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Las Vegas Hockey: Life In The Minor Leagues

Two levels below the National Hockey League and a world away from its glamour, the members of the Las Vegas Wranglers ply their trade for a modest salary.

While some players hang on to NHL dreams, for many, just getting paid to play the game they love is a fantasy come true. The life of a minor league hockey player isn’t easy. On average, players in Las Vegas make about six hundred dollars a week during the five month season.

They also log hundreds of miles on buses for games in Boise, Idaho or Loveland, Colorado. And there is just enough meal money for a classic Moo Burger at Moo Moo’s Burger Barn during a trip to Stockton, California.

Brendan Rempel and Geoff Irwin just wrapped up their season. The Wranglers were swept out of the first round of the ECHL playoffs by the Alaska Aces.

The loss also brought to an end the Wranglers 10-year lease of the Orleans Arena. Next year, the Wranglers will play in a yet to be constructed arena at the Plaza Hotel in downtown Las Vegas.

Brendon Rempel, Las Vegas Wranglers

Geoff Irwin, Las Vegas Wranglers

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