Terry Ryan says the hit Canadian hockey comedy “Shoresy” has turned into something none of its cast ever expected — a television series that not only celebrates the culture of the sport but also allows its actors, all former players, to lace up again in front of thousands of fans.
Ryan, who plays Ted Hitchcock on the show, said the idea of taking “Shoresy” on the road began modestly.
“We’re all actual hockey players; a lot of us have played professionally,” he said. “Last year was the first time we [took the show on the road]. We played five cities … and we played the alumni teams.”
The plan materialized quickly, he said, during downtime while filming Season 4. The cast noticed that “Letterkenny,” the series “Shoresy” spun off from, regularly toured live shows.
“We were in Jared’s [Keeso] ear, and a few of the producers, like, we should do that,” Ryan said. “Maybe we can go out and play actual hockey teams, seeing that we’re hockey players.”
What Ryan didn’t anticipate was the scale.
“I mean, when they said that, I thought we’d be playing maybe local firefighters, the farm teams and stuff,” he said. “I never thought we’d be playing actual NHL arenas. Nor did I think we would sell them out.”
But they did — every single stop on the tour. And now the Bulldogs — the fictional team at the heart of the series — are preparing for their next major venue: UBS Arena, home of the New York Islanders, when the “Shoresy” cast returns for a live game on Dec. 10.
For Ryan, 47, the experience blends his past and present in ways he once thought impossible. A former NHL player whose career was cut short by injury, he spent a decade working behind the camera before transitioning to acting.
“For me, this is wild — to be acting and to be still playing hockey in these awesome cities,” he said. “We really do feel like we’re a hockey team. Well, we are a hockey team.”
The cast, he added, brings a range of stories that mirror the sport’s rugged, itinerant reality.
“When we got there, we all had our own unique story, and we were all heavily involved in hockey and the culture of hockey,” he said. “I don’t think we thought it’d go anywhere onto a TV show. In fact, I know we didn’t.”
Yet the chemistry that works on screen thrives off camera as well.
“We all stay together, like in rooms next to each other in the hotel. We hang out with the crew. We go on the road. We treat it like we’re still playing hockey,” he said. “It can be a lonely journey to a degree, so you really feed off your friends in hockey. They become your brothers and your sisters.”
Ryan’s character, Ted Hitchcock, is famously toothless and proudly Newfoundlander — traits Ryan embraces.
“My character’s from Newfoundland. I’m from Newfoundland,” he said. “When I’m on the show, I talk like this Irish twang … and I can turn it on and off.”
He also credits his missing tooth with helping land the role.
“The very first phone call I got, the casting director said, ‘You’re still missing the tooth, right?’” he said, laughing. “I will never fix this tooth.”
At UBS Arena, fans can expect a full-spectrum “Shoresy” experience, including VIP meet-and-greets, behind-the-scenes stories and sneak peeks at Season 5.
“We’re very appreciative of all this attention,” Ryan said. “We don’t leave until every last autograph is signed.”
And the hockey is real — fast, competitive and unpredictable. Ryan said the cast’s mix of former NHLers, high-level juniors and draft picks holds its own against alumni teams.
“Usually … almost every game came down to a goal at the end,” he said. “It’s real hockey; it’s pretty wild.”
He’s also eager to skate in the Islanders’ new home.
“I’m so excited because a lot of the NHL venues are changing,” he said. “UBS is talked about all over the league, and we haven’t played there yet.”
For Ryan, the tour is more than entertainment — it’s a tribute to the sport that shaped his life.
“It really is a celebration of hockey in general and the culture of hockey,” he said. “We get as much of a kick out of it as you guys do.”
Visit www.ubsarena.com to purchase tickets.
