Living It Up at the Hotel Teammate
October 22, 2007There seems to be a trend in hockey these days where young, just-drafted players move into a wiser (theoretically) and older teammate’s house, instead of getting an apartment / house of their own. Probably the biggest examples of this phenomenon occur in Pittsburgh. Its pretty well-known that Sid lives in Lemieux’s basement, Staal lives with Mark Recchi, and Malkin lives with Sergei Gonchar. I’ve also heard that Pat Kane has moved in with Kevyn Adams in Chicago (one Buffalo boy looking out for another), and this article from ESPN says that Rob Blake has Jack Johnson crashing at Casa di Blake.
I think its a good thing these players are doing. In today’s NHL, younger and younger players are hitting the league, and with increasingly bigger contracts. With all of the temptation that these kids could face, I’d rather they be safe and sound under an older guy’s roof, rather than show up on “Outside the Lines – Where Are They Now”10 years from now, after they’ve crashed out of the league due to too much puckbunnies and blow. I also have to give credit to the older players for taking in these kids. Its got to be an adjustment, having an 18-19 year-old kid under your roof, when previously you may only have been dealing with pre-teens or toddlers. Its an interesting trend, and one that I really wouldn’t mind seeing show up in other pro leagues.
Moving on, this article in the Buffalo News has me intrigued. I like the fact that the guys are frustrated with how they’ve been playing recently. I like the fact that they’re not happy, and the fire is burning within them; so much so that they feel the need to throw things in the locker room. However, I do have to ask that if they are making locker room projectiles, could they please avoid the vicinity of Timmy’s head? Thanks!
Hopefully Lindy will channel that competitive fire onto the ice.
Shots off the Crossbar 
I like that they’re living with older teammates as well. I mean, I was a pretty absurdly responsible 18-year-old without money to burn and I don’t think that living alone in that kind of environment would have been healthy for me. I’d never really considered the adjustment for the older players and their families before, but it must be pretty significant. Still, I suppose it can help foster team togetherness and such.
I adore younger teammates living with older teammates. I know we make fun of Sid having a curfew and rules about girls his rookie season, but he was 18. It’s probably a good thing and if I were his parent, it would sure make me feel better than thinking about him living by himself in a hotel downtown.
Yes, please no hitting Timmy!