There's No Bigger Glue Guys In Sports Than Equipment Managers In The NHL
The NHL is filled with the greatest hockey players on the planet who can do incredible things on the ice. There are great coaches who put the players in the right spots. There are great general managers who construct the rosters and get all the players to begin with.
But the guys who really make the NHL go? The ones who make sure these guys never have to worry about a single thing other than going out there and playing? Never having to worry about their skates being dull, or their sticks snapping, or their gloves being too wet (for the most part)? The true unsung heroes of the NHL are the equipment managers.
I don't think I've ever seen Connor McDavid actually smile during his career so far in the NHL. And just look at this shit-eating grin he has stapled to his face as he knows he's has Harry's head in a blender for the last 10 minutes trying to make sure the captain's gloves are adequately dry.
You've got Draisaitl launching his gloves at him between every period. Hyman making sure he goes to Harry every day to get his stick numbered. He gets to bring the juice on the bench when the rest of the coaching staff has to stay composed. It's clear how much the fellas love him, and it's pretty clear that Brad "Harry" Harrison is the heartbeat of the Edmonton Oilers.
And that's all he does just during the game. That's before you start factoring in getting all the equipment set up in the stalls earlier in the morning, packing up all the equipment after games, making sure that everyone has the right tape in their stall, and making sure he's up to date with all these dude's bizarre superstitions. Like imagine being the Dallas Stars' equipment manager and knowing you need to have black tape ready for Mikael Granlund for the first 2 periods, but you need to have white tape ready for him in the 3rd.
These dudes are all maniacs. Most athletes are highly superstitious, but hockey players take it to an entirely new (and probably unhealthy) level. Something tells me Granlund wouldn't even be able to function if he had to put black tape on his stick in the 3rd period. It would throw him off so much his brain would explode. He wouldn't have completed his hat trick in the 3rd period last night, Winnipeg would have still only been down by 1-goal, and possibly found a way to come back. But the equipment manager had that fresh roll of white tape ready to roll for Granlund, he scored the hatty, and the Stars have a 3-1 series lead.
They perfectly blend that line between staff and teammate. They're part coach, part personal assistant, part teammate, part therapist. That's why the boys love them so much. I'm sure the NHL would function without them, but not even close to the level of efficiency it operates when they're around. Imagine if Connor McDavid had to miss the 1st period of a game in the Stanley Cup Final because he left his jersey or gloves at home, and needed someone to drive back to go grab them. Not on Harry's watch.
