We were growin' our hair, we were cuttin' class." lyrics from Kenny Chesney's "Keg in the Closet" song. I haven't sat down to blog in months, since I quit playing hockey. Since then a lot has changed. I took a big boy job with Cardinal Sports, met an awesome girl who I've been with for 6 months, and have a puppy now. I play here and there in Burlington, MA with a group of buddies from high school in a men's league. When I came home from Detroit I barely skated for 4 months, I ran skills clinics for the River Rats younger teams but rarely played in games. The summer league started in May and I still wasn't sure if I was going to have fun playing or not. But playing now for just laughs with the boys, is the most fun I've had in years.
I haven't been away from the game of hockey at all. Working with Cardinal really is a dream job. I've managed to stay in the game, network to get to know a ton of awesome people and I'm helping guys move on to the next level of their dream. It's a good feeling when one of your clients commits to a school where you know he's going to play and succeed. I've opened myself up to the point that when I walk into a rink people know who I am and want to talk to me about players.
I was watching "Kenny Chesney, The Summer in 3D" and at the end Chesney talks about how he is taking a break from performing and being on the road. He talks about how he started in little podunk towns and small bars for no money. Then he kept working and kept growing to become the biggest country music star in the world. It makes you think back to the days of playing Mite hockey and climbing the ladder. Playing your first pro game and scoring your first goal. All the way to the end of it, when you walk off that ice for the last time as a professional hockey player. You realize that you made your dream come true and you can close that chapter to move on to the next one.
My next chapter includes this new job and whatever else it brings with it. Hopefully it has many new and wonderful experiences.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Monday, November 23, 2009
And just like that...
And just like that it's all over. As many of you know I went out to play for the Detroit Hitmen in the AAHL last week, arriving to town Wednesday morning. I flew from Boston and got into the Detroit airport at 10am, after a short drive to the arena I met my new teammates and was on the ice for practice by 11:30am. After practice I had a voicemail on my phone from Cardinal Sports Management offering me a full time job back home in Boston as head advisor for New England. Cardinal offers hockey players a service that will help the player move up the ranks from high school to prep school to juniors and college. It's a dream job for anyone who has ever been in the hockey world. A full time job as a scout and advisor, getting to go to the rink everyday and still be in the game of hockey. However, I had just gotten to Detroit and met the team. How could I tell them I was leaving after just one day?
After talking to my parents and some friends back home I called Matt Wiedenhoeft, who has become a close friend of mine over the past year and also my coach in Battle Creek and Detroit. I told him what the job, how it was a salary plus commission based job and that I didn't know what to do. He immediately told me that as a friend he was telling me to take the job, even though he knew how much I would help the team. So after a sleepless night and a practice Thursday morning I called Cardinal to accept the offer. Then I realized that this past weekend would be the last 3 games of my career.
We bussed down to Battle Creek Friday afternoon to play the Revolution that night. It was an awkward feeling walking back into The Rink as a visitor and not walking right into the Revs locker room. The feeling grew as warm ups began and I started seeing several familiar faces in the crowd. During the game it was business as usual, unfortunately we lost in a shootout, but I was credited with 2 assists in the game. We were spending the night in Battle Creek at the same hotel we stayed at during training camp last season and some of the girls I have become friend with came out for a few drinks after the game. I told them that this was my last weekend of hockey and we talked about last year and all the great memories from BC. Intern Kate, Haili, Leah and Misti thank you for being there to see me and have a great time.
The next day we traveled to Chicago to take on the Blaze and more familiar faces were waiting in their dressing room. Kevin Demers and Nigel Hawryliw from last years Battle Creek team are on the Blaze as is Joe Pace, who I played with in Amarillo a couple seasons ago in the Central Hockey League. We lost that game 8-6 after going up 3-1 and 4-3. It sucked because I missed the whole 3rd period with a broken steel on my skate and wasn't able to help out in the 3rd period.
After the game we stayed in town at Hotel Indigo and the next morning it was off to get my skate fixed then onto Chi-Town to play the Shooters. I loved playing there last year because of the olympic size ice sheet that gives you so much more time and space. Unfortunately we didn't come to play and ended up losing 9-2. But I did what I had set out to do and that was to play my ass off and leave nothing in the tank after my last professional game. And even though we lost I actually had fun out there again. I was so tired before the game with it being our 3rd in 3 nights that I didn't know if I was going to be able to have anything in my legs, but I played on pure adrenaline and didn't feel a thing. I played thru a slight separation in my left should that happened in the 2nd period. But there was no way I was telling anyone on the bench that I felt my shoulder pop out and pop back in when I hit a guy behind the net. I left it all out there. And I need to thank my teammates, especially Ryan Webb who told me to stay out on the ice for the last 2:31 of the game. When the final buzzer sounded I picked up the game puck and slowly, very slowly made my way to the locker room. I had a hard time holding it together in the locker room knowing it was the last time I would take off my jersey and skates in my career.
