Most hockey players focus entirely on skating, shooting, and watching game tape. Smart ones study other stuff too. Business, communications, psychology – these prepare you for life after hockey ends at 35. The average NHL career lasts 5 years. That leaves decades where hockey knowledge alone won’t cut it.
Players who studied during their careers transition smoother to second jobs. They become GMs, broadcasters, business owners. The ones who only focus on hockey often struggle when they hang up the skates.
Handling Education While Training Full-Time
Young players training for pro careers handle demanding schedules that include both hockey development and education. You’re on ice twice daily, traveling for tournaments, and maintaining academic progress simultaneously. The workload builds when you’re pursuing serious education alongside elite hockey training.
Academic commitments pile up faster than you expect. Keeping everything organized becomes very critical. Sometimes people just search “can someone from EduBirdie do my homework” when managing heavy course loads during intense training periods. Getting aid with structure helps you keep your academic standing while you work on your hockey skills. Planning ahead makes sure that neither hockey nor schoolwork suffers. These talents for organizing things become important habits for work. Strong organization carries over to professional success long after college.
As a junior player, you learn how to balance different responsibilities. This will help you in the NHL, where you have to manage your time for media obligations, training, and games.
Why Business Matters
Understanding business helps during your career, not just after. Contract talks involve complex money terms. Salary cap rules affect team decisions. Players who get this stuff make smarter career choices.
Ryan Miller studied marketing at Michigan State while playing college hockey. That helped him evaluate endorsement deals and investment opportunities during his NHL years. He understood the business side better than guys who skipped class.
Communications Opens Broadcast Jobs
Broadcasting represents the most common post-hockey career for NHL guys. But not everyone makes it. The difference usually comes down to communication training.
Eddie Olczyk studied communications before his broadcast work. Ray Ferraro developed presentation skills through school. These guys explain complex hockey clearly to casual fans because they learned communication basics in class.
Playing experience gets you auditions. Communication skills get you hired and keep you working. Networks want analysts who both understand hockey and can talk clearly on camera.
Psychology and Leading Teams
Understanding human behavior helps in locker rooms and coaching. Sports psych courses teach motivation, team dynamics, and mental performance. This applies directly to leadership roles during and after playing.
Jonathan Toews studied psychology concepts that influenced how he captained teams. Understanding what drives teammates helps leaders get better results. These skills transfer directly to coaching after retirement.
Finance Protects Your Money
NHL players earn good money, according to research, but careers end young. Without financial education, many go broke fast. Stats show 15% of NHL players file bankruptcy within 12 years of their last game.
Finance courses teach investment strategies, tax planning, and protecting wealth. Players who understand compound interest and risk management keep their money. This matters more than most on-ice skills for long-term life quality.
What to Study
Different subjects offer specific benefits:
- Business – Contract talks, team ownership, starting companies
- Communications – Broadcasting, media work, public speaking
- Sports Management – Front office jobs, player development, coaching admin
- Finance – Investments, financial planning, business moves
- Psychology – Leadership, coaching, team management
- Marketing – Personal brand, endorsements, business promotion
Computer Skills and Analytics
Modern hockey runs on data. Teams hire analytics people who use stats and tracking to evaluate players and tactics. Understanding data analysis helps you grasp your role better and makes you valuable for front office jobs after playing.
Players comfortable with spreadsheets adapt faster to analytics-based coaching. This knowledge also creates opportunities in hockey tech companies developing training tools and performance tracking.
Career Paths After Hockey
| Education | Where It Leads | Examples |
| Business | Team execs, entrepreneurs | Shanahan, Miller |
| Communications | Broadcasting, media | Olczyk, Ferraro |
| Law | Player agents, league work | Dryden |
| Sports Management | Coaching, front office | Various players |
| Finance | Investment advice, wealth mgmt | Several retired pros |
Legal Education for Agents
Some ex-players become agents or work in player representation. Legal education helps them negotiate contracts, understand collective bargaining, and handle arbitration. This protects clients and builds successful post-playing businesses.
Ken Dryden earned his law degree while playing goal for Montreal. He later used that in various roles including negotiations and league governance. His legal background gave him edges other players lacked.
Teaching Degrees for Coaches
Players interested in coaching benefit from education degrees that teach how people learn. Understanding learning theory helps coaches teach skills more effectively.
Many successful coaches studied education before or after playing. They apply teaching principles to hockey instruction, making them better than coaches who only rely on playing experience.
When to Get Educated
Some players finish degrees during careers through online programs or summer classes. Others wait until retirement. Both work depending on your situation.
Current players often take one or two classes per semester. This slow progress eventually gets you a degree. Key is starting early because finishing takes years even at reduced loads.
Retired players often go full-time once careers end. They complete degrees in 2-4 years and immediately use that education in second careers. This works well for players who saved money during their careers.
Real Results
Former NHL players with education work in diverse fields beyond coaching and broadcasting. Some become doctors, lawyers, financial advisors, or execs. Their discipline from hockey translates well to demanding jobs.
Brendan Shanahan got his degree and became president of the Maple Leafs. His mix of playing experience and business education made him effective in that role. Education opened doors playing alone wouldn’t have.
Starting in Juniors
Players serious about education should start during junior hockey. Taking courses while playing juniors builds good habits and gets degree progress rolling. Even finishing basic requirements during these years helps.
Many junior leagues now offer education packages that fund post-secondary school. Players who use these programs set themselves up better than those who ignore education.
Conclusion
Future pros should study subjects that prepare them for life after playing. Business, communications, finance, and psychology all offer real benefits during and after NHL careers. Starting early, even one course at a time, creates options when playing ends. Smart players know their hockey careers represent just the start of their working lives, not the whole thing.
Photo Credit: Bill.Kober@prohockeynews.comÂ
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