Rangers Equipment Managers Work OT

[SirJW 207]

http://lohud.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID...377/1034/SPORTS

[Roach 0]

Nice article. Thanks for posting. It gives a glimpse of what it would actually be.

[Viking 1]

I read a book once that had a feature on the Bruins' equipment manager, and he actually lived in the arena. Clearly the Rangers guy isn't hardcore if he doesn't live at the rink.

[DarkStar50 679]

Its a long trip between midtown Manhattan(MSG) and Greenburgh, NY. The players have multiple sets of equipment. They leave one set at MSG and the other set at Greenburgh. I was in the MSG Rangers locker room when Gretzky was on the team after a game against the Canadiens. I was hooked up with a Press Pass through a friend of mine. The equipment guys pack up all the skates and sticks to go to Greenburgh. Everything else stays behind. At the time, Gretzky had a double sized stall. After the game all his equipment was put away and hidden. Everyone else's equipment just stayed in the lockers.

[Hordie Gowe 17]

I bet the pay for the job is not all that great, but at least they get the summers off so thats not too bad.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

They probably get a pretty good pay check..

[DarkStar50 679]

18-20 hour days divided by x amount starts to equal not that great a paycheck as you may think. The secret is for the team you are working for to go deep, as in all the way, in the play-offs. Then you get a share of a play-off check. These guys also rely on tips at the end of the season. I wonder who the big tippers are and who the stiffs are.

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Had no idea that they got tipped..

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Yep, DS is exactly right. Pay isn't all that great, but tips are. Figure 25 guys...

[Langenbrunner15 0]

Are we talking like a few thousand each player on a tip..or in the 11,000+ each tip?

[Jim A 4]

of course you are also meeting the team at the airport at 2AM after they get back, putting up all the gear, washing stuff for practice the next day..its not a job you can do without a ton of passion...

[Louie 28]

I used to know a guy that worked for Calgary and said one player took the equipment manager down to the dealership and told him to pick out a new ride.

[RadioGaGa 162]

of course you are also meeting the team at the airport at 2AM after they get back, putting up all the gear, washing stuff for practice the next day..its not a job you can do without a ton of passion...

Sewing repairs into the same pair of pants over an over again...because so-and-so is too superstitious to just get new gear *L*

[RadioGaGa 162]

Tips are probably unbelievable...Hockey players are known as being genrous

people.

At the end of the day, I would wager that they make out pretty damn good, unless they have a bunch of scrubs on the team

Makes it worth all the time it takes to get to the NHL. Even Equipment guys and trainers go through the ECHL/AHL before they get to the NHL. The head guy in Hamilton, just got promoted to an assistant position in Montreal this season. I think he had been with the organization through the Frederiction & Quebec Citadelle years.

[Jim A 4]

What do you consider pretty damn good? because if I have to get up at 1AM and drive 45min from Westchester to LGA to pick up stinky gear from the charter drive it all back in the box truck...lay it out..put on some wash..come back for the AM skate and then stay through the game that night...I don't know if tips really even it out..regardless of the reputation of hockey players..

most of the guys I know are the 2nd/3rd equip guys and mostly get sticks etc from the guys..but still..what good is a stick if you have no time to play :)

I did ok in the real world last year..but worked over 1600 hours (including travel) in a 16 week period (that's about 8-9 months for most people)..you couldn't have paid me enough to sign up for that..

[JR Boucicaut 3801]

Man, I considered it for a while, then I dealt with Nashville. No way would I want that job. No way. It may seem glamourous and all that, but to get to that level? Youll be doing the same thing for LESS pay until you get a crack at the NHL. Remember, only 30 jobs at that level...

[Chadd 916]

Theo, a lot of hockey players are cheap.

[Monty22 833]

I have a buddy who works in the AHL doing this. His hours suck during the year, he's pretty much a zombie. I don't really call him because he has to sleep at odd hours due to the schedule. He indicated the tips are decent- but sometimes the guys that need the most attention during the year are the least appreciative. There is also a bonus if the Calder Cup is won.

The big payoff is the light workload in the summer. He gets to mainly hang out poolside. Definitely underpaid for the hours/amount of work put in.

It a tough job, you have to love what you do.

[Jim A 4]

Theo all I can say on the people I know in that position is they don't make near that ..if they did..a lot more people would be fighting for those jobs..

of course..no 401k, no pension, any benefits? etc..if you are married..how do you raise a kid?

[Sven 1]

Nice thread, first of all.

I would do such an job instead of sitting in a goddamn office.

[dix0r 0]

about avery:

"He must wear a custom-fit glove because he has unusually short fingers, and the Rangers' equipment team didn't have the perfect pair in its supply."

