Game On Magazine 2017 Nov Game On low res | Page 106

Sutton Sting and the fans would chant,‘ Up the Sting!’ I had a pretty great year( 20 goals and 39 points in 28 games), but it’ s really interesting at that level over there. They’ ll sign imports, suddenly realize they’ ve overspent and drop guys immediately. That’ s happened at least three times with me. So after the season, I got dropped by Sutton and Billingham picked me up. I was the only import on Billingham and we got to the league final. I had another great season( 17 goals and 36 points in 22 games).”
FROM BRITAIN YOU WENT TO HOLLAND AND NOW YOU’ RE GOING TO GERMANY?“ Yeah, last year I signed with the Ahoud Devils of Nijmegen in the top league in Holland( the BeNeLiga), I was the captain. It’ s interesting how I became captain. The team had a captain, but his wife had booked a winter holiday for them before the schedule came out. So when the schedule came out, it turns out he’ d miss five or six games because of this holiday in Spain or
someplace. So I was named the captain. That’ s kind have been the story of my career thus far.
“ Right now, I would say that I’ m at the midway point of my career. I have a lot of years behind me, but I have some pretty good years ahead as well. I’ m going to play for Adendorfer EC in the German 4th League. I’ ll be paid about $ 1,500 CDN a month. It’ s kind of like playing for the Goldeyes. To be honest I’ m not too sure with what to expect from the hockey. I watched videos and I’ d say it’ s probably a Jr. A level over here. I could be wrong, but that’ s what the videos looked like. I’ m looking to go over there and set that league on fire. Personally, and I’ m probably pumping my own tires here, but I know I can play at a higher level, but I need to put points up, win a championship and get more on my resume so that teams in higher leagues in Europe will notice me. This is a regrouping year – a pay-my-dues year – so that next year I can take another step forward.
AFTER EVERYTHING THAT’ S HAPPENED DO YOU HAVE ANY REGRETS, ANYTHING YOU WOULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY?“ Well, it’ s the way that it went and I guess it worked out. I think there might have been other paths I could have taken, but I don’ t regret anything that’ s happened. I’ m happy with the decisions I’ ve made. Maybe I could have gone out to the U of M and tried to be a walk-on with the Bisons, but maybe if I’ d played for the Bisons, I wouldn’ t have had the opportunity to play pro. So I don’ t look back and say‘ Oh, I did this wrong.’ I look back and say,‘ I got lucky.’ I put the work in and it’ s paying off. But there are a lot of people who did as much work as I did and never got the opportunity to go pro so I’ ve been very fortunate.”
“I WAS THE ONLY
IMPORT ON
BILLINGHAM AND
WE GOT TO THE
LEAGUE FINAL.”
THOMAS SUART-
DANT, 91, OF THE
BILLINGHAM STARS
Thomas Stuart-Dant with the Sutton Sting- NIHL
HAS THE LONG, CRAZY JOURNEY BEEN WORTH IT?“ When I learned that I could have the opportunity to play pro hockey and travel the world at the same time, I was like,‘ Why don’ t we actually look into this? This is appealing.’ Now that I’ m doing it, I would highly recommend it to any kid playing hockey right now. I’ m living proof that if you want to be a hockey player and you want to play pro, you just have to keep playing and not be afraid to play in places that others might not pursue. Don’ t quit. Just grind it out. There are times when it’ s far from perfect, but it’ s still playing hockey. And in Europe, it’ s great. You have a week off and you just get on a plane and go someplace. It’ s cheaper for me to fly from London to Madrid than from Winnipeg to Toronto. It’ s unbelievable. Playing in Europe, I can’ t describe it in words. It’ s like a Kodak moment all the time.“ And you have to understand, I just like to play hockey. I like to skate, I like to be on the ice and I met most of my friends through hockey. I still love it now despite everything I’ ve gone through. There is nothing I’ d rather do than be on the ice playing hockey. I like working out in the gym and I really like bartending, it’ s a lot of fun and you meet interesting people, but there is nothing more natural to me or fun for me than being on the ice playing hockey. I spent hours and hours playing on the outdoor rinks with my buddies. Hockey isn’ t a way of life, it’ s a ritual. The rink is like church for me and I want to go to the rink every day until I die.”
106 | GAME ON | NOVEMBER 2017