Caps Equipment Manager interview

[AlphaSierra 1]

http://video.capitals.nhl.com/videocenter/console?catid=810&id=162347

Thought the gear junkies like me might appreciate this video. Its a couple minute piece with Brooks talking about outfitting players when they come in off a trade.

"I can't remember what my wife put on the grocery list last week, but I can remember what skates a player wore 10 to 15 years ago" Classic.

[SnoJH 0]

I think everyone can agree this is a dream job. <3

[nickyb13 9]

Very cool. Thanks for posting that!

[JR Boucicaut 3797]

I think everyone can agree this is a dream job. <3

Not me...I know better.

[ibeck 38]

I think everyone can agree this is a dream job. <3

It's the best job on game day when the building is packed with 20,000 people. Tell me it's a dream job when your place lands at 2am,you're tired, everyone else goes home while you and your staff head to the arena to unpack the gear and do laundry because you have a practice at 10:30am.

[SnoJH 0]

Honestly, I think I'd still love it. A job's a job, but because I'd be doing what I love, I wouldn't mind. I might sound naive, but right now, that's where I want to be eventually.

[ibeck 38]

That was me 4 years ago, whatever works for you.

[Apes44 7]

Very cool. Thanks for posting that!

Its a grueling job, it takes a special kind of person to be able to do it. I think i would enjoy it for maybe a seaon or two, but the lifestyle would be rough.

[Harv 86]

Its a grueling job, it takes a special kind of person to be able to do it. I think i would enjoy it for maybe a seaon or two, but the lifestyle would be rough.

Agreed. It'd be tough if you have a wife and kids at home. You'd never get a spare moment over the course of the season except for the all-star break.

[forbs02 20]

I liked at the end how he said that the war is on the ice, not off the ice. Other equipment managers are a great resource. I have learned a lot about different ways to do things from other managers.

On another note, that video made me tired. Those guys work really hard.

[fsuhockeystar97 0]

Just out of curiosity how does one land an equipment manager job? Do you have to already know someone in the industry or is it more like the players where you start in a lower league like the ECHL and work your way up?

[Harv 86]

Just out of curiosity how does one land an equipment manager job? Do you have to already know someone in the industry or is it more like the players where you start in a lower league like the ECHL and work your way up?

From what I've seen, both. You have to know someone to even get a shot in lower level leagues like the ECHL, SPHL, etc. Then you build your contacts to move up.

I'm sure JR can give a much more detailed response.

[jimmy 194]

I know a guy who is the stuffed animal who dances around the ice between periods at AHL games. He's going to begin training in equip management. Nice promotion!

[fsuhockeystar97 0]

From what I've seen, both. You have to know someone to even get a shot in lower level leagues like the ECHL, SPHL, etc. Then you build your contacts to move up.

I'm sure JR can give a much more detailed response.

Thanks. That's kind of what I expected to hear. I know the local ECHL team hires assistant equipment managers from time to time but I don't really know how much experience that gets you or if it'd be worth it to leave my current job for it.

[nickyb13 9]

The local d1 college team in my area has a graduate assistant position that acts as an equipment manager. The last guy went to work for some echl team after he graduated

[DarkStar50 679]

The odds of getting one of these jobs is staggering. There are a limited number of leagues and teams to work for. Lower level leagues/teams are going to pay minimum salaries for working 7-8 months of the year. The odds are better of making it to the NHL as a player.

[fsuhockeystar97 0]

I didn't want to be the one that said it, but that's honestly how I felt it looked. Considering there's only 1 equipment manager per team its more of a pipe dream than playing for sure.

[chippa13 1844]

NHL teams have 1 equipment manager but there will also be an assistant or two. There is no way that one guy could handle all of the work that goes on and even then they will farm out some repair work to locals who have great reputations.

[halfmoonyote 0]

The EQ guys are such a big part of the process and work tirelessly. It's nice when they've been given screen time in the 24/7 series. We caught a glimpse of how hard the NY guys were humping equipment from the plane to the arena (for practice) and all hours through the night to the next city. Making sure everything is just right for the players for their next practice and game.

As an aside, I have been told (first hand) there are many NHL players that treat their EQ guys terribly, which blows me away.

[rachael7 1]

I have to admit, I was surprised the equipment guys were so candid with their counterparts on other teams. I really thought at that level, that ANY edge, off the ice or on, would be fully exploited; so it was quite surprising to hear the "war is on the ice, not off" comment. Just not what I expected at all.

[raganblink 82]

As an aside, I have been told (first hand) there are many NHL players that treat their EQ guys terribly, which blows me away.

Some also tip their EQM very nicely at the end of the season if they did some of the ridiculous things that the players wished for them to do.

[jimmy 194]

On the other hand, there have been EQ's who are the opposite. Not too many now-a-days but if you want to hear a sad story about Ray Martyniuk, only 1st round pick who didn't make it to the NHL. He faults the equipment manager who refused to sharpen his skates the way he liked them. I don't think you'll see this anymore but wow.

[hockeymass 11]

On the other hand, there have been EQ's who are the opposite. Not too many now-a-days but if you want to hear a sad story about Ray Martyniuk, only 1st round pick who didn't make it to the NHL. He faults the equipment manager who refused to sharpen his skates the way he liked them. I don't think you'll see this anymore but wow.

I kind of doubt the Canadiens threw away a first round draft pick because he had a bad training camp due to incorrectly sharpened skates. I know that's what he says, but I think he overstates his case.

[chippa13 1844]

http://habsgoalies.blogspot.com/2007/06/ray-martyniuk-1970-nhl-amateur-draft-rd.html

Interesting story.

Martynuik hopped more than slid through his crease, and the skate sharpener in Montreal never honed his blades the way they’d been done in Flin Flon, where he’d played with Bobby Clarke and Reggie Leach.

"I stepped on the ice the first time and nearly fell on my face," he recalled. "All I could do was balance myself with my stick and hope for the best."

He played decently everywhere his skates were sharp, including Seattle,

Here is some gold from it.

And Martynuik recalls one sweet old lady heckling him mercilessly throughout a Vees game, so boisterously that he stopped to face her as he left the ice.

"She was yelling, ‘Martynuik, you must be pregnant!’ " he said. "Before I could ask her what she meant, she hollered, ‘You just missed three periods!’ "

[EvilPepe 24]

Thanks. That's kind of what I expected to hear. I know the local ECHL team hires assistant equipment managers from time to time but I don't really know how much experience that gets you or if it'd be worth it to leave my current job for it.

If you have the flexibility in your schedule, inquire about apprenticing/interning with the team. You won't get paid, and you will be washing a lot of socks, but it could get your foot in the door. Our team here has had three kids start out this way, and after a year they were getting paid here or got paying jobs with another team. It is a tough racket, but if you are young and think you want to do it, why not?

I was offered a paying gig with a team a couple years back, turned it down. Like I said, its a tough job - especially when you are starting from the bottom. I've seen a number of guys try to get into the profession and end up pretty disappointed when it wasn't what they thought it would be (especially the ones who look at it as a chance to be "on a team again" after their own playing prospects dried up).