For as long as he can remember, San Diego Gulls defenseman Josh Healey has been playing hockey.  His passion for the game took his journey beyond the youth level and into the junior ranks.  Then as his junior hockey career progressed, he faced the same difficult decisions that many other players and families encounter; where to go next and who to trust.  Two years after graduating from Ohio State University, Healey aimed to help hockey players and families facing a similar dilemma when he launched The Sports Aux.

Healey grew up in Edmonton, Alberta playing minor hockey with his friends for the South Side Athletic Club.  Although he wasn’t drafted by a Western Hockey League (WHL) team, it would later prove to be a blessing in disguise.  Alternatively, he played Junior hockey locally for the Sherwood Park Crusaders in the Alