As sports fans are well aware, it’s all too easy to look at our sports stars as nothing but athletes. This is rational enough, in a way. Athletes tend to live and breathe sport, and at the professional level pour more time and effort into perfecting their craft than most other people in most other jobs.
The problem though is that this sort of thinking, combined with the relative anonymity of NHL players (and other athletes in sports with helmets and masks) can keep us from really getting to know some of our favorite players. Every now and then it’s fun to look into them on a more personal level, and it’s for that reason that we’ve decided to look into some of the fun and interesting things some NHL stars do away from the ice.
Carey Price – G, Montreal Canadiens
Price remains one of the best goaltenders in the NHL when he’s at his best, and he was so good a few years ago that he remains one of the better-known players in the league to more casual fans. But he also has one of the more fascinating hobbies off the ice of any players we know of: rodeo.
This is actually something some sports fans might associate already with athletes from the NFL. Football player involvement in rodeo has oddly enough made some headlines over the years, perhaps most notably when enigmatic former wide receiver Chad Ochocinco was bucked off a bull in 1.5 seconds. But for Price, it’s a legitimate, consistent interest. Price ’’t do bull riding, at least in public. But he does ride and rope at real rodeo events, and he knows what he’s doing.
Zach Hyman – RW, Toronto Maple Leafs
Originally drafted by Florida in the fifth round back in 2010, Hyman wound up taking an unusual path to pro hockey. He turned down the Panthers and starred at the collegiate level for the University of Michigan, before ultimately having his rights dealt from Florida to the Maple Leafs. He’s been with Toronto ever since, and has carved out a solid career for himself thus far.
Even more unorthodox than his path to pro hockey though is Hyman’s busy hobby away from the ice. He has in fact become a successful children’s author, writing award-winning books and bestsellers under Penguin Random House. Hyman’s books concern sports, magic, and themes of following dreams, making him an inspiration and positive influence on young readers.
Phil Kessel – RW, Arizona Coyotes
Like Price, Kessel is known for a hobby we sometimes associate with athletes from other sports: poker. There are a number of poker-playing athletes who have become pretty well known for this same interest over the years, including multiple ex-NBA players, European stars of football (soccer) and tennis, and even Michael Phelps. But Kessel, too, is known to get in on a card game from time to time. In fact, he’s even competed at World Series of Poker tournaments.
Given the competitive spirit that’s driven him to so much success in the NHL, we expect Kessel is a formidable force at the tables. He’s a three-time All-Star, a two-time Stanley Cup champion, and a former top-five overall pick — not to mention an Olympic silver medalist. That sort of resume makes for a dangerous competitor no matter what game or sport is at hand.
Henrik Lundqvist – G, Washington Capitals
We’ll close the list with Lundqvist, because his hobby off the ice is a little bit more commonly discussed than those highlighted above. Simply put, the longtime goaltender is a talented guitar player. He’s played in public at times over the years, and it’s well known that he has a passion for music.
One wonders if this is a non-hockey interest that may carry over into retirement. Now one of the winningest goaltenders in history, Lundqvist is likely headed toward retirement before too long. He is 39 years old and at this time recovering from heart surgery (which thankfully seems to have gone well). Perhaps we’ll get a Lundqvist album once he hangs up his skates!
Image: Pixabay
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