Old-timer hockey brings seniors, including former NHL goalie, together in West Nipissing

On this week's edition of Hockey this Week, Eric Taschner visits with a group of West Nipissing seniors, including 78-year-old former NHL goalie Ted Ouimet.

Every Tuesday and Thursday at 10 a.m. sharp during hockey season, a group of hockey players has the ice reserved for seniors’ shinny.

“The guys are very thankful that they have a place to play hockey twice a week,” player Luc Martel said.

They always laugh and joke about their younger days when they had NHL aspirations. But one of their teammates made it to the big league.

It was only one game, but 78-year-old goalie Ted Ouimet played in the big league. Decades later, he still loves playing the game.

“I still got that fire in me,” Ouimet said.

“I want to play.”

Ouimet grew up in Rouyn-Noranda, Que., where even though the winter temperatures reached the chilly -50s, he always braved the frigid air for outdoor hockey.

“I wanted to play badly. I wanted a pair of NHL pads and I finally got them,” he recalled.

Ouimet said he grew up watching former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Dave Keon.

Traded to St. Louis

He worked his way up in junior hockey with the Montreal Junior Canadiens and was traded to the St. Louis Blues.

He eventually got the call-up from Blues GM Scotty Bowman in the 1968-69 season.

Ouimet laced up the skates in his rookie year to play in net for one game against the Pittsburgh Penguins.

“I had a shutout with two and a half minutes remaining and they beat us 2-1. There were two deflections off of Noel Picard,” he said.

“But you know what, I have to be thankful. I had a chance to play.”

Faced Bobby Orr

Ouimet recalled playing against legendary defenceman Bobby Orr during when Orr played for the Bruins.

When he’s not playing, Ouimet is either tuning into women’s hockey or he’s in the stands watching his friends.

“I’ll play until these guys chase me off the ice,” he laughed.

The camaraderie is alive on the ice, as many of the players often poke fun at Ouimet, bragging about the first time they scored on the former pro.

“Since that day, we’ve been teasing each other and Ted’s a great guy,” said teammate Robert Cousineau.

Luc Martel also enjoys joking with Ouimet.

“Oh yes, I definitely let people know,” Martel said.

It’s that love of the game that brings these seniors back on the ice every week as hockey if for young and old, for the pros and for the tinkerers.

“We’re passionate about it,” Cousineau added.

“Otherwise, we wouldn’t be here.”