Hockey oldtimers adjust to COVID times

Just inside the sliding doors of the Kin Centre atrium, defenceman Richard Larmand aimed his hand-held sensor at the forehead of each player on the Rusty Nuts oldtimers hockey team as we walked into the rink

It’s part of the deal when you want to play the game during a pandemic.

“Any brainwave activity detected?” I quipped as Larmand aimed at my noggin and relayed my body temperature reading to Dave Bellamy, the Rusty Nuts grand poohbah, who recorded it on a sheet.

“None whatsoever,” responded Larmand.

Mask in place over my nose and mouth, my glasses fogged up from my own breath, I dragged my equipment into the dressing room in the rush to get my gear on for the game. Most of the guys arrive already dressed in their jocks, shinpads and hockey pants but unlike the vast majority of my teammates who have retired from the workforce, I was coming directly from work at the Citizen office. So I had some catching up to do to make sure I had plenty of time for the on-ice warmups before the game began.

COVID restrictions have changed what hockey teams are allowed to do and one of the most significant adjustments is the length of time players can spend at the rink. We’re supposed to arrive not more than 15 minutes before our icetime begins and have to leave within 15 minutes of our games ending. That gives arena staff time to disinfect high-touch surfaces and the dressing rooms before the next group comes in. 

We still have post-game discussions about missed wide-open shots, malfunction-at-the-junction collisions and back-seat-of-the-pants saves by goalies looking the other way. The laughs, jokes and insults still fly around the room but there’s just less time for that. The showers are off-limits and change room benches are taped off to keep players physically distanced. We have a few more hoops to jump through but it’s well worth the hassle. 

“I feel comfortable when I come in here, they’re doing a good job,” said Nuts right winger Kevin Keeping. “It gets me out of the house. You’ve got to do something and this is a good social thing.”

Every player has signed Rusty Nuts/Canadian Amateur Rec Hockey Association participation agreements and waivers outlining the risks of playing. There’s a requirement to notify a team ambassador if any COVID symptoms develop or if a player comes into contact with somebody who has the virus. If anybody visits one of the higher-risk COVID hotspots in Canada, that player must self-isolate for 14 days after returning to Prince George. To minimize the risk, players are also told not to play in any other league. 

The Nuts have been divided into three cohorts of nine skaters and a goalie for each team and unless we’re playing as a spare for somebody who can’t make their scheduled icetime we are encouraged to stay apart from the other team’s players whenever possible. That means no body contact on the ice (there’s no bodychecking allowed in oldtimers hockey even in pre-pandemic times) and players have to stay a sticklength apart from each other at all times.

“The game’s different, guys are backing off, trying to keep their distance on the ice, so it’s not the same game but it’s still a good social event,” said 64-year-old defenceman Gord Flewelling. “There’s no arena in the province that I’ve seen on the news where they’ve had any problems. We’re not turning a blind eye to what’s going on, we’re just trying to be very cautious and aware of our surroundings.”

While waiting for line changes, two forwards and a defenceman per team sit in the players’ bench and the third forward has to sit in the penalty box. There are no face-offs and the team that gets scored on starts the next rush with the puck. Players are not allowed to chase after loose pucks in the crease and have to stay beyond the 2.44-metre ringette crease in front of the net. That’s been the most difficult rule change to get used for most of the players. Other than, that it’s hockey as usual once the game is on.

“We managed to put together what we thought would be best for our (55-plus) age group and we wanted to err on the side of caution,” said Bellamy, 79, whose health has kept him on the sidelines for the past couple years. “We’ve all been practicing that - stay at home unless it’s necessary to go out - so we’re kind of worried about expanding our bubble. But this is a real healthy sport and I’m definitely missing it myself.”

Bellamy surveyed all the players who were on the Nuts’ team list last season and not one of them knew anybody personally who has had COVID. 

“That was one positive sign to keep pressing on,” said Bellamy, a former Mohawk Oldtimer who first formed the Rusty Nuts in 1986 for a tournament in Vernon.

Before COVID, the Nuts had a list of 38 players who got together three mornings per week for games. The pandemic has limited it to 27 skaters and three goalies. Only a few players decided not risk coming back for hockey and those who aren’t on the teams and still want to play are on a substitute list. 

Just to get to the stage where a return to play was possible required extensive paperwork and research of the strict guidelines outlined by the provincial health authority, City of Prince George and viaSport. Bellamy put together a seven-player committee and elected an ambassador for each of the three cohorts who acts as a team captain to collect ice fees and registration forms and make sure all the rules are being followed.

The Nuts range in age from 57 to 73. Seniors are more adversely affected by COVID-19 and many of the players and their wives are concerned about the increasing their risk of exposure even in small gatherings at the rink. 

“My wife (Marian) is nervous, because she has a sinus problem and if I bring home trouble that’s not good,” said Bellamy. “I’ve got to say I’m a bit nervous too, because of age.”

In the event one player tests positive, the Rusty Nuts would shut down their games for two weeks and require testing for everyone before they resume playing.

“If I was overly concerned I probably wouldn’t be here,” said the 71-year-old Larmand. “You have to do something, you can’t just sit around. We still have to be as careful as we can be and if something happens we’ll deal with it. I think everything is actually working our quite well.”