In a search to find out more about this story I found a wonderful webpage at the Canadian Hockey Hall of Fame discussing music, musicians and their love of hockey including Alan Doyle and Great Big Sea.
Of course fans who follow Alan on social media know about his love of hockey through his comments on the game during the regular hockey season and building a rink in the backyard for skating. He has also sung the Canadian anthem at a hockey games on a regular basis too.
I have copied some of them here for those interested from the webpage below.
No copyright infringement intended.
“Joining Jim Cuddy's All-Stars at the Hall of Fame is Alan Doyle, guitarist and lead vocalist of Great Big Sea. Doyle grew up playing hockey in Petty Harbour, Newfoundland. "Playing hockey was, by far, the most popular pastime," he reveals. "With the exception of the one paved road that went through the town, when I was a little kid, the only flat piece of pavement was right next to the fish plant down at the wharf. It made for a good surface with one obvious shortcoming —: the ball constantly went into the Atlantic Ocean! We devised several ingenious ways to get the ball back. In true sports form, we became very good at throwing large rocks just past the ball and the waves would float it back in. One of the local fishermen donated a rodney (small fishing boat) so we could go out to retrieve the balls. Then we devised several intricate netting barriers to keep the ball from going out there in the first place."
Alan and Great Big Sea joined a select group of musicians who have recorded songs about hockey. On their most recent CD, 'Something Beautiful,' is a hockey song titled 'Helmethead.' But outside the studio or stage, Alan enjoys strapping on the pads to play goal. "I wanted to be Ken Dryden," Doyle begins. "When I was 19, I tried out for one of the junior teams in St. John's. At that time, I was working full-time, I was playing in two different bands and I was attending university. There were eight goalies trying out and I was probably number seven at the first practice. They had five practices a week and three games. I thought, 'I can't do this!' I had to either give up university or give up playing in the bands or give up playing hockey, so I stopped playing hockey for almost eight years. In my late twenties, I started playing again, but during those years I didn't play hockey, I really missed it."
Alan will be one of the many All-Stars joining Jim Cuddy at the Hockey Hall of Fame on Saturday, November 6. He recalls another time he appeared at a high profile hockey event — the 2001 NHL All-Star Game in Denver, Colorado. "The NHL gave us a call and said, 'Alan, we want you to come down and play in the All-Star Game.' So I said, 'Wow! That's awesome! Should I bring my goalie gear?' and they said, 'No no no. We want you to play some songs!' But it was a big thrill to open the All-Star Game. It was something you don't forget! I took my brother and a couple of the buddies from back home. They really thought we'd made it when we were backstage at the All-Star Game!"
From the official Instagram account of Alanthomasdoyle. No copyright infringement intended.
