Can I still play pro hockey?
We can’t answer that question (yet) without more information, but if you’re even asking this question, you’re in good company.
As we’ve likely helped players both older, younger, and the same age as you who had the ambition to play again after some time off.
And we helped them make it happen at the pro level (in Europe).
Players often ask us whether you can still play hockey at age 25, 30, 35, 40, and even 50+ (okay Jagr)...and the right answer is, it depends. The most realistic path back into pro hockey or semi-pro leagues will depend heavily on a number of factors which we'll cover today. The exact path and approach each player needs to take is unique to them.
Here in this post, we'll break it all down for you...
Factors That Impact Playing Pro Hockey After Time Off
Your own ability to get back to play after time off is going to depend on a number of factors that all combine together a bit. Those main factors being:
- your playing history (prior to your gap in play)
- your on ice habits during your gap in play (have you kept on the ice? do you have the ability to ramp it up based on good off ice habits?)
- your off ice habits during your gap in play (ex: how’s your physical shape, overall health, and will that translate to the ice). Please don’t send us a video of you bench pressing- on ice clips are great
- your age
- your intrinsic drive/motivation (the work you’re putting in presently to get back to playing again as best as can)
When we take all of the above factors per a player and combine them, we can start to get a more accurate idea for where the most realistic aims might be.
You always want to cast a quality wide net as not all teams are drooling to sign a player who hasn’t played in years, but we’ve helped many players with gaps so we know how to best approach it.
A really important part to keep in mind for players aiming to play again is that the level of hockey across European leagues has continued to elevate more over the past few decades, both in the caliber of local players plus strong imports that teams bring over. We’ve noted on this in several pieces.
The reason this matters is because many prospective imports (especially ones with less formal hockey resumes on paper) don’t realize just how high the level of hockey is in some of the 2nd, 3rd, and even sometimes 4th tiers in hockey countries are.
For instance, there are many teams in Allsvenskan (Sweden 2nd league) that are only looking for ECHL/AHL experienced players or HockeyEttan (Sweden’s 3rd league) only seeking top minor pro, NCAA, USports experienced, or equivalent caliber players.
Yes, Sweden is one of the strongest (if not the strongest) hockey country in Europe and Sweden's ice hockey leagues are top notch, but we use this example just to show how strong the levels of hockey are in Europe.
The same is true in Finland, Germany, Switzerland, Norway, and so on.
Europe offers prospective opportunity for Hockey Players with Gaps in Play
In North America hockey wise, there’s only a handful of minor leagues with the lowest of those tiers paying barely anything.
With European hockey across the board, you have high quality hockey across dozens of countries/tiers with off ice setups that exceed most travel magazines.
This combination of a wider spectrum of teams in the right tiers paired with more grade A places to play/live off the ice makes for a winning pair.
As we’ve been helping players play in Europe for well over a decade, we know what level leagues/tiers (and clubs within them) are generally seeking in players.
For players looking to get their skates back in the door at a competitive level, knowing this is essential.
You’re likely coming to teams with a belief (and hopefully a current skill set) that sits at a higher level than just what your resume shows on paper alone today. Therefore, you need to be able to show clubs from across the ocean why they should consider bringing you over.
This is crucial…
Crafting Your Story Is Key When Making a Hockey Comeback
When we decide it aligns for us to help a player who's had a gap in play of any length, we work with them to help dial their story, messaging, and really incorporate the full on + off ice qualities that they can bring to the table for a hockey club.
Maybe you’re willing to be a bit flexible on 1st year conditions in order to make it more enticing for the club to bring you over…
Maybe you had an injury that put you out for a bit, but you’re fully recovered now and have available ice to put together some high tempo video clips that we can dial to show you can still hack it at that level today…
Maybe you’ve had a __ year gap in play on paper since last playing league wise, but you’ve kept sharp on the ice skating each week, in the gym, and have been coaching youth players and can bring that complimentary coaching ability to their organization…
Alongside being able to play at a set level, presenting clubs with this complimentary information above (video, off ice attributes, flexibility) can often be the difference between a team giving a player a shot and them passing altogether.
Whatever the case is in your personal situation, there's a solid chance we've helped a player in your shoes (or very similar).
So the question you need to be asking now is, are you going to sit there wishing you could've/would've played again OR are you going to get proactive about it now and try to make it a reality (in a grounded approach).
If it's the latter of the two, send us a message.
Below, we'll answer a few more common "age specific" questions that players with varying breaks in play ask us...
Can I still Play Pro Hockey at 25?
Aiming to play hockey again at 25 is plausible but it depends on your situation. Most graduating NCAA hockey players are 23-25 years old so you're right in that ball park. If you haven't played since you were 18, it's a bit different and you better still be able to play.
Can I still Play Pro Hockey at 30?
Playing competitive hockey again at 30 is possible, but the likelihood of it is dependant on your situation. Did you stop playing only a few years back or has it been over a decade? If the latter, your game better be sharp on and off the ice.
Can I still Play Pro Hockey at 35?
If your game is still at a high level and you've maintained your on ice ability, there's a chance if you're aiming for a realistic league/tier. We've helped a number of players in this range so it's definitely possible.
Can I still Play Pro Hockey at 40?
At 40 years old, you're getting close pushing the envelope in terms of playing at a high level. If you played a long hockey career and retired as an ex-pro in your 30's, it's more likely you could still lace them up in your 40's, but if not, it'll candidly be a bit tougher to get back to the pro level at this age. We've helped a small handful of players over 40 to play again overseas and their gaps in play ranged from 3 years to 15 which is pretty inspiring.
Can I Still Play Pro Hockey at 50?
Okay Jaromir Jagr 2.0. If you're reading this and in this age bracket, here's a number of stick taps for you from all of us. The fact that you're still driven to play hockey competitively at over 50 is commendable. We're yet to have a player over 50+ ask us to help them get back to playing pro again after time off playing, but if you still have a very high skill level at this age, a much lower semi-pro tier might be willing to give you an opportunity.
