In front of a sold out crowd at Alfond Arena in Orono, Maine, Ben Guite was part of a thrilling University of Maine Blackbears 5-1 win over Boston College.  Except it’s not the 1999-00 season when Guite tallied 22 goals and 36 points for the Blackbears.  This year, over thirteen years since that time, Guite finds himself behind the bench as part of an experienced Blackbears coaching staff, alongside new head coach Dennis “Red” Gendron, and experienced NHL assistant Jay Leach.  Together, this impressive roster of coaches is hoping to guide the University of Maine to an NCAA championship that hasn’t been won by the Blackbears since Guite’s second last season with the team in 1998-99.

“We have 43 years of professional hockey experience on our coaching staff so we coach them the way a professional hockey coach would prepare a team.  We are very demanding of the players and I think this is the best we can do to prepare them for the pro game,” said the Assistant Coach.  This preparation has driven the Blackbears to a formidable and improved 6-1 home record so far this season.

Although it may seem like a long time ago to the Montreal native, Guite credits his time as a student-athlete that prepared him for the inevitable jump to professional hockey.  “There is a high emphasis on skill development in college.  If you look here at Maine we practice three times a week.  You get to handle the puck a lot and in comparison to pro we don’t travel nearly as much, giving us an opportunity to get on the ice more.  I was very raw coming into college, and not to say I was polished on the way out, but I was much better off skill wise.”

After graduating from the University of Maine, Guite went on to enjoy a 13-year professional hockey career.  His NHL debut however, came at a time that even now, surprises the former Colorado Avalanche centerman.  “You get to a point where you don’t really think it is ever going to happen.  I was playing well in the American Hockey League, but it seemed like everyone was getting called up next to me and you just think maybe it isn’t going to happen.”  It was at this point however, when Guite, a member of the Boston Bruins organization at the time, got his chance.  “I finally got the call up and got really excited.  When I arrived, everybody on the Bruins came up to me knowing I was a 27-year old rookie, and just told me to go out there and have fun.  Your first game only comes around once.  That really helped me play well.  It could have been my last game in the NHL, so I enjoyed the moment as much as I could.”

For Guite, being consistent and a hard worker really contributed to his chances of being called up to the NHL.  “I was doing everything I needed to off the ice in the American League and I think that is one of the reasons I got called up.  You can pick guys in the American League that skate just as fast as NHL players, shoot just as hard, and a lot of them have better hands than the bottom half of the NHL, and a better skill-set than some of their NHL counterparts.   The execution level in the NHL is what really creates the difference. The faster pace is because of the proper execution and people doing what they are supposed to.  Guys in the NHL have figured out what works for them and are consistent in doing that.”

Achieving his dream of playing in the NHL was a long road for Guite, which included him starting his pro career in the ECHL, then moving up to the AHL for 5 and a half seasons on four different teams.  “Professionally the instability of being on a 1-year deal creates a stress level that is hard to explain to somebody that hasn’t played the game.  This is in addition to hoping to move on to the NHL and hoping to stay there.  Even staying in the AHL is a great job and opportunity to play professional hockey, but stability is always a factor.”  It wasn’t until the 2006-07 season when Guite was able to gain the stability he was looking for.  Joining Joe Sakic and Milan Hedjuk on the Colorado Avalanche, Guite found a home for the next three seasons, tallying 45 points in 150 games, playing a hard working role.

After signing with Nashville in 2009, Guite was assigned to the Predators’ AHL affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.  This began a three-season stint in the AHL spread between Milwaukee, Springfield, and then Worcester.  At the conclusion of the 2011-12 season, Guite and his family made a decision.  “Going to Italy was a choice based on lack of opportunity for me at that point in my career.  There were a couple of AHL chances, but I talked with my family and we wanted to play in Europe for one year of my career.  It was fantastic and I really enjoyed it.”

Playing for Val Pusteria, a team that finds itself close to the Austrian border, was a different opportunity for the veteran, but was not without its troubles.  “You would get to warm-ups and sometimes half the opposing team would be missing, as the imports who hadn’t been paid in a month or however long didn’t show up.  We were lucky that we were one of the teams that got paid in general; but not always on time.  Those are things you take for granted playing in the AHL and North America, and having a union plays a massive role in protecting players from those situations.”

If anyone would know about unions from a player perspective, it’s Guite as he was involved with both the PHPA and NHLPA at different points in his career.  “I was involved with the PHPA before I was called up.  I like to get involved and learn about the business side of the sport.  If you understand how the game works and that it is a business, then it is a little easier to understand when hockey business decisions affect you.”

Guite then parlayed his experience with the PHPA into a Player Representative role with the NHLPA where he was involved in the infamous 2009 meeting that ousted then NHLPA Executive Director, Paul Kelly.

When Guite returned to the AHL, he was elected by his teammates as Player Representative and later to the PHPA Executive Committee.  He was an influential factor in many decisions, notably the development of a new PHPA public facing and Players Only website, the latter of which was based on the design and functionality of the NHLPA’s Players site.

“I knew that the end of my career was approaching so I wanted to leave an impression and feel like I contributed off the ice as much as I did on it.”

Academically, Guite obtained his MBA while playing hockey, aided by the PHPA’s Career Enhancement Program.  “For me it was a great way to keep my mind off the game, feeling that I was progressing as a person also.  Eventually you will have to find something to do that is challenging and interesting.  Rick Gorman and the CEP help prepare players for their post-hockey career.  Retiring is not an easy thing to do especially when you love the game and being prepared goes a long way.”

Reflecting back on his career, Guite is happy with his path. “I was very lucky to be able to play that long, and was a fantastic opportunity to do what you truly love for a living.  Not a lot of guys can say that.”  

Now as a coach, Guite is hoping many of his current and future players will be able to say that one day as well.