Vets Park of Ann Arbor Draft League Hockey Players

“We can rebuild it, we have the technology, we have the capability…”

With ice temporarily down at the home barn, Draft League players improvised and rented the Yost sheet for some much overdue competition. Fun had by all… let’s keep it going!

John announcement…

Hello Masters Draft Players & Goaltenders,

Tomorrow night we will have our second round of Q & A for the Masters players and goalies. This is an informal discussion on the rules of adult ice hockey using MAHA and USA Hockey rules. Anyone wanting to play in the Masters league, this will help to understand how the game is played.

It is free to attend and those attending please write down a series of question for us to all discuss in an open forum. I will again invite referees for everyone to see they are regular people too.

The session will go from 7-9pm. We look forward to seeing everyone interested. We will continue these sessions through the summer months so stay tuned.

Best regards, El John

Keep your stick on the ice!

White won the McGovern Cup “warmup” game vs Yellow, we’ll see what happens this summer with the rivalry rematch @ The Cube for McGovern Cup 2026!

The latest from El John...

Hello Everyone,

A few updates....

The Vets Ice Plant will be up and running in the fall of 2026. So you can plan on being part of the Master Draft community soon.
We have been brainstorming on what we can do to get folks in the building in the mean time.

Broom ball - This could be played "Cross-Ice" like the 3 v 3 tourney. Suggested gear; Helmets, gloves, shin guards, elbow pads, tennis shoes. This is a No Charge event! We could even do a youth game and Adult game if you would like to do this.
Pickleball- We have the nets, and gear to use. This has a nominal fee but still a lot of fun.
Rules Meetings: We had the first rules meeting and the questions were great as well as the interaction with the group. The next rules meeting will be Tuesday 3/17 from 7-9pm in the Vets meeting room/Lobby.

As always we welcome your comments on how we can better serve the hockey community.

Best regards, El John

Send a message to learn more

FYI - Buhr closed due to warm temps until further notice.

See everyone in the fall hopefully!

RINK CLOSED remainder of the season!

The following just emailed by A2 City Big Cheese…

Dear Veterans Memorial Draft League Participants,

We regret to share that due to an unexpected compressor failure, Veterans Memorial Indoor Ice Arena will be closed for the remainder of the 2026 skating season. We understand how important the rink is to our skaters, families, and community, and we sincerely apologize for the disruption this causes. This was not an outcome we hoped for, and we know how disappointing it is to lose ice time so suddenly. All participants who registered for programs, lessons or activities that can no longer be held will automatically receive refunds. Our team is working to process these as quickly as possible, and no action is needed on your part. We remain committed to providing skating/hockey opportunities and encourage you to stay tuned for additional open skating times and programs at Buhr Park Outdoor Ice Arena (2751 Packard Road) as an alternative option this season.

Thank you for your patience, understanding, and continued support of our ice programs.

The draft league games tomorrow, 2/19/2026, at Buhr will still proceed as planned.

Sincerely,

Cameron Schmitt (he, him, his) | Recreation Supervisor

NO GAMES TONIGHT ‼️

From JM…

Greetings Masters Draft players & Netminders,

It is with great sadness that I write to you this morning. However our Ice plant has decided to nap on us and the ice temperature is 29 F. As you know, safety is number one with our program and soft ice, sharp skates = Injury.

We play the game for fun, not to visit the hospital. We are canceling games tonight 2/17/2026 and will move them to the first Spring games. (Tuesday 3/3/2026).

Take the evening to:

Register for Spring (Only 56 thus far) 10 new players who may take your spot.
Watch the Olympics.
Spend time with your family.
You could do all 3!
Best regards, El John

Keep your stick on the ice.

A word from JM…

Good afternoon, Hockey lovers,

Coming up along the horizon are 2 "Special Events" you will want to at the very least watch.

The 2nd Annual Puck Stoppers Jamboree- Basically the pillow legged folk, playing "Real" hockey. If you missed this event last year, we have brought it back ! Registration is open for this online as well as in person. But you must act now as it will for sure fill up. Thursday April 23 7:10-9pm
Final Freeze 3 vs. 3 Tournament- A sellout event in the Fall. Players MUST be registered in Masters to play. Teams will be drafted by Sam & John. The event will be Friday April 24 7-10pm
Either or Both events are open for those interested Online, In-person and even over the phone.

Thanks everyone for being a part of the Masters family.

Keep your stick on the ice, El John

The More You Know 🌈⭐️

A WORD FORM OUR LEADER...

Hello Masters Draft Players & Goaltenders,

There is less than a month to register for the Spring session of Masters Draft. The ice times will be earlier once the High School teams finish in Mid March. At this time there will no longer be 11pm games.

Register now for the Spring session; Call 734-794-6235 to register full or part time.

Go to the City of Ann Arbor Parks & Rec website and register online. Or register in person, so we can see your smiley face when you sign up. Again we will have 8 teams. Tuesday nights, perhaps some Thursday nights @ Buhr Park, and of course the ever popular Saturday matinee games.

I have received the survey responses from Fall and Winter I. Not a lot of surprises here. I am a bit perplexed over some of the comments about referee quality. With only a few players with referee experience, it amazes me the critique of officials from those that have NEVER skated as one. I do try to work with officials on how and what to call during Masters games. Just like players, officials are people that make mistakes from time to time. It also never ceases to amaze me that yelling at a referee, does not improve matters. Why would it. When I was a referee, it helped me to find the next penalty for the yelling player. Afterall the best referees are after the best hockey. There is also a referee shortage, with the first goal to cover every game with 2 officials.

I strongly suggest every player to download the USA Hockey Rule Book on the USA Hockey website. Once downloaded, please do read it. I am happy to discuss rule interpretation with any of you.

Be safe, have fun and play fair!

Best regards, John

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