This living legend is without a doubt one of the top 3 defensemen EVER to play in the Over-30 league. EVER! The “real number 5” of the Over-30 league is a natural leader and quarterback on any team that is lucky to have him as their team captain.
When you want to define class as a hockey player, team leader, and individual look no further than Dan Broderick. One of the league’s best-ever positional defensemen who very rarely is out of position, he is known for his ability to use his stick as an extension of his arm to knock the ball away from opposing players sticks. He may have slowed down over the years, but, even the speedsters of the league have never beaten Dan one-on-one.
The epitome of the thinking man’s defenseman, you can always count on Dan to make that first outlet pass right on the tape of his player or take the right angle to minimize an opposing players scoring chance.
Now playing in his 29th season, Dan is a natural born leader who commands respect, not only from his teammates, but from opposing players as well. When Dan speaks, players listen! One of the Over-30 league’s true “character players” and role models.
Dan’s legacy in the dek hockey world is well established. He is the first-ever player from this area to be enshrined in the street hockey Hall of Fame up in Leominster. His successful leadership of the Seahawks tournament team, as player-coach, for over 20 years is legendary. He has won multiple tournament championships throughout the US and Canada, and participated in a few Canadian ball Hockey championships. Locally, Dan was player-coach for over 20 years of Team Canada.
Rumors & Facts:
· Considered Brad Park his boyhood hockey idol growing up.
· Has been wearing the same Kelly green t-shirt under his game shirt for over 30 years.
· Had a ritual of wearing a pre-game warm-up jersey.., then switched to the actual game jersey
· Has been called a “living legend” and “old man.” At his age, Dan would simply appreciate being referred to as an “old legend and a living man.”
· Could be the only dek hockey player in history to have his playing contract paid by the Federal Government in form of his Social Security checks.
· Ray Dow’s idol and mentor, along with being Matty Iannello’s.., “Mr Miyagi”. Dan molded Matt into the player he is today (and the superstar tournament player he was).
· Did not think Matty was a good fit at center and wanted him to be a winger.
· His longevity is now the measuring stick for how many potential years a player has left to play competitive dek hockey (Editor’s Note: According to my calculations I have 20+ years left)
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