I was a hockey wife — and it just about killed me

[troutman]

I was a hockey wife — and it just about killed me: My stint with NHL veteran Kirk McLean

http://www.calgaryherald.com/sports/...944/story.html

It was a year that just about killed me. It was the year I moved not once, not twice, not three times, but four times. I didn’t just move within my city. Or province. Or time zone. Or country. I moved to places I had never been to before. To places I had no interest in moving to, or even visiting. And I did so on short notice. I had no say in the matter. I was a hockey wife — and it just about killed me.

As a general rule, the wives were all gorgeous. Some of the marriages were hollow commodity exchanges: good looks traded for prestige and vice versa. The money was terrific, but it had to last a lifetime. At 25 it’s hard to imagine life without a bimonthly quarter million dollar paycheque, but the clever ones do. Some mishandled this windfall. But there were lots of clever ones and, oftentimes, it was the wives doing the math and keeping it real.

Because of the combustible combination of youth, celebrity and money, the wives and the players were subject to mountains of rumour and conjecture. The rumours were pernicious. Both sides have to deal with constant sexual solicitation. Unfortunately, when loneliness meets trophy hunting, trouble is never far behind.

Many people are being unsympathetic in the comments, but I suppose every life can have its challenges.

The most famous, the most beautiful, the wealthiest, live in a different world than the rest of us.

[Dime_On_Flames]

A rare look behind the scenes of the NHL. I'll definitely check this out!

[Violator]

[Flashpoint]

What kind of idiot buys 3 houses in 11 months when moving with no kids?

then buying a house after determining that apartment life in Manhattan was an adjustment we didn’t want to make.

Wow, first world problems much? As to moving damages and claims - that's everybody's move honey.

Sorry - I know relocation is hard - but maybe spend some time with a team before buying real estate. Read as pretty self entitled to me.

[GioforPM]

My wife has volunteered to be Henrik Lundquist's wife and take on these tough challenges. I'm not sure where I fit into the picture.

[Huntsy]

Its all how its managed. Needless to say most players back then had no clue about how to manage money or how to live life. Think it has changed somewhat now but still not a lot of life skills at 15 are being taught on a bus playing in the Dub..Wifes and girlfriends are like she said trophy's..

[Erick Estrada]

Good article. It's the side of the story you rarely hear about as it can't be easy for some families to pick up and move from a place they have settled. Another thing about hockey I don't understand is the fake rumours of wives cheating with other players. It seems like every team has some sort of rumour and I can only assume that some fans take it upon themselves to damage the lives of players they don't like.

[combustiblefuel]

Im not that sympathtic, empethitic only a little. Poor little rich girl. I cracked up about toliet paper rolls as pillows. You couldn't buy any more? Also If they were always moving around why not just rent furniture?

Soumds like a puck bunny bite off more than she could chew. Just sounds whiney..

[Chip Hilton]

Originally Posted by Violator

If Jeff brown was closer it would have been easier on her

The Jeff Brown rumours were associated with McLean's first wife (I believe her name was Lesley). Kirk married the author of this piece several years later. As she mentions in the article, she has never met Brown but because she is now McLean's ex, people just assume she was the one allegedly involved with Brown.

[Ulrith]

Boo freaking hoo... you had to have your girl talk with your personal shopper at Sak's because you moved a few times?

This is the epitomy of first world problems

[AC]

They did this to come across as more relatable? Mission failed.

Kodette Labarbera and Emilie Blum both came across well, but Tiffany Parros seems like she was the worst choice to include. Seconds after talking about wanting to be relatable and being grateful, she makes the remark about "AND the diamonds! tee hee".

[afc wimbledon]

There are plenty of people that have to move all over hell's half acre in search of work that arnt getting close to a quarter of a mill bi yearly.

[Buster]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Good article. It's the side of the story you rarely hear about as it can't be easy for some families to pick up and move from a place they have settled. Another thing about hockey I don't understand is the fake rumours of wives cheating with other players. It seems like every team has some sort of rumour and I can only assume that some fans take it upon themselves to damage the lives of players they don't like.

