dangerous even if it was outside! The amount of effort they went to for the fans was unbelievable! I had gone to a Chicago Black Hawks game also while in town, and honestly I had way more fun at the AHL game. The play was intense with huge hits, the value for your money had to be a 1000% better, and the overall experience was great. Even after the game, when the Wolves won, the PLAYERS through t-shirts to the crowd from the ice! What a neat touch. If I ever live in an AHL hockey town, I will definitely buy some season tickets!

    Finally, I must explain the GM encounter. While walking back to my seats for the third period, I took a walk by the makeshift broadcast booth (located on a platform built over some upper level seats, accessed by a quality aluminum ladder), I saw the GM having an interview with the broadcasters. I waited until he was done, and I was able to get a nice picture with him and I was able to persuade him to sign Antropov to a 5 year $50 Million dollar deal to be announced soon… (JK, I wish). We had a brief chat, told him I was a fan of the Jets and then he proceeded to walk the same way we did back to our seats. Just like that. He had no entourage, no security, just community. The sense of community that arena, its fans and team made was outstanding. When you have the sense that everyone is together, feeling the same closeness, it makes whatever you are doing so much more enjoyable. Though I have only been to this one AHL game, I will definitely go again. The same goes for small town hockey. It is unbelievable what you will discover if you just give it a chance… you never know… your favourite player probably got his start from one of these hundreds of teams, and for a meaningful encounter, there is no better place to go and look for him or her.

    HERE IS MY PERSONAL VIDEO OF THE FIREWORKS SHOW AT THE GAME!

    http://s1278.photobucket.com/user/an...f9cfd.mp4.html

  2. #2




    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    7,836
    SCF Rewards
    1,200
    Country

    Nice article and a cool story, especially with the adopt a dog program and you meeting the Jets GM. And you're absolutely right; there's a special vibe at hockey games in smaller leagues, which is something I love to experience when I watch hockey games in Denmark.

  3. #3




    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    1,648
    SCF Rewards
    1,422
    Country
    See antropov14's Items on eBay

    Nice article and a cool story, especially with the adopt a dog program and you meeting the Jets GM. And you're absolutely right; there's a special vibe at hockey games in smaller leagues, which is something I love to experience when I watch hockey games in Denmark.

    That sounds really neat! So you follow your local teams and go to games often? Is hockey big in Denmark, or what sport do most people play?

  4. #4




    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    7,836
    SCF Rewards
    1,200
    Country

    That sounds really neat! So you follow your local teams and go to games often? Is hockey big in Denmark, or what sport do most people play?

    Absolutely. Last season I even made sure to meet all the best goalies in the league when they were in town. I created a custom made hockey card set featuring authentic autographs and my own personal design (the pictures of the goalie masks were taken by me when I met these goalies). It's amazing how friendly these goalies were! All of them took their time to chat, sign and let me take pictures of their masks. Sure, the Danish league isn't exactly the NHL, but it's a solid one with many great athletes. It's roughly the same level of play as the ECHL.



    Hockey is a top 3 sport. People here follow soccer more intensely, but actually attendance figures for soccer and handball are declining while hockey keeps attracting more and more fans.

    Good luck with the contest! With this entry you've certainly made your entry noticed.

    -Ethan

  5. #5




    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    1,648
    SCF Rewards
    1,422
    Country
    See antropov14's Items on eBay

    Absolutely. Last season I even made sure to meet all the best goalies in the league when they were in town. I created a custom made hockey card set featuring authentic autographs and my own personal design (the pictures of the goalie masks were taken by me when I met these goalies). It's amazing how friendly these goalies were! All of them took their time to chat, sign and let me take pictures of their masks. Sure, the Danish league isn't exactly the NHL, but it's a solid one with many great athletes. It's roughly the same level of play as the ECHL.



    Hockey is a top 3 sport. People here follow soccer more intensely, but actually attendance figures for soccer and handball are declining while hockey keeps attracting more and more fans.

    Good luck with the contest! With this entry you've certainly made your entry noticed.

    -Ethan

    Those are some beautiful cards, and I know from doing TTM autos, knowing they are personal makes them all the more special. I really thank you for reading my article, and it is always great to meet the great people that use SCF. I know how awesome hockey season is, and I can hardly wait the summer, nothing really compares! Awesome that you get to meet those players, and I wish you best of luck with your collection, REALLY NEAT! For the time it costs you to make a card, the story that goes with it really lasts a long time! Thanks again!

  6. #6






    Join Date
    Mar 2007
    Age
    44
    Posts
    25,355
    SCF Rewards
    36,527
    Blog Entries
    35
    Country
    Montreal Canadiens Toronto Blue Jays New England Patriots
    Twitter: @KarineHains See Pheebs8882's Items on eBay

    Thanks for the submission, entry published here: https://www.sportscardforum.com/artic...league-hockey/

    Nice to see some interaction between writers as well, keep it up guys :)

  7. #7




    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    1,648
    SCF Rewards
    1,422
    Country
    See antropov14's Items on eBay

    Thanks for the submission, entry published here: https://www.sportscardforum.com/artic...league-hockey/

    Nice to see some interaction between writers as well, keep it up guys :)

    Thanks , love writing for these contests and chatting with other members!

  8. #8




    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    7,836
    SCF Rewards
    1,200
    Country

    Thanks , love writing for these contests and chatting with other members!

    It was a pleasure to chat with a fellow Leafs fan, buddy. Great job on the article as well, so I felt like I wanted to let you know about it.

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  
SCF Sponsors


About SCF

    Sports Card Forum provides sports and non-sports card collectors a safe place to discuss, buy, sell and trade.

    SCF maintains tools that will allow collectors to manage their collections online, information about what is happening with the hobby, as well as providing robust data to send out for Autographs through the mail.

Follow SCF on