Thread by @MikeMcKenna56, What a throwback it's been watching the 2007 @ECHL All-Star game. So [...]

Mike McKenna

MikeMcKenna56

What a throwback it& #39;s been watching the 2007 @ECHL All-Star game. So much fun. Keg in the locker room, not a care in the world, just playing hockey for the fun of it!

Playing in that league was a great part of my career. No expectations. Figured I& #39;d play a few years, try to make it to the AHL, and if it didn& #39;t work out head to Europe for a few seasons and hang & #39;em up. The NHL wasn& #39;t even on the radar.

I was so fortunate to end up in Vegas playing for Glen Gulutzan. Amazing coach and person. Best goalie partner I could have ever asked for in Marc Magliarditi. Teammates that played hard and partied harder.

The AHL is different. There& #39;s expectations and the NHL influence is huge. It& #39;s good money, but you have to perform to 1) stay in the league and 2) keep your name on the NHL radar for a call-up. It gets harder every year as you age...even if you& #39;re still performing.

Fun thing about ECHL: Brian McKenna was commissioner for most of my career. No relation. But every year at the @PHPA Annual Meeting, we& #39;d jokingly greet each other as "Dad" and "Son." The minors aren& #39;t easy, but every guy that& #39;s played there ends up with respect for it

That& #39;s why making the @NHL means so much to the guys that had to GRIND to get there. It& #39;s truly special and at times it& #39;s almost comical. Staying at the Ritz. Filet on the plane. Long way from Super 8& #39;s & soggy subs on the bus!

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