Ottawa – When Larry Doshen was asked for his name, he grabbed his business card instead. The photograph was quite recent and captured it in black hockey trousers as he held a hockey stick. He was without a helmet, with the head of gray hair to match his jersey “Silver Foxes”.
Doshen’s hand held the card above. Wings for old age, but he was also full of boys’ nerves. And for a good reason, the 84 -year -old man just got out of the ice after he finally lived his childhood imagination to play the ice rink.
“As soon as you get to skating, it’s okay,” Doshen said, stopping to stretch into his mouth and remove the upper prosthesis. “I’ll take this thing to hear me.”
The average NHL break usually contains children from local smaller hockey associations, often as young as the level of “TimBits” in Canada, either scrimmaging or Gunfight. After the second period of 4-0 Senators Ottawa over Columbus Blue Jackets at the Canadian Pneumatic Center on Sunday, she did a way for some much older gentlemen.
Or, because one participant dubbed them less gently, “stop”.
Forgive me the lack of tweets during this game. I watched this group of 80-year-olds playing in the second break of this Sens-Blue Jackets game. pic.twitter.com/kq88pgwvpx
– Julian McKenzie (@jkamckenzie) April 6, 2025
Thirteen players representing several 80 and non-contact hockey teams in the Ottawa-Z field attended an unusual exhibition on Sunday afternoon, which were 88 years old. The action lasted a short three minutes when Doshen fought through his short anxiety on the front of the net to score a single goal. However, a group of octogenarians cursed tens of thousands of thousands of thousands in the whole temporary participation, starting with the moment everyone entered the ice.
“This is a dream come true for me,” said Aimehletic Aime Beaulne, one of the 88 years old.
The game also brought awareness to 80+ hockey halls of fame, a non -profit organization that recognizes active hockey players over 80 years of Canada. The initiative was founded in 2011 with the opening class of six, each of which was listed according to what the organization describes as “knightly protocols using one -piece hockey chopstick from 1930”. Applicants can be nominated online. In addition to the age requirement for its eligibility criteria, the 80+ hockey atrial web page is “sound character and good sports behavior”.
“Because now we are getting people all over the country,” said Herb Brennen, President Fame 80+. “We need to know that.”
Since then, the number of inductors has grown to nearly 400 players and nearly 40 builders since then. The induction game is played every year and each new member receives their hockey card as Doshen did. Hall plans to induce its first player at the end of this year.
“We are trying to ensure that it is really family oriented,” Brennen said. “Because most of our children and certainly our grandchildren have never seen us play hockey, so it is quite an amazing experience for them to actually see the old guy on the ice.”
Members of the 80+ hockey hall of fame are preparing for their play in the Canadian Pneumatic Center in Ottawa.
The hockey hall of Fame 80+ was given the opportunity to skate in the game of senators through the mutual connection. In January, the Vice President of Hall of Fame Loris Bonddio met his friend Liam Maguire over the drinks in the title restaurant of his east of Ottawa. It was not planned, but ended the discussion of the 80+ hall. Maguire was blown by this concept, as can be involved in the senators, a self -proclaimed hockey historian. Bonddio replied that his organization had tried, but failed to meet Sens.
“I’ll get your meeting,” Maguire Bondi said.
Maguire tapped his connection with team President Cyril Leeder, who, together with the co -founder of the Senators Randy Sexton, once sold Maguire a seasonal card in the hope that he eventually lures franchise of the NHL to the Canadian capital. When Ottawa eventually managed in his offer in 1990, Maguire celebrated with Leeder and Sexton. Thirty -five years later it was Maguire Pitching Leeder in the 80+ hockey hall of fame as a break.
“I think it’s a beautiful, beautiful way to encapsulate, why the hall exists,” Bondi said. “These children have to continue skating. It doesn’t matter if you are not doing the NHL. It doesn’t matter if you are doing a team, continue skating. There is always a place to play.”
Before the CTC match, the 80+ Hall of Famers sat in a temporary dress covered with curtains close to the Zamboni entrance, surrounded by piles of wooden pallets, a few reduced basketball hoops and a portable emergency washbasin. After putting on the gear-ups of the 80+ hall logo-sessions, they ranked onto one file and came across ice.
“It is uplifting to think one day, as if it could be,” said Matt Franczyk, a specialist in hockey terrain senators. “Like, if I stay healthy, stay active, I could also play with these boys on the ice.”
Most men who participated in Sunday play hockey twice a week for teams like “older skates” and “Octokids”. Others, like Barclay Frost, could play more often.
83 -year -old frost is considered the oldest goalkeeper in Ottawa And he is a member of the Hall of Fame of Athletics Ontario for his various athletic contributions as an athlete, coach and clerk – he played the last role at the Montreal Summer Games in 1976. This means that until the American starting goalkeeper was unavailable and Frost was forced to change his loyalty.
“I know what it is like to be a traitor,” Frost said. “People wouldn’t talk to me. My wife was sitting in the stalls with all the wives of the Canada team and all the employees of our team Canada. And I’m in the second team.”
The Herb Brennena hockey card was given to him after being introduced to 80+ hockey hall of fame in 2023.
The fact that these hockey teams over 80 and acchom exist is already impressive, but also fighting a worrying trend for the older. The Canadian government report estimates that 30 percent of seniors In a country – a group that is expected to increase from nearly 15 percent to up to 25 percent of the population by 2036 today – there is a risk that it will be socially isolated. The International Federation added that “keeping older people socially interconnected and active” in Canada is a “discovered issue number one faced by the elderly”.
“I really wouldn’t miss it if I didn’t have a dressing room where to go, talk to the boys and joke back and forth,” Doshen said. “Talk about what we’re doing on the ice, talk about what we’re doing on the ice. Several people I know have health problems, so you listen to them. Some others also have family health problems. He gives them a chance to talk.”
In fact, everything is playing for these seniors, whether it is because they want to stay fit – or, as Brennen remembered recently to do skaters with colleagues to chirp each other.
“I said,” I don’t know why the hell you even bring a hockey wand to the game, “Brennen said.” (Puks) are going from your ass. They go from your elbow. What do you need a hockey stick for? You probably have the same stick you’ve ever started. “
And then there are men like 88 -year -old Wil Côté who only appreciates the support that comes with playing with a group of brothers.
“It certainly keeps me,” Côté said. “I like to play but I like the camaraderie. When I get home, I’m happy.”
(Photos: Julian McKenzie / Thehletic)
