Is Playing Goalie a Worthwhile Investment?

[Glacier]

Heck ya, it is. I switched from playing skater to goalie last year. Spent $1200 on equipment, but I get to play for free now, and even get paid in beer sometimes. And the odd night that do play out, they only make me pay $10 instead of the regular $15.

So at $15 a night, it would take 80 times to recoup your investment. There's a real shortage of goalies this year it seems, so I'm playing up to 5 times a week. I could do like 8 days a week if I wanted to. On average I'm playing 3 nights a week because I keep turning people down. Anyway, at 3 times a week for 20 weeks/year, that's 60 games/year of hockey. So, the return on investment is well under 2 years. There's really no other investment out there that gives you a return of under two years. There wouldn't be a shortage of goalies if more people would do that math.

Also, because it's less physically demanding than playing out, I can actually get up for work the next morning.

[LANDM]

Forum would say yes.

[mexi cali]

And it's the coolest of all the positions. And you're on the ice the whole time.

[Queen K]

Heck ya, it is. I switched from playing skater to goalie last year. Spent $1200 on equipment, but I get to play for free now, and even get paid in beer sometimes. And the odd night that do play out, they only make me pay $10 instead of the regular $15.

So at $15 a night, it would take 80 times to recoup your investment. There's a real shortage of goalies this year it seems, so I'm playing up to 5 times a week. I could do like 8 days a week if I wanted to. On average I'm playing 3 nights a week because I keep turning people down. Anyway, at 3 times a week for 20 weeks/year, that's 60 games/year of hockey. So, the return on investment is well under 2 years. There's really no other investment out there that gives you a return of under two years. There wouldn't be a shortage of goalies if more people would do that math.

Also, because it's less physically demanding than playing out, I can actually get up for work the next morning.

Sounds like you're trying out an argument with Mrs. Glacier ("No!") out on your sympathetic castanet friends.

I'm with Mrs. Glacier.
Needed you to ask?

[JayByrd]

If "it's a sound investment" is the only reason someone plays goal, they're probably not much of a goaltender.

[dirtybiker]

If one is a 400lb oaf less money needed for padding and they still
plug the hole....

[Queen K]

Glace needs all the padding he can get,
Jus' saying.

[Glacier]

I have short legs relative to my upper body length. This makes me vulnerable to shots low in the corners, but helps me to plug the five hole easily.

But playing is free and totally worth it by allowing me time to pursue of my real passion in life instead of less important things like spending time with my wife and kids and *gasp* posting on Castanet.

[dirtybiker]

Got it, just bored and felt like stirring a cauldron....

[Queen K]

I have short legs relative to my upper body length. This makes me vulnerable to shots low in the corners, but helps me to plug the five hole easily.

But playing is free and totally worth it by allowing me time to pursue of my real passion in life instead of less important things like spending time with my wife and kids and *gasp* posting on Castanet.

How does playing give you free time?
And collecting bottle caps is not a passion in life, it's an illness. Get help.

[JayByrd]

I have short legs relative to my upper body length. This makes me vulnerable to shots low in the corners, but helps me to plug the five hole easily.

I'm not sure I understand this. In your butterfly, your upper leg pads, pants, and proper stick placement will prevent shots going through your legs. Leg length doesn't have much to do with it.

[Glacier]

Easier to go down and back up. No 7 foot 9 goalies in the NHL. Too much time involved going down.

[JayByrd]

The fact that goaltenders are on average getting taller, and in fact it's quite rare to see a goalie under six feet tall make the NHL anymore, seems to go against your logic. At the pro level, it's not so much about quickness anymore. Thus you don't see the undersized acrobats (Mike Palmateer, Mike Vernon, even Grant Fuhr) coming up out of junior hockey. The modern goaltender plays a hybrid style, and relies on sound technique to stop the puck. Players skate too fast and shoot too hard to rely on reflexes anymore.

But then we're not talking about the NHL, we're talking about a men's league player who just started playing goal.