Scott Radley: Drew Schiestel is hoping to sip from the Allan Cup

Most of his time these days is spent at work. He's a provincial sales manager for Asahi Breweries, one of the biggest beer companies in the world.

You can be sure that makes him popular in the dressing room after hockey games. And will make him the first guy drafted every year in any men's league.

It's less and less for my hockey ability and more for what I supply," Drew Schiestel quips.

But not entirely.

Starting Monday, that hockey ability will be very much in demand as he and his Hamilton Steelers begin vying for the Allan Cup in Dundas.

For the first time since 2019, the championship of senior hockey in Canada will be contested. COVID took care of the years since. Hamilton, the Dundas Real McCoys, the Clarenville Caribous from Newfoundland and Labrador, and the Innisfail Eagles from Alberta will be playing for it.

Schiestel isn't just a key piece for his team - and the captain of the Steelers - but a guy who finds himself in a unique position having played minor hockey for the Hamilton Huskies, professional hockey for the Hamilton Bulldogs and now senior hockey for a third local team.

It's kind of a cool accomplishment," he says.

He never knew he'd be wearing his hometown's name on his chest again. After playing junior in Mississauga and Niagara - and then being selected in the second round of the NHL draft by Buffalo - the defenceman made stops in Maine, New York state, Texas, South Carolina, West Virginia, Germany, Denmark, Indiana, Hungary, Croatia and England. And here in Hamilton in 2013-14. Coincidentally, the last time Dundas hosted this event.

But the truth is, he thought he was done with the sport when the pandemic hit. He was in Coventry, U.K., where his side was in contention for the British League title only to be forced off the ice with five games left.

He eventually came home and found a job working at a restaurant in town where his sister is executive pastry chef before he eventually found a job selling beer. He did really well at that and was quickly promoted.

How much skating did he do during those couple years without hockey?

Once or twice at Princess Point," he says.

But the bug - hockey, not COVID - never really goes away. A few guys he'd grown up with signed on to play senior last year and he thought it would be fun. It was a really short season but it scratched an itch. So he returned this year with the Steelers.

Now, here he is with a chance to play in front of real crowds again for a legitimate championship that's been awarded since 1909.

And that time away? Sure it has an effect. He says he's not the same as when he was practising or playing every day. That said, it takes just one hit to get guys like him, who've played pro for years, engaged. Once things get going, it's basically impossible not to slip back into the old mode and become intensely competitive.

It's hard to change that," he says.

At 34 and with his career now taking off, who knows how much more hockey there is in him or how many more chances he'll have to win something? So this matters.

The big question is, what if he does? What if his Steelers - which beat Dundas for the Ontario championship last week - duplicate their feat and win the right to sip from the bowl?

You mean, what will he do to celebrate?

No. What beer will he sip from the bowl? After all, Asahi owns numerous brands. Grolsch, Peroni, Pilsner Urquell and a bunch of others.

He laughs. He hadn't thought about that. But he's quick with an answer.

I think I gotta give Asahi Super Dry all the love," he says. I think it's the easiest, crispest beer to drink in a dressing room after a game."

Always the salesperson.

Maybe a champion one more time soon, too.

Scott Radley is a Hamilton-based columnist at The Spectator. Reach him via email: sradley@thespec.com

Allan Cup schedule

All games are played at the J.L. Grightmire Arena in Dundas

Monday, April 17

3:30 p.m. - Hamilton vs. Clarenville

7:30 p.m. - Dundas vs. Innisfail

Tuesday, April 18

3:30 p.m. - Innisfail vs. Clarenville

7:30 p.m. - Dundas vs. Hamilton

Wednesday, April 19

7:30 p.m. - Hamilton vs. Innisfail

Thursday, April 20

7:30 p.m. - Dundas vs. Clarenville

Friday, April 21

7:30 p.m. - Semifinal

Saturday, April 22

Time TBD - Final