Throughout the past decade, there has been a common theme among many American-born NHL players.  While they can all skate, shoot, pass and hit, the more obvious similarities, there is one more that many ice hockey coaches and players overlook: roller hockey.

While viewed as a trend that died out in the late 1990s, many professionals initiated their game on blades.  I too started my hockey career on roller blades, and while I never advanced to the professional realm, I vouched for the game that developed my stick handling ability and built my youthful confidence.

On the other hand, some view the sport as a way to develop bad playing habits.  The game occurs at a much faster pace and is different from ice hockey.

However, I disagree.

Over the years, I have been fortunate enough to skate with and play against a handful of roller hockey players, who made it to the professional level. 

These players include Bobby Ryan (Anaheim Ducks), Ryan Hollweg (New York Rangers), Jim Slater (Atlanta Thrashers), and Paul Stastny (Colorado Avalanche).  These players attribute some of their success and skills they gained from the annual North American Roller Hockey Championships, “the premier tournament series for competitive travel roller hockey.”

Every year, the world's elite hockey players compete annually in one of the most competitive atmospheres in sports.

College standouts Jeff Lurg and Peter Mannino play every summer in this league.  They join other NHL names such as Brad Boyes, Mike Van Ryn, Gabe Gauthier and TJ Hensick in the roller hockey alumni department.

Once many of these players advance to higher levels, the odds are that they will not return to roller blades (for a long time at least).  But, they are alumni of the NARCh, a tournament that has prepared them for skating at the highest level.  This will not change.

Even some NHL players were sited at the world’s greatest roller hockey tournament.

In 2006, New Jersey Devils backup goaltender Kevin Weekes made an unprecedented appearance at the event held in Toronto, and entertained the audience with a picture and autograph session.  In the 2007 event held in Phoenix, Shane Doan of the Coyotes attended several games and signed autographs.  The support and recognition is getting there, if it’s not there already.

Patrick Maroon, an 18-year-old, was drafted by the Philadelphia Flyers in the 2006 NHL Draft. 

“Maroon, like many young players raised in larger cities, grew up playing inline hockey. He established himself as one of the nation’s top young players on the court, leading Oakville to a Missouri State Championship, and going on to play for a number of St. Louis-area entries at NARCH tournaments” (Flyers Team Site).

I still attend and play in these tournaments every year and see the new standout players coming up through the ranks.  While once thought of as a joke, roller hockey gives kids that chance to skate and play hockey year round in hopes of achieving the true dream of reaching the NHL.

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