He played senior hockey for the Virginia Rockets and the Eveleth Rangers in northern Minnesota from 1931 to 1934. After playing in 1934-35 for the Baltimore Orioles, Papike went to the American Hockey Association where he played until 1942. During that time he also put in two short stints with the Chicago Blackhawks, playing a total of 18 games. He served in the American military from 1942 to 1945 and then played two more games for Chicago in 1944-45. He retired in 1945 but made a one-season comeback with the Duluth Coolerators in 1946-47.