Teams and Athletes Came from Distant Locations to Participate in the USA Hockey-Long Drink Adult Men’s National Championships
To illustrate that hockey is indeed a sport for life, one need only consider the 2026 USA Hockey-Long Drink Adult Men’s National Championships.
This event — held from April 9-12 at AdventHealth Center Ice in Wesley Chapel, Florida — included 10 age categories ranging from 40-plus to 75-plus, attracting 64 teams and 1,100 players from across the nation and internationally.
A notable example of players’ enthusiasm for competing at nationals is the 50-plus Tier 3 champion Metro Merchants from Bemidji, Minnesota, who had a participant travel all the way from Australia.
The Metro Merchants secured their first national title by defeating the Sylvania Northstars 5-3 on Sunday.
“We finally won the championship this year,” stated 51-year-old Metro Merchants captain Steve Carter. “It takes a little while for everyone to come together. Each player comes from different backgrounds. Four of the guys played together in college, so it’s like a reunion for them.”
In their tournament opener against the Sylvania Northstars, the Metro Merchants initially fell behind 5-0 in the first period but rallied to achieve a 10-5 victory.
Clearly, the Metro Merchants demonstrated resilience. Carter noted that they relished the experience of winning the championship.
“We were ecstatic after the game,” Carter remembered. “Some of the players had their grandchildren there as well. It was fantastic. It was quite emotional.”
Having achieved victory this year, the Metro Merchants are eager to return in 2027 to defend their title, according to Carter.
“Every individual in that locker room expressed their intention to come back next year,” he said, “which is fantastic because it’s challenging to find players over 50 who can still move well.”
Life obligations and injuries can impact players as they advance through age divisions, but Carter has a unique advantage that helps him continue to excel on the ice.
“I’m married to a yoga instructor, so that helps keep my hips and knees functioning well,” Carter mentioned.
Ron Keys and his SoFlo Tropics from Lighthouse Point, Florida, claimed the 60-plus Tier 3 title with a 3-0 win over the Stardusters.
Unlike some other teams in the tournament, most of the Tropics are local and play Sunday nights in Boca Raton.
According to the 64-year-old Keys, the Tropics frequently compete against players in their 40s and 50s, including former NHL player and Stanley Cup champion Anders Eriksson.
“It was beneficial for us to play at that high speed against these younger players,” Carter noted. “We share a strong bond. We enjoy playing together.”
The Tropics excelled throughout the tournament, outscoring their opponents 31-4 over five matches.
Keys mentioned that his team utilized their speed to win most of the battles for loose pucks on the ice.
Despite the one-sided scores, the Tropics faced their share of injuries on their path to the championship.
“All of our goalies have knee issues,” Keys explained. “We dealt with knee injuries, back problems, concussions, and shoulder rotator cuff surgeries. We had to fill three positions at the last minute. It was challenging.”
Keys indicated that the team will advance to Tier 2 next year in pursuit of another title.
“Winning the national title in Tier 3 inspired everyone,” Keys remarked. “We already have a strong commitment from players wanting to participate.”
After winning the title last year, John Garrett’s Ironworkers from Port Huron, Michigan, reached the 70-plus final but lost 3-2 to the Turkey Pond Flyers.
“It’s nice to wear that white hat that signifies the champions,” said the 72-year-old Garrett. “We fell short, but it was a great championship game. We still hold our heads high. We’ll get them next year.”
Garrett mentioned that he and most of his teammates have been participating in adult nationals for the past decade, and all of them have secured at least one title and look forward to returning each year with hopes of winning more.
One challenge for players in their 70s is competing in four games over four days, Garrett noted.
“I’ve been telling people that when you need 15 players, you should start with 20 because [things] happen,” Garrett said. “We were backfilling in March. If we can start and finish with the same roster, we always feel fortunate.”
Other championship teams included: NC Eagles, 40-plus; Northland Stars, 50-plus Tier 1; Chazy Chicken Hawks, 50-plus Tier 2; 24 Hockey Jacksonville, 50-plus Tier 4; NL Puffins, 60-plus Tier 1; Team Gianni, 60-plus Tier 2; Ironworkers, 75-plus.
Story from Red Line Editorial, Inc
