Senior ice hockey

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Senior hockey refers to amateur or semi-professional ice hockey competition for players too old to play junior hockey.

Senior hockey leagues should not be confused with professional hockey leagues such as the National Hockey League or its lower-tier brethren such as the American Hockey League and the ECHL. These leagues are professional leagues where players are generally presumed to have a chance, however slim, of advancing to the National Hockey League at some point. Senior hockey leagues, however, are generally filled with players who failed to catch on with even low-level professional leagues such as the Central Hockey League or the United Hockey League.

The top senior amateur teams in Canadian leagues compete for the Allan Cup every year. Despite the low level of competition, some former NHLers such as Pat Falloon, Link Gaetz, and Eric Fichaud have played in senior hockey after washing out of the NHL, and some have achieved great success at this low level in the twilight of their careers.