A life in hockey
Demers was born on November 4, 1943, in Providence, Rhode Island. His parents were Kathleen and Arthur Demers. He grew up near the Rhode Island Auditorium, and became a “rink rat,” earning time on the ice in exchange for cleaning the ice and sweeping the stands.[2] At 12 years old, he became an assistant stick boy for the visiting team at Rhode Island Reds of the American Hockey League. A Vietnam-era veteran, Demers served in 1961-1965, then enrolled at Brown University and the University of Rhode Island to study athletic training and sports medicine. In 1970, he received a certification from the National Athletic Trainers Association.
After three seasons with the Rhode Island Reds (1965-68), Demers worked as the head athletic trainer with the Columbus Checkers (International Hockey League) for one season before joining the Springfield Kings (1969-1972) as head athletic trainer.[3] The Springfield Kings was an L.A. Kings farm team.
L.A. Kings (1972–2006)
In 1972, Demers was appointed head athletic trainer to the L.A. Kings. The Kings played at the Forum in Inglewood, California (1967-1999). Demers was a first responder with one assistant who treated injuries, planned players’ off-ice and off-season conditioning programs, did massage therapy, physical therapy, and attended to the team’s nutrition needs.[2] He also handled equipment
Demers tended to players’ injuries of all kinds with the Kings,[4] including torn ligaments and muscles, broken bones, concussions, cuts, and bruises.[5] The treatments included traditional ice and ultrasound, along with TENS (transcutaneous electronic stimulation).[5]
In 1988, one of hockey’s greatest players joined the Kings, making the team hugely popular – and more successful than ever. Demers was present when Wayne Gretzky held his first press conference, and considers himself “very lucky to see him play.”[6]
With time, teams focused more on protecting players, and Demers was part of that transition. Over the years, he kept a journal of injuries and illness that allowed him to identify key issues.[7] Demers was the athletic trainers’ liaison to the NHL team physician and on the first NHL injury analysis panel designed to record all hockey injuries.[8]
Demers retired in 2007.[9] He holds the record for the most consecutive games as a hockey athletic trainer - 2,632.
"The camaraderie and sense of family that we have in our game is like no other business," he has said.[10]