It’s Saturday morning, and the world is still digesting the Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul fight that felt just like the Nintendo game. Tyson came out throwing just like he did in the Punch Out! Classic, but after the first 2 rounds, Tyson looked his age and took some heavy heat from Paul in the middle of the bout. That said, how surreal is it that a man in his 50’s could step in the ring and still trade fists with a man half his age? The fountain of youth still flows through Catskill NY apparently!
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Being a boxer is a tough gig. You’re taking uppercuts to the beak, jabs to the solar plexus, and everything in between. But when it comes to hockey – what’s the easiest gig out there?
We think it’s the back-up goalie at the NHL level. Lets examine why…
You get a birds eye view of the fastest game on the planet
In 2005-06 and 06-07 (2 NHL seasons), Martin Brodeur started a whopping 151 of 164 regular season games . This is absolute insanity. Which meant that Martin’s back-up – who was Scott Clemmenson at the time – started only 13 games in 2 seasons! Essentially, you feel a couple pucks in the warm-up and throw the towel on for the rest of the night. Unlike minor hockey where the back-up goalie opens the gate for active players, the back-up role has 1 responsibility at the pro level; be ready if called upon. Scott Clemmenson got to sit on a chair at ice level – the best seat in the house – and watch the fastest game on the planet.
You get paid alright
In 2024-25, the league minimum NHL salary is $775,000. Imagine if Scott Clemmenson was a back-up for Brodeur in 2024-25 – he would be paid roughly $100,000 PER START! Even if you’re starting 20 games a season – which I would think is pretty standard in today’s NHL – you’re still doing OK with that league minimum. Keep in mind that in the NHL, players are well-compensated while on the road (per diem, complimentary hotels, complimentary travel) so a player is not spending their salary while on the road (unless they’re mixing in some fun).
You travel well
Chartered jets, your own hotel room on the road (most times the back-up goalie is a veteran player, which means you get your own hotel room in the current CBA), and fine dining are standard. For example, the Anaheim Ducks stay at the Four Seasons Hotel when they travel to Boston to play the Bruins. Want to stay there tonight? You’ll be paying $1,000 a night . It’s a 5 star hotel overlooking the Boston Public Gardens. Not too shabby.
You’re in the NHL
To some, it doesn’t matter how you play in the NHL – it just matters that you do. Your grandkids aren’t going to ask you how many on-ice minutes you played in the NHL, but they are going to be pretty impressed when you tell them that grandpa played a couple hundred matches in the National. If your team wins the Stanley Cup, they’re still measuring you for a ring. For example, “Goalie Bob” played 24 of the 25 playoff games this past playoffs. Anthony Stolarz started just 1 game! But he still gets the same ring as Bobrovsky, and still gets the cup for a day.
Can you think of a better gig than an NHL back-up goalie? The other gig that would be unreal would be the NFL back-up QB. The lifestyle is the same as the NHL, but there’s more cash in your pocket (NFL players make more money than NHL players) and there’s way less games (17 vs 82 regular season). That said, when you’re under centre you’re bound to take an absolute pounding by 300-pound lineman…. is facing a 100 mph clapper harder? Maybe another article for another time!
Until Next Time
AP
Other Media
Exclusive interview with BC’s Abby Newhook (article) – – – https://vhghockey.ca/vhg-exclusive-interview-with-hockey-east-all-rookie-team-member-abby-newhook/
Pro Stock Hockey Sticks; What’s the Deal (video) – – – https://youtu.be/wul8VnoGNyM