But thru it all I've had an amazing time and met some great people over the past 5 years of this journey. I want to thank Weezy for the past 2 years and guys like Charles Harvey and Brett Aimone who were teammates for the past 3 seasons. Other guys like Nigel and Joe Lyle. Scott McDougall, who got me into the coaching world and now the scouting world. All my buddies from back home in Billerica who have been there since clinic at the Hallenborg all the way thru our Super 8 run in 2002. And most importantly my mother, father and sister; without them I would never have made it this far and I can never thank them enough.
So it's been fun...Thank you all for reading and stay in touch.
It's been a hell of a ride!!!
Hutch-9
After talking to my parents and some friends back home I called Matt Wiedenhoeft, who has become a close friend of mine over the past year and also my coach in Battle Creek and Detroit. I told him what the job, how it was a salary plus commission based job and that I didn't know what to do. He immediately told me that as a friend he was telling me to take the job, even though he knew how much I would help the team. So after a sleepless night and a practice Thursday morning I called Cardinal to accept the offer. Then I realized that this past weekend would be the last 3 games of my career.
We bussed down to Battle Creek Friday afternoon to play the Revolution that night. It was an awkward feeling walking back into The Rink as a visitor and not walking right into the Revs locker room. The feeling grew as warm ups began and I started seeing several familiar faces in the crowd. During the game it was business as usual, unfortunately we lost in a shootout, but I was credited with 2 assists in the game. We were spending the night in Battle Creek at the same hotel we stayed at during training camp last season and some of the girls I have become friend with came out for a few drinks after the game. I told them that this was my last weekend of hockey and we talked about last year and all the great memories from BC. Intern Kate, Haili, Leah and Misti thank you for being there to see me and have a great time.
The next day we traveled to Chicago to take on the Blaze and more familiar faces were waiting in their dressing room. Kevin Demers and Nigel Hawryliw from last years Battle Creek team are on the Blaze as is Joe Pace, who I played with in Amarillo a couple seasons ago in the Central Hockey League. We lost that game 8-6 after going up 3-1 and 4-3. It sucked because I missed the whole 3rd period with a broken steel on my skate and wasn't able to help out in the 3rd period.
After the game we stayed in town at Hotel Indigo and the next morning it was off to get my skate fixed then onto Chi-Town to play the Shooters. I loved playing there last year because of the olympic size ice sheet that gives you so much more time and space. Unfortunately we didn't come to play and ended up losing 9-2. But I did what I had set out to do and that was to play my ass off and leave nothing in the tank after my last professional game. And even though we lost I actually had fun out there again. I was so tired before the game with it being our 3rd in 3 nights that I didn't know if I was going to be able to have anything in my legs, but I played on pure adrenaline and didn't feel a thing. I played thru a slight separation in my left should that happened in the 2nd period. But there was no way I was telling anyone on the bench that I felt my shoulder pop out and pop back in when I hit a guy behind the net. I left it all out there. And I need to thank my teammates, especially Ryan Webb who told me to stay out on the ice for the last 2:31 of the game. When the final buzzer sounded I picked up the game puck and slowly, very slowly made my way to the locker room. I had a hard time holding it together in the locker room knowing it was the last time I would take off my jersey and skates in my career.
But thru it all I've had an amazing time and met some great people over the past 5 years of this journey. I want to thank Weezy for the past 2 years and guys like Charles Harvey and Brett Aimone who were teammates for the past 3 seasons. Other guys like Nigel and Joe Lyle. Scott McDougall, who got me into the coaching world and now the scouting world. All my buddies from back home in Billerica who have been there since clinic at the Hallenborg all the way thru our Super 8 run in 2002. And most importantly my mother, father and sister; without them I would never have made it this far and I can never thank them enough.
So it's been fun...Thank you all for reading and stay in touch.
It's been a hell of a ride!!!
