Careers in Hockey: A collection of resources

[Blue Liner]

Hey Guys, I recently accepted a volunteer writing role for a website to write about the St. Louis Blues. I currently have a full time job, but I wouldn't mind making side cash down the line writing for the Blues part time.

My question is, since I'm fairly new to this, do any of you have suggestions as to how I can connect with other writers and get their advice/input? (Emailing beat writers? Reaching out to them on social media?) What are your thoughts? Thanks in advance!

I'm not a writer but I know Twitter, for all its faults, is a good route for connecting with other writers. Lot of interactions between writers and readers/fans/subscribers and among their peers in the business.

 

[LadyStanley]

Become a member of the PHWA.

 

[LadyStanley]

The name is familiar, but Doug Wilson Jr. brings a different...

Athletic feature (paywall).

It's not nepotism that netted Doug Wilson jr the top scouting position in the Sharks organization, but experience and analytics; in many ways he's had to do more to prove himself to escape any perceived nepotism. Kinda been part of the organization since he was five when his father was acquired by the Sharks from Chicago prior to their first season (and first captain). In college (Tufts, MA), spent time scouting with (then) head scout Tim Burke, after college played in Sweden and hung out with Sharks European scout Shin Larsson. Officially joined organization in 2012.

And using the CBA to the organization's advantage:

In the previous collective bargaining agreement prior to the 2012-13 lockout, if a player was making more than $105,000 in the AHL, he would need to clear waivers in order to be recalled to the NHL team. That rule was eliminated for the current CBA, so the Sharks got creative in offering more contracts to European and over-age junior players.
...
“It was a little bit of an arbitrage where we could sign these European players to pretty good money, and we could sign American League players to pretty good money, because you won’t have to worry about recallable waivers,” Wilson Jr. said, again using a financial term.

“I presented to (assistant general manager Joe Will) and Burkie, they absolutely loved it. Doug took it to (Sharks owner Hasso Plattner), and Hasso loved it. He goes, ‘whatever you guys need.’ So, three years ago, my internal scouting budget went (way up). I blew right through it. But it was to get Marcus Sorensen, Melker Karlsson, Joonas Donskoi, Tim Heed, and now the future ones in the AHL like the Jake Middletons and Alexander Trues.”

Also lead the charge of the Sharks organization bringing analytics into play.

 

[LadyStanley]

Another related article from The Athletic (paywall)

 

[Jumptheshark]

Become a member of the PHWA.

not as easy as it sounds
I know a few bloggers who have a good following and have been on TSN and ESPN and the PHWA wont touch them.

From my perspective--the PHWA is a bit of joke when they refuse some of the top European hockey writers

if you want to have fun take a look at who they consider international

 

[LadyStanley]

Don Smith captures the shot - SanBenito.com

Sharks photographer Don Smith talks about how he got into photography, sports photography, and his non-sports photography.

 

[LadyStanley]

How do you become an NHL official?

Athletic (paywall) looks at what it takes to become NHL official

 

[DougieMellon]

Looking for someone to cover the Seattle Thunderbirds for our SBNation blog. If it's something you are interested in, shoot me a message with some samples.

 

[SM]

Does anyone have any experience working for a team (more likely the parent company) in a finance or accounting capacity? Wondering how competitive salaries might be, or if it’s assumed that you would expect to take less to work in the industry.

 

[Voight]

Become a member of the PHWA.

Not that easy. PHWA is an old boys club that isn't a fan of the blogging era. Yes complete morons like Dave Molinari are members but the old school guys who had to fill out the stats sheet at their local paper to work their way up don't like how you can get noticed off a blog these days, without any sort of journalism background/degree either.

 

[LadyStanley]

A visit deep into the Swedish countryside to meet the man...

The Athletic (paywall) feature on David Gunnarsson, aka DaveArt who paints goalie masks (full time) for pro goalies. Discusses his history of getting into painting masks, how he works, working with goalies and equipment managers/teams, and manufacturers.

 

[LadyStanley]

https://montrealgazette.com/sports/...a-with-outspoken-nhl-player-agent-allan-walsh

Q&A with player agent Allen Walsh. Includes why/how he got into being an agent.

 

[LadyStanley]

Paywall. Francophone hockey player (who didn't speak any English) didn't think he'd make the NHL, but he's gone from washing cars and sleeping on couches, to negotiating million dollar deals (and been mentioned as potential NHL front office candidate).

