tarheelhockey
Offside Review Specialist
Great thread here for college/junior players looking to take the next step (and tbh it's good general life advice for the rest of us as well):
The author is Louie Caporusso, who starred at the University of Michigan and has been a solid pro in the minors/Europe for the past decade.
In case the link ever gets broken, here it is in text form:
Pro Hockey is not a continuation of Major Junior or College.
I wish I had someone teaching me these things before I started playing pro.
#1: You're no longer someone's project
Take ownership of the product you are putting on the ice.
Potential gets old fast.
#2: Stay Healthy
You won't stick around if you're always hurt.
Management doesn't like paying you to be in the stands.
You will miss opportunities.
Players make it because they are available. It's a game of attrition.
#3: Team practices won't make you better
Find ice time before and after practice to work on your individual game.
#4: Hockey is a 9-5 job +
Going home after practice is not the end of your day.
Study video on yourself and others for the remainder of the work day.
#5: Find a role
Your role has to be clear to management.
#6: It helps to be a good person and teammate
Don't let internal competition spill over into jealousy and hate.
After a team decides they want you, the only thing stopping you from getting a contract is this question:
Is he a good teammate and person?
#7: Treat yourself like a product
5 reasons a team will not purchase your product:
+ defective (i.e bad reputation)
+ not good enough
+ not needed
+ Can't understand it
+ not being marketed correctly (least likely)
The author is Louie Caporusso, who starred at the University of Michigan and has been a solid pro in the minors/Europe for the past decade.
In case the link ever gets broken, here it is in text form:
Pro Hockey is not a continuation of Major Junior or College.
I wish I had someone teaching me these things before I started playing pro.
#1: You're no longer someone's project
Take ownership of the product you are putting on the ice.
Potential gets old fast.
#2: Stay Healthy
You won't stick around if you're always hurt.
Management doesn't like paying you to be in the stands.
You will miss opportunities.
Players make it because they are available. It's a game of attrition.
#3: Team practices won't make you better
Find ice time before and after practice to work on your individual game.
#4: Hockey is a 9-5 job +
Going home after practice is not the end of your day.
Study video on yourself and others for the remainder of the work day.
#5: Find a role
Your role has to be clear to management.
#6: It helps to be a good person and teammate
Don't let internal competition spill over into jealousy and hate.
After a team decides they want you, the only thing stopping you from getting a contract is this question:
Is he a good teammate and person?
#7: Treat yourself like a product
5 reasons a team will not purchase your product:
+ defective (i.e bad reputation)
+ not good enough
+ not needed
+ Can't understand it
+ not being marketed correctly (least likely)