[DarkStar50 679]

I love reading other guys ideas about this job, like its a dream job. Cut through all the crap, you are a go-pher for pro hockey players! You are on call 24/7 from September to maybe June, if you go far in the play-offs. Those 2 am trips to airport to the rink to morning skate to game night to post game clean up and load out are not fun. And they are part of the job once you sign up. "Hey, kid, pick up that tape ball over there in the corner." I have been in visiting team locker rooms at the Meadowlands and MSG. Once the game ends, from the time it took me to get from the press box to the visiting locker room and get inside all of the players wet gear is packed and headed towards the bus. Those guys bust their nuts the minute the game is over to get them packed and out of the building. Think your bag is heavy when you are done with beer league? Multiply that by 20 plus 2 goalies and add in the uniforms. Hey, you forgot to pack up the rolling stick bag that weighs about 40 lbs with all the sticks. Add up 60 OPS + goalie sticks and 40 lbs is conservative. This is only after one of 42 road games. 42 home games? Get all the skates from the practice rink and truck them in. Make sure you have every little thing that Joe 4th Line needs as his NHL security blanket. Crank up the Blademaster, its time to sharpen 20 pairs of skates and fix any broken or loose rivets. Lay out the tape, make sure the sticks are in order and have a cup of coffee for dinner before the game. Oh, I forgot to mention, this job I am describing is in Sarnia, Ontario for the Jr B Bees, not the Detroit Red Wings. That may happen in 10 years after you have paid your dues riding the Iron Lung in the dead cold of an Eastern Ontario white-out. Of course, in 10 years you will have half the energy to do this that you did 10 years ago. Applications are in the team office, ask the secretary for one. We'll give you a call.

[RadioGaGa 162]

Oh, I forgot to mention, this job I am describing is in Sarnia, Ontario for the Jr B Bees, not the Detroit Red Wings

THAT is GOLD. Are you trying to compete with hockeymom for "MSH Post of the Year"?

I read a story about the Bulldogs guy. TWO players broke blades during pre-game warm up....I'm not sure how long it would generally take to replace/sharpen and profile brand new steel...but he did 2 in 20 minutes.

[--notorious 0]

I love reading other guys ideas about this job, like its a dream job. Cut through all the crap, you are a go-pher for pro hockey players! You are on call 24/7 from September to maybe June, if you go far in the play-offs. Those 2 am trips to airport to the rink to morning skate to game night to post game clean up and load out are not fun. And they are part of the job once you sign up. "Hey, kid, pick up that tape ball over there in the corner." I have been in visiting team locker rooms at the Meadowlands and MSG. Once the game ends, from the time it took me to get from the press box to the visiting locker room and get inside all of the players wet gear is packed and headed towards the bus. Those guys bust their nuts the minute the game is over to get them packed and out of the building. Think your bag is heavy when you are done with beer league? Multiply that by 20 plus 2 goalies and add in the uniforms. Hey, you forgot to pack up the rolling stick bag that weighs about 40 lbs with all the sticks. Add up 60 OPS + goalie sticks and 40 lbs is conservative. This is only after one of 42 road games. 42 home games? Get all the skates from the practice rink and truck them in. Make sure you have every little thing that Joe 4th Line needs as his NHL security blanket. Crank up the Blademaster, its time to sharpen 20 pairs of skates and fix any broken or loose rivets. Lay out the tape, make sure the sticks are in order and have a cup of coffee for dinner before the game. Oh, I forgot to mention, this job I am describing is in Sarnia, Ontario for the Jr B Bees, not the Detroit Red Wings. That may happen in 10 years after you have paid your dues riding the Iron Lung in the dead cold of an Eastern Ontario white-out. Of course, in 10 years you will have half the energy to do this that you did 10 years ago. Applications are in the team office, ask the secretary for one. We'll give you a call.

I have more sympathy for many other people...Like those in Iraq and such

Don't forget the people who haveto work shittier jobs than this, and don't get to choose.

[Chadd 916]

Theo all I can say on the people I know in that position is they don't make near that ..if they did..a lot more people would be fighting for those jobs..

of course..no 401k, no pension, any benefits? etc..if you are married..how do you raise a kid?

Are you serious? They see no benefits at all? On the NHL level? But you say a lot more people would be fighting for those jobs and then you note the no benefits.,..That makes a big difference.

Their base salary may be bad, but I find it hard to believe that they don't make at the least 50K in tips. That is a measly 2k per player.

I don't think the job is rosy at all. Never had the allusion because it is clearly not. But at the same time I see them making descent money. Maybe not for the hrs they work, but I don't think the head guy goes home w/ under 75K including tips (before taxes)

Edit- I just found a link that states that pay is from 30K to 100K....And that is before tips.

You're putting way too much faith in tips. 30k isn't much for 18 hour days for 8 months out of the year.