 

[LadyStanley]

Nothing was going to keep the Sabres' Mat Myers from living...

Paywall. Mat Myers wasn't going to let achondroplasia (a type of dwarfism; affects about 1 in 30,000) get in his way of working for a NHL team. He was able to play hockey as a kid, but in HS and college, worked with teams off ice (as manager, video coach), eventually getting job with US women's team winning it all in 2015. And then working as assistant video coach with Nashville Predators. When Housley was hired as head coach for Buffalo Sabres, Mat Myers was his first hire (and even before he had his own housing figured out).

Great article about overcoming obstacles (metaphor from dad: you aren't going to be hired to dig holes, but you might be hired to figure out how to dig them better), and having a positive attitude through it all.

 

[Voight]

 

[LadyStanley]

Meet Charlie Townsend, the Sharks' 'filter' for advanced...

Paywall

He started out as the AHL team's video coach, but is now the main guy for stats and analytics in the entire San Jose Sharks organization, working with the NHL and AHL video coaches, as well as the guys that stand behind the bench.

One of the ongoing arguments hockey people tend to have these days is the discrepancy that often arises between what the analytics say, and what the so-called eye-test shows.

And, like everything else, the truth usually lies somewhere in the middle. That’s how Townsend sees it, too. While his main focus is on the numbers, they’re not gospel.

“The term ‘analytics’ I think is a very slippery one,” Townsend said. “I think people hear analytics and they think of this distinct process or mechanism that’s driving decisions. We look at it as a piece of the puzzle — something to implement along with what the coaches are seeing, what our scouts are seeing. As things unfold, we have a few checks and balances we go through to make sure what we’re thinking is at least in the right direction.

“Some conversations last longer than others, but everything — it’s a think tank. Everything that’s brought forward deserves a look. That’s the great thing with analytics. It’s now, I’m feeling this, I’m seeing this, the numbers are telling us this — and you put that in the hopper with our scouts are seeing this, our coaches are seeing this — and now you’ve got some traction.”

 

[Fenway]

NHL Network is looking for a hockey researcher - MLB Network operates the NHL Network

Careers at the MLB Network

 

[Fenway]

https://www.sholdmediagroup.com/sn-broadcast-associate/

The successful candidate will work in Sportsnet’s high energy Highlight Zone telling the day’s biggest and most exciting stories by crafting fun and well-produced highlight packages.
RESPONSIBILITIES

– Creating and assembling entertaining, engaging, and visually stimulating sports highlights for our various news and magazine shows
– Research games to develop entertaining and informative storylines, while producing high quality highlights for our viewers
– View, log and write scripts for sports highlights
– Shot list feeds
– Provide fact sheets on games or incoming feeds
– Fill in as an Associate Producer, as required
– Provide general assistance in the newsroom
QUALIFICATIONS

– Graduate of a broadcasting or journalism program or equivalent experience
– Complete and comprehensive knowledge of all sports
– Experience in a broadcast studio environment
– Detail oriented, creative and able to prioritize tasks
– Ability to meet deadlines and to consistently deliver high quality work
– Excellent editorial judgment
Able to work evenings and weekends
Schedule: Full time
Shift: Variable
Length of Contract: Not Applicable (Regular Position)
Work Location: 1 Mount Pleasant, Toronto, ON
Travel Requirements: None
Posting Category/Function: Broadcasting & Production
Requisition ID: 130242

 

[Voight]

 

[LadyStanley]

Meet the Montreal tailor who makes NHL stars look sharp

Tangental career: dressing the NHLers (in suits). One guy/company in Montreal dresses more than 200 NHLers.

 

[LadyStanley]

What's an NHL video room like during a game? Inside Dallas...

Paywall. Interesting look at how a video review coach works. (Specifically, the Dallas Stars)

 

[LadyStanley]

On the road: A peek into the mind and eye of the Canadiens...

Paywall. Travels with the Montreal Canadiens Director of Amateur Scouting.

 

[LadyStanley]

 

[LadyStanley]

An aspiring sports reporter stumbles into the NHL GM meetings

When you're on vacation and have the scoop of a lifetime available...

 

[LadyStanley]

Wanna be a zebra?