I heard Daryl Sutter doesn't like those rumours either...

[troutman]

Originally Posted by AC

They did this to come across as more relatable? Mission failed.

Kodette Labarbera and Emilie Blum both came across well, but Tiffany Parros seems like she was the worst choice to include. Seconds after talking about wanting to be relatable and being grateful, she makes the remark about "AND the diamonds! tee hee".

Oh, I missed all that - there is a video, and a reality show coming soon . . .

[Cleveland Steam Whistle]

I think she's caused her only problems with the title of the piece, "almost killed me" is very dramatic. It invites the essentially "first world problem" comments we've seen on here.

If she'd more appropriately titled the piece, it was a decent read on what it might be like. Amazes me though how many on here were for example quick to sympathize with Kipper when he didn't want to move at the end of his contract and essentially tied the Flames hands and gave himself an NTC extenstion he didn't agree to, no one went "oh poor Kipper, first world problems, you might have to move for 3 months while you earn millions".

But in this case, someone rights an article about the down sides of being a hockey wife and the comments are riddle with "who cares" comments. Sure, of course it's a first world problem, no one was sick, no one was starving, but I will admit I can't imagine how tough it would be at 25 to be moving around, to new cities knowing no one and not having a social circle to roll with. All the while, the one person you care the most about is never around because he's an NHL player. Got to be really lonely and tough emotionally, regardless of how much money you have. As we've seen with some recently with what's happened to some of the NHL stars dealing with emotional and mental problems, money doesn't fix all. When I was 25, I lived for my friends and relationships at the time, being moved from city to city not having your own base of family or friends actually would be tough.

Again, shot her self in the foot with the overly dramatic title, and yah, go buy a pillow from Wal Mart and stop being dramatic, but I don't doubt it was legitimately tough for a 25 year old that likely hadn't yet developed the maturity to really cope.

[JiriHrdina]

Watch the rumors in this thread please. Resist temptation to post "other things" you may have heard.

[heep223]

Everyone is suffering in their own way. It's human.

[Buster]

I grew up in a military family, and had moved WAY more than the average NHL family would be the time I went off to university.

My mom managed it like a champ, and didn't have millions of dollars in cash flow.

I like watching pro sports, but I wish these people would just be quiet.

[Igster]

Oh...It's about an actual hockey wife. I thought troutman was posting something pretty personal here.

[combustiblefuel]

Originally Posted by Cleveland Steam Whistle

I think she's caused her only problems with the title of the piece, "almost killed me" is very dramatic. It invites the essentially "first world problem" comments we've seen on here.

If she'd more appropriately titled the piece, it was a decent read on what it might be like. Amazes me though how many on here were for example quick to sympathize with Kipper when he didn't want to move at the end of his contract and essentially tied the Flames hands and gave himself an NTC extenstion he didn't agree to, no one went "oh poor Kipper, first world problems, you might have to move for 3 months while you earn millions".

But in this case, someone rights an article about the down sides of being a hockey wife and the comments are riddle with "who cares" comments. Sure, of course it's a first world problem, no one was sick, no one was starving, but I will admit I can't imagine how tough it would be at 25 to be moving around, to new cities knowing no one and not having a social circle to roll with. All the while, the one person you care the most about is never around because he's an NHL player. Got to be really lonely and tough emotionally, regardless of how much money you have. As we've seen with some recently with what's happened to some of the NHL stars dealing with emotional and mental problems, money doesn't fix all. When I was 25, I lived for my friends and relationships at the time, being moved from city to city not having your own base of family or friends actually would be tough.

Again, shot her self in the foot with the overly dramatic title, and yah, go buy a pillow from Wal Mart and stop being dramatic, but I don't doubt it was legitimately tough for a 25 year old that likely hadn't yet developed the maturity to really cope.

She had the choice to leave or stay. Also at 25 your brain is considered fully developed. She just wanted the kushy park avenue lifestyle and reality seem to bite her in the ass.