

Equipment managers might be the most underrated staff members on any sports team. They make sure everything fits to the players’ likings and that they always have whatever they need ready to go at all times.

One NHL equipment manager who has seen just about everything is the Anaheim Ducks’ current equipment manager Doug “Sluggo” Shearer, who is in his 11th season with the Ducks and 34th season as an NHL equipment manager. However, when this season is all said and done, Shearer is calling it a career and the Ducks showed him some love earlier this week at practice.



After 34 @NHL seasons (2,848 NHL games), including the last 11 with the #NHLDucks, equipment manager Doug “Sluggo” Shearer will retire after the season.



This week at practice, the players presented a gift to Sluggo with an unforgettable moment @HondaCenter. pic.twitter.com/Df7fdLsqMk — x - Anaheim Ducks (@AnaheimDucks) April 5, 2018

Rather than breaking the news to Shearer once he came out onto the team’s bench, Francois Beauchemin played it by asking the veteran equipment manager to fix his visor for him. Once he returned after making the appropriate adjustments, the 37-year-old defenceman asked him to remove his boat from the ice so they could get practice underway and he was completely blown away by the kind gesture.



Soooo sweet! Congrats Sluggo, way to go guys! — Maria Wilson (@MrsW_WoodCanyon) April 6, 2018 This is why I LOVE THE DUCKS! — Mary Darbee (@Livedreamthrive) April 6, 2018

Shearer served as the Washington Capitals’ head equipment manager from 1983-07 before joining the Anaheim Ducks, where he has been for the past 11 seasons.

(H/T Twitter/AnaheimDucks)