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October 24, 2004
CTV.ca News Staff
CTV.ca
Canadian hockey fans may be having a tough go of it this year as the NHL lockout shows no signs of ending anytime soon. The situation begs the question, what are all those fans doing to fill the void?
One fan in Ottawa has taken to carrying his collection of old NHL game recordings to sports bars. The pubs play the games over and over again, reliving hockey's glory days.
"I'll be trumping them around and letting fans know we don't have to be all hung up on the fact there's no NHL season," says Liam MacGuire.
He's not the only one to get creative. Fan turnout in other hockey leagues is booming. The tradition of watching a Saturday night hockey game lives on strong.
But for some, it turns out just watching the game from the stands or a bar stool isn't good enough. They want to get closer to the ice and experience the sport in a new way.
"I found something that's made me even busier than I would have been trying to watch NHL games," says Andrew Burns. The Calgary resident hooked up with a minor league team and now works as its manager.
"I'm having a lot more fun and I'm more involved in the community," Burns says with satisfaction.
For some, it seems fans of the NHL are coping too well. Jim Boone heads the NHL Fans' Association.
"Everyday there are more and more fans turning their backs on the NHL saying they won't come back," he says. "They're fed up and tired of throwing money at this league."
Still, there are those whose very livelihoods could depend on a healthy NHL down the road. NHL hopefuls say it's a tough season without their role models.
"It really gets to you some days when you have nothing to do, no homework and just feel like watching TV," said young hockey player Mitchell Theoret.
Hoping to make it in the big leagues, Theoret and a group of promising players hit the ice for a gruelling two-hour practice each day.
But no matter how hockey fans are coping, one thing's for sure. Many have resigned themselves to the idea there'll be no NHL season to speak of this year.
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