Hutch-9
Monday, November 16, 2009
2009 Neponset Valley River Rats U18
Well we went into the state playoffs with a 19-1-2 overall record and a 10-0-2 league record. We were ranked as high as #2 in the country in certain national polls. We have 6 players committed to Division 1 Colleges and 12 other players all fielding offers from D1 schools, at least 8 of them will join our 6 committed players soon. Our head coach accepted an offer to be an assistant coach at Division 1 Sacred Heart University starting tomorrow morning. We won the Massachusetts Hockey Labor Day Tournament. To say the season was a success would be a huge understatement. But we ended the season 20-3-2, going only 1-2 in the playoffs and not making the state final game. It just wasn't in the cards
It's disappointing not to win the big game or even make it to the big game. From the start of the season everyone in the state thought we would be playing again in April in the National tournament. But through it all, I got to coach 20 great hockey players and more importantly great kids. I saw the determination, the courage and passion these guys play with. They're not getting paid to play the game, their parents are actually paying for them to play. They show up every week, leaving their prep schools and some were driving 3 hours both ways to come play in front of 10-15 scouts a night, some games in the middle of nowhere Massachusetts. All for the chance to get that phone call and hear the offer of a Division 1 school offering them a scholarship to play hockey and get a free education.
It really put things in perspective for me. These kids play for the love of the game. They play because they want to have fun. They come to the rink with their buddies, share some laughs and play a game. When it's over they go their separate ways and remain friends forever. After we lost our last game of the season Saturday night I walked into the locker room to find some kids crying, some in disbelief and some just sitting there with blank looks on their faces. I was emotional talking to the team for the last time ever. I held it together long enough to say my words, shake everyone's hand and say goodbye. Some of those kids have been with our organization for 3 or 4 years and never went to nationals. And I've built friendships with those guys who have been there for so long. I played on a summer hockey team with Ryan Coffey who was a 4 year vet of the Rats, the kid was my linemate. I texted him Sunday morning to thank him for everything he has done for the Rats and he wrote back saying "I just love playing man, I love competing and I never wanna stop doing that. That's why I respect you and you are the best coach I have ever had." To hear a kid say something like that choked me up. To know that I have made a difference in these kids lives is an unbelievable feeling.
I was telling my dad how hard the guys competed and he said "So they were perfect." Which completely threw me for a loop since we lost. He reminded me of the Friday Night Lights line "Play with love in your hearts for the game and your teammates and you'll be perfect." How true is that line?
So now that I'm done with the sentimental talk I'll move on. Earlier I mentioned my buddy and head coach Scott will be coaching at Sacred Heart this season. What I didn't mention is that I have been named the new head coach of the U18 River Rats for next fall. When I was brought on as an assistant 3 years ago I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I coached to have fun with the guys and slowly grew into this role. I can't wait to be the head guy next fall and already promised Scott that if I do make it to Nationals next year I'll have a spot waiting for him at the celebration party.
So there it is, the final write up for the '09 Rats. Good luck to all of you boys who read this blog. I can't wait to watch you guys play in college and beyond. I wouldn't be surprised to see more than one of you in the NHL someday.
And it's onto Detroit for me on Wednesday morning to join the Hitmen. I can't wait to be part of the team and turn things around for them. Hopefully I'll be writing a blog in April about the AAHL champion Detroit Hitmen.
OH!! And how stupid am I to forget to mention that the Neponset Valley River Rats U16 midget team did what their elders could not. On Sunday morning in Foxboro the Rats were led by 15 year old goalie Jon Gillies to a state championship and punched their tickets to Chicago in April for the U16 National tournament!!! Great job boys! Hopefully some of you will be helping me win a state championship and national championship a year from now. Congrats to all of you and 1st year head coach, as well as a former player of mine Frank O'Connor!
It's disappointing not to win the big game or even make it to the big game. From the start of the season everyone in the state thought we would be playing again in April in the National tournament. But through it all, I got to coach 20 great hockey players and more importantly great kids. I saw the determination, the courage and passion these guys play with. They're not getting paid to play the game, their parents are actually paying for them to play. They show up every week, leaving their prep schools and some were driving 3 hours both ways to come play in front of 10-15 scouts a night, some games in the middle of nowhere Massachusetts. All for the chance to get that phone call and hear the offer of a Division 1 school offering them a scholarship to play hockey and get a free education.
It really put things in perspective for me. These kids play for the love of the game. They play because they want to have fun. They come to the rink with their buddies, share some laughs and play a game. When it's over they go their separate ways and remain friends forever. After we lost our last game of the season Saturday night I walked into the locker room to find some kids crying, some in disbelief and some just sitting there with blank looks on their faces. I was emotional talking to the team for the last time ever. I held it together long enough to say my words, shake everyone's hand and say goodbye. Some of those kids have been with our organization for 3 or 4 years and never went to nationals. And I've built friendships with those guys who have been there for so long. I played on a summer hockey team with Ryan Coffey who was a 4 year vet of the Rats, the kid was my linemate. I texted him Sunday morning to thank him for everything he has done for the Rats and he wrote back saying "I just love playing man, I love competing and I never wanna stop doing that. That's why I respect you and you are the best coach I have ever had." To hear a kid say something like that choked me up. To know that I have made a difference in these kids lives is an unbelievable feeling.
I was telling my dad how hard the guys competed and he said "So they were perfect." Which completely threw me for a loop since we lost. He reminded me of the Friday Night Lights line "Play with love in your hearts for the game and your teammates and you'll be perfect." How true is that line?
So now that I'm done with the sentimental talk I'll move on. Earlier I mentioned my buddy and head coach Scott will be coaching at Sacred Heart this season. What I didn't mention is that I have been named the new head coach of the U18 River Rats for next fall. When I was brought on as an assistant 3 years ago I didn't know what I was getting myself into. I coached to have fun with the guys and slowly grew into this role. I can't wait to be the head guy next fall and already promised Scott that if I do make it to Nationals next year I'll have a spot waiting for him at the celebration party.
So there it is, the final write up for the '09 Rats. Good luck to all of you boys who read this blog. I can't wait to watch you guys play in college and beyond. I wouldn't be surprised to see more than one of you in the NHL someday.
And it's onto Detroit for me on Wednesday morning to join the Hitmen. I can't wait to be part of the team and turn things around for them. Hopefully I'll be writing a blog in April about the AAHL champion Detroit Hitmen.
OH!! And how stupid am I to forget to mention that the Neponset Valley River Rats U16 midget team did what their elders could not. On Sunday morning in Foxboro the Rats were led by 15 year old goalie Jon Gillies to a state championship and punched their tickets to Chicago in April for the U16 National tournament!!! Great job boys! Hopefully some of you will be helping me win a state championship and national championship a year from now. Congrats to all of you and 1st year head coach, as well as a former player of mine Frank O'Connor!
Sunday, November 8, 2009
The Roller Coaster Continues...
Well it's been over a month since my last entry, so I'm sure I've lost a couple readers. But the write ups will be coming much more frequently as I will have plenty to write about for the rest of the season. I have decided to play again this season and will be suiting up for the Detroit Hitmen in the All American Hockey League. It's the same league I played in last year for Battle Creek and I will be playing for the same coach I played for last season as well. Matt Wiedenhoeft is behind the bench of the Hitmen and I am excited to get out there and start up the season. At the very latest I will in a Hitmen uniform by November 20th. I can't wait to get out there and play for Weezy again, as I have previously stated I loved playing for him last year and I'm sure this year will be no different.
The Hitmen have had a rough start to the season going 0-5-0, but are making changes to turn things around and be a winning hockey club by Christmas. When I arrive in Detroit I will be reunited with Charles Harvey and Brett Aimone, who I have played with the past 2 seasons both in Battle Creek and Valley Forge. I'll also see Brad Bohlinger again who was in Battle Creek for a bit with me last year also.
But before I get ahead of myself telling you how awesome it'll be in Detroit I cannot forget to mention how great of a season the Neponset Valley River Rats U18 team is having. At last update we were 12-0-1 and taking the country by storm. We finished our regular season this afternoon with a record of 19-1-2. By far the best season we have ever had. Myself and head coach Scott McDougall are very happy with what we have gotten out of this group. We've been tough on them this season, but only because we know what we can get out of them every night. Next weekend we will enter our state playoffs with a 10-0-2 record in the league and play a round robin style tournament against the top 4 teams in the Mass Select League. The finals are Sunday and the winner goes to Nationals in April. There's not much more to be said about that... Everyone in the league wants to go to Nationals, we've been the favorite since August 30th.
We'll see what we can get out of them next Friday-Sunday. And I'll be sure to keep you posted. Also for those of you on twitter you can follow me at http://twitter.com/JonHutcheon
-Hutch-
The Hitmen have had a rough start to the season going 0-5-0, but are making changes to turn things around and be a winning hockey club by Christmas. When I arrive in Detroit I will be reunited with Charles Harvey and Brett Aimone, who I have played with the past 2 seasons both in Battle Creek and Valley Forge. I'll also see Brad Bohlinger again who was in Battle Creek for a bit with me last year also.
But before I get ahead of myself telling you how awesome it'll be in Detroit I cannot forget to mention how great of a season the Neponset Valley River Rats U18 team is having. At last update we were 12-0-1 and taking the country by storm. We finished our regular season this afternoon with a record of 19-1-2. By far the best season we have ever had. Myself and head coach Scott McDougall are very happy with what we have gotten out of this group. We've been tough on them this season, but only because we know what we can get out of them every night. Next weekend we will enter our state playoffs with a 10-0-2 record in the league and play a round robin style tournament against the top 4 teams in the Mass Select League. The finals are Sunday and the winner goes to Nationals in April. There's not much more to be said about that... Everyone in the league wants to go to Nationals, we've been the favorite since August 30th.
We'll see what we can get out of them next Friday-Sunday. And I'll be sure to keep you posted. Also for those of you on twitter you can follow me at http://twitter.com/JonHutcheon
-Hutch-
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
Updates....
Well since the last time I wrote plenty has happened. Most importantly the River Rats are still rolling thru the league with a record of 12-0-1. We've had 4 league games the past 2 weekends and remain undefeated, that mark will be put to the test this Sunday against my former Midget team the Central Mass Outlaws. Last weekend (my birthday weekend) the boys put on two very impressive displays beating the Valley Jr. Warriors 6-1 on Saturday and then giving me a nice birthday present by beating the Dual State Huskies 14-0. For those who need to re-read that it does say 14. This past weekend we played a very solid District 10 Bulldogs team that challenged us and we scraped by with a 5-4 win, we will most likely be seeing them again in the state playoffs. And then disposed of the South Shore Dynamos at home on Sunday 7-3. We keep telling the boys that they have to come out to play hard every game, teams in the area know we are ranked in the top 5 in the country and are really gunning for us.
This has been the best start for us since I started coaching 3 years ago and in the previous seasons we have had 4 draft picks and about 20 kids go to Division 1 colleges, so you can imagine how talented this group is. As coaches we want the kids to succeed and move onto the colleges of their choice, but at the same time a trip to Nationals would be nice. And a National Championship would be even better, both for the team and for us as coaches in the hockey world.
As all of you know I signed with the Evansville IceMen back in August. What you don't know is that I have asked for my release and will be officially released October 17th, one week into training camp. It's been a rocky road to get to this point and I was very excited to be an IceMan this season and play in front of the fans and be a part of that family. But hockey is a business and myself and the organization never saw eye to eye on the contract negotiations that were ongoing. So as a 4th year guy I knew I had to get out of there. What's next for me is a mystery even to myself.
For the first time in 5 years I won't be at a professional hockey training camp to start the season and it is a very weird feeling. At this point in my career I am trying to figure out if I want to continue to play or if the time has come to hang em up and move on. Hockey has always been fun and a game for me and I want to make sure it stays that way. I won't play just for the status of being a hockey player or any other reason, other than it is fun and what I want to do.
I have been working hockey clinics lately with the River Rat organization with their Mites-Bantam teams and I love getting out there with the young guys and teaching them. At that age the score doesn't matter, no one cares what your plus/minus was and no one is going to call you into the GM's office to talk about your contract and that you're not living up to your money. It is a game and that is what hockey is supposed to be. From Mites all the way up to the professional ranks.
So if I do decide to play this year it will be because I want to have fun, have a smile on my face and obviously win a championship.
Til next time....
Hutch
This has been the best start for us since I started coaching 3 years ago and in the previous seasons we have had 4 draft picks and about 20 kids go to Division 1 colleges, so you can imagine how talented this group is. As coaches we want the kids to succeed and move onto the colleges of their choice, but at the same time a trip to Nationals would be nice. And a National Championship would be even better, both for the team and for us as coaches in the hockey world.
As all of you know I signed with the Evansville IceMen back in August. What you don't know is that I have asked for my release and will be officially released October 17th, one week into training camp. It's been a rocky road to get to this point and I was very excited to be an IceMan this season and play in front of the fans and be a part of that family. But hockey is a business and myself and the organization never saw eye to eye on the contract negotiations that were ongoing. So as a 4th year guy I knew I had to get out of there. What's next for me is a mystery even to myself.
For the first time in 5 years I won't be at a professional hockey training camp to start the season and it is a very weird feeling. At this point in my career I am trying to figure out if I want to continue to play or if the time has come to hang em up and move on. Hockey has always been fun and a game for me and I want to make sure it stays that way. I won't play just for the status of being a hockey player or any other reason, other than it is fun and what I want to do.
I have been working hockey clinics lately with the River Rat organization with their Mites-Bantam teams and I love getting out there with the young guys and teaching them. At that age the score doesn't matter, no one cares what your plus/minus was and no one is going to call you into the GM's office to talk about your contract and that you're not living up to your money. It is a game and that is what hockey is supposed to be. From Mites all the way up to the professional ranks.
So if I do decide to play this year it will be because I want to have fun, have a smile on my face and obviously win a championship.
Til next time....
Hutch
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