HNIC Towel = Ultimate Hockey Status Symbol

[VooX]

From the Hamilton Spectator

Different societies have different status symbols. North America has cars, houses and jewellery. Many African countries have the cellphone. In some parts of Asia, it's a rare white truffle.

In pro hockey? It's the towel.

If you've been watching Hockey Night In Canada even a little bit, you've seen the one. The white one with the round HNIC logo that's draped over a player's shoulder while he's doing an intermission interview.

Unbelievable as it may sound in a sports world where pocket change is counted in the thousands of dollars and most players make an average Canadian's annual salary in a matter of minutes, in dressing room currency these swaths of woven cotton are absolute gold...

"They're tough to get," Harvey says. "It's like pulling teeth."

That's because the only way to get one -- this is a rule only slightly less etched in stone than the Ten Commandments -- is by being a player who appears on camera. And since only those players who've done something special during a game get asked to appear, these cloths carry the mark of excellence...

Even employees can't get 'em. Marek doesn't have one. In fact, he hasn't seen a single HNIC staffer with one. They're basically kept under lock and key, with only three or four brought to each game and closely guarded until they're presented...

Marek's been amazed as the faces of player after player lit up when the towel was draped over their shoulder.

An exaggeration?

Go ahead and try to find one on eBay or for sale at a memorabilia convention if you think so. You'd have more luck finding a baby seal-skin coat at a PETA convention.

[zepps]

Sucks if you play on a team that rarely gets on HNIC.

That's pretty neat though.

[Greek_physique]

Pretty impressive.
I wonder who has the most.....

[JBIZ14]

k now i want one.

[VooX]

Yesterday, they ran out of towels and the fourth interview was given an apology for no towel.

When Pavel Datsyuk first had one draped around his neck he joked, "How much am I going to get paid to wear this?"

[Gord]

it's a lot easier for a toronto player to get one, anyway.
thank god they went to having a late game also. when did they add that late game, anyway? I do remember there just being the one game. I thought they brought it in after the first lock out/strike in 94/95?

[SENSfreak_03]

Originally Posted by Greek_physique

Pretty impressive.
I wonder who has the most.....

someone on the leafs no doubt.

[Tyler]

Iginla has plenty

[PezRadar]

If HNIC = Gold

Then Versus Towel = $2.00

[Coug555]

I've been in a locker room where there's been like 5 draped on a coat hook. I could have just grabbed one.

[smackdaddy]

Originally Posted by Coug555

I've been in a locker room where there's been like 5 draped on a coat hook. I could have just grabbed one.

You could've, but you wouldn't live to tell the story.

[senrab]

Originally Posted by Gord

it's a lot easier for a toronto player to get one, anyway.
thank god they went to having a late game also. when did they add that late game, anyway? I do remember there just being the one game. I thought they brought it in after the first lock out/strike in 94/95?

I thought they started when Vancouver joined the league in 1970...??

[hdw]

Originally Posted by VooX

When Pavel Datsyuk first had one draped around his neck he joked, "How much am I going to get paid to wear this?"

Wasn't that actually a Versus towel?

The reporter looked totally stumped anyway, wasn't sure if he was serious or joking