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Grape Ape #29

Too Good to Play?

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Grape Ape #29
, 09-12-2011 at 11:07 AM (340 Views)
I'm a bit bummed today, to say the least.
I played some drop-in a while back, and ran a shutout. One of the guys playing is on a team with Hockey North America (the Grizzlies). He informed me that their usual goalie was probably going to be out this season, and asked if I was interested. I looked into the league, and I was impressed. Especially with their full goalie stat recording. I spent the next few weeks corresponding between him and the team captain. They are both really nice guys, and I was looking forward to playing on the team.

Hockey North America requires that each potential player attend an evaluation session to ensure fair, even play and skill levels in the different divisions. I attended one last night. Another guy was there being evaluated for the Grizzlies, and he was friendly as well, so I was looking forward even more to playing with the team.

The evaluation was essentially a 90 minute pickup game scouted/monitored by a league official.

I was really channeling my inner Timmy Thomas last night, eager to make an impression. The defense was great, and I made a few saves that shocked even me. After all was said and done, I skated off the ice with only 2 goals allowed! Thinking I has secured my spot on the team, I walk over to talk to the captain. He tells me that the league evaluator placed my skill level at B+, and if they want me, the Grizzlies would have to move from C+ to B-/B. The captain told me he would talk to the team, but that they would most likely choose not to move up.

I expressed my understanding and thanked him for the opportunity.

It sucks. I've never been told I was too good to play before. I'm proud of the level of skill and competition I displayed last night, but I was looking forward to the season.

Oh well. The silver lining: they expected me to pay. HA! Yeah Right!

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Comments

  1. Hockey School Dropout's Avatar
    There are worse things than being told you are too good. :) But good on you for putting in a great performance when under some pressure.
  2. Admin's Avatar
    That is complete and utter bull, because especially with goaltending... you could have had the game of your life and suck ass tomorrow.
  3. synesthete's Avatar
    Yeah, I play HNA and that happens quite often. The thing, too, is that while you might be a B1/2/3/4 goalie, your team might be on the edge of also being B but they've been kept at C. So you'd just throw them that extra bit over the edge. I ran into that situation after last year and playing B4 as a left wing when I'm clearly a B1/B2 player. But this season I'm playing B3 because the team is mostly B3 guys and they lost some of their better ones, so I offset some of the guys who left and some of the C guys who are still straggling around.

    What's really ridiculous is that EVERYONE has to be evaluated. I'm playing A this season as a goalie and yet I still have to be evaluated. I mean, what's the point? They can't tell me I'm too good for A, nor can they tell me I'm too bad for A, haha. Free ice time, though! :)
  4. caveman27's Avatar
    Should have channeled your inner Roberto Luongo. LOLz.
  5. deadlybacon7's Avatar
    I've had that happen to me before, even though I never played a game in hockey as the goalie. In street hockey everyone tries to persuade me NOT to be the goalie because I'm too good.

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