He has lived a hockey life, as a player, coach, and general manager. But early on, he missed on a moment. Brendon Hodge never got the opportunity to watch his father play in the National Hockey League.

Ken Hodge, the Stanley Cup-winning right wing for the Bruins in the ’70s, played his final game in the NHL with the Rangers during the 1978 season. Brendon was born in August of 1978.

“I never saw him play,’’ said Hodge, now 37.

“That’s one thing I wish I’d done in my life. I tell my dad they should have had me earlier. My brothers (Ken Jr. and Dan) got to watch him a little bit. I’m pretty jealous of Kenny especially. He got to be there when my dad won the Stanley Cup in 1972 and there are pictures of him kissing the [Stanley Cup].’’

But there have been a number of other fond memories.

Hodge wore his father’s signature No. 8, as his brother did before him, in his two seasons playing at St. John’s Prep.

“That was one of the coolest things I ever got to do,’’ he said. “No. 8 was available and I got to put on the same jersey my brothers did at St. John’s and that my dad wore. Another cool thing was we made it to the Super 8 and got to play in the old Boston Garden, so we all got to play there.’’

While Ken Jr. skated collegiately at Boston College, and later the NHL, and Dan played at Merrimack College, and was a 1991 Bruins draft pick, the youngest Hodge took his game to Plattsburgh State. In upstate New York, he played for Bob Emery, a Somerville native and former standout at Matignon and BC who is in his 27th season behind the bench at Plattsburgh.

A two-time All-American, Hodge helped power the Cardinals to a Division 3 national championship (2001) and two other appearances in the national semifinals.

He followed that up with a 10-year minor league pro career with stints with the Wheeling Nailers, Stockton Thunder, and Forth Worth Brahmas, among others. He won a championship with the Rapid City Rush (2010) and played for his brother, Dan, as his coach with the Tulsa Oilers.

Hodge met his future wife, Amy, in Rapid City, retired after the 2012-13 season with Fort Worth and returned to her hometown in South Dakota, where he coached with the high school team for two seasons.

Last summer, he applied for and was hired as general manager/coach of the Gillette Wild, a junior team in the North American Tier 3 Hockey League.

“After 10 years of playing professionally and riding the buses for a long time, I decided to get another job and ride the bus some more,’’ he said. “As I look back, I probably could have retired a couple of years before I did, but I had the drive and passion to play the game still. Plus, I got paid to play. It was a great experience. I wouldn’t change a thing.’’

And he still very much enjoys listening to tales of his father’s playing days.

“[My father and mother] moved down to Florida and are enjoying life,’’ said Hodge. “They live near Phil Esposito and they connect and go golfing and tell war stories. I had the privilege two Christmases ago to have Christmas dinner with Phil, Tony Esposito, and my dad. It was pretty cool listening to those guys tell stories.’’

Allen Lessels can be reached at lessfam321@gmail.com.