Devils buying their own ice time

[Jmorc2003]

From Fire & Ice, "Although NHL players are not allowed to use team locker rooms and training facilities or interact with team officials and staff during the lockout, the league is allowing them to rent ice time at team-owned rinks. A group of Devils’ players has been doing that this week at Prudential Center. According to backup goaltender Johan Hedberg, there have been “13, 14 guys”, skating on the team’s practice rink. That group includes Hedberg, Martin Brodeur and some of the players that were assigned to the AHL so they can play in Albany during the lockout. The players plan to skate there until the Devils’ AHL training camp begins on Sept. 28 and then will likely rent ice elsewhere – probably South Mountain Arena in West Orange – because the rink at Prudential Center will be in use"

Impromptu open practice at South Mountain Arena, anyone? Or do you think they'll lock the doors so folks can't go watch.

[devilsfan26]

Well if it's just players renting the ice time then it's not a team function so it shouldn't be closed to the public unless the players request that they do that.

[Vic Rattlehead18]

Well if it's just players renting the ice time then it's not a team function so it shouldn't be closed to the public unless the players request that they do that.

Yeah I would think its closed. That rink only has public sessions on saturdays anyway. And I don't know if anyne ever goes

[devilsfan26]

Yeah I would think its closed. That rink only has public sessions on saturdays anyway. And I don't know if anyne ever goes

Public skating is only one of many events that people go to rinks for. My guess is they probably only have public skating on Saturdays because they have other stuff on the ice all the other days. The rink I work at only has public skating on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays but the ice is being used until around midnight every day of the week. There are travel teams, in-house youth leagues, adult leagues, high schools, colleges, learn to skate programs, birthday parties, hockey clinics, skating clincs, other ice rentals, etc. that people go to the rink for.

These places are open businesses, if they close for some Devils players renting their ice I'm sure it would have to be some special request they would have to pay extra for, though of course they could afford whatever they charge.

Edited September 20, 2012 by devilsfan26

[mouse]

I know they can afford it, but the owners look pretty bad when players are spending money for the right to practice. Maybe it's to get ready for Europe, but I bet some of those guys are hoping there's a season and want to be ready.

[DaneykoIsGod]

Seems kinda odd. We're in a lockout because the owners want money from the players that the players aren't willing to give up. So players pay owners to get into the facilities they're locked out of? This is a perfect example of what a useless circle jerk this whole thing is.

[Jmorc2003]

Devilsfan26, you would know better than anyone. That's what I was thinking, rinks are open from very early in the AM to late at night (I once had a league game a Floyd hall end after 1a), open to the public and for business. In fact, if you need a quick hockey fix, stop by a rink when one of nj's many junior teams is playing.

I can see them making an exception for a bunch of NHL guys not want to put on a show, but if it were anyone else renting ice we would be able to stroll in and watch.