Hockey Themed Sock Company Is Helping Former NHLers In Need

So I got this DM’d to me today and I had to write a blog on this because of how great this is. Founded by Jake Mednick and Tom McCole, who originally started the company Babsocks, which were socks with images of Mike Babcock on them. Well, the two are now printing tons of former NHL players faces on socks and have started the website called MyFranchise.com, a company dedicated to helping former NHLers in need through the Sockey Hall of Fame.

“Our vision and our goal is to take care of alumni — players that need help,” Healy said. “The Joe Murphys. That’s where the money goes — to help get him a place to live in the winter. That’s what you’re looking at. Or it goes to players who are 65 and (whose) pensions absolutely suck. A guy who played in the ’60s, his pension’s about $6,000 a year. Are you going to live on that?” the two owners told The Athletic.

One of the best parts is that the NHL teams are now starting to endorse the socks and even sell them in team’s stores. 15 teams have already agreed to sell the socks this season.

What started with just Mike Babcocks pictures on socks has turned into socks with pictures of Cam Neely, Peter Forsberg, Jeremy Roenick, Stan Mikita, Wendel Clark, Brett Hull, Teemu Selanne and plenty more big name former NHLers.

What’s crazy is when I was writing this blog I came across another big supporter of the company, a former player who also has his face on a pair. He also hosts a podcast on the Barstool Sports network.

So come to find out Biz is a huge supporter of the cause, he has his own pair of socks, and is really hoping they can make a difference. “I’m happy to be apart of it. I can’t believe anyone would want to buy socks with my face on them. You have socks with guys like Lanny McDonald on them. But if people will buy them and it helps the cause, then every penny counts.” Biz told me.

Not everyone can transition to their post career as easy as Biz did. Guys struggle with the transition every single day. When you look at the above quote from the two owners, think about the 4^th liners who played a few games in the 80’s. All they knew their entire life was hockey. Now what? They are getting 6k a year pension. You can’t live off that. They didn’t have the TV deal money back then. You didn’t get deals like Whit’s were guys can just go hang em up and play golf for the rest of their life.

You look at guys like former 1^st overall pick Joe Murphy, who is now homeless. And you even look to other leagues, like in the NFL the players in the Hall of Fame demanding health insurance and higher pensions. This company and ideas like this could really help the former players who are struggling.

In the future, I hope we start to see more help given to the former players of the sports we love so much. They are struggling and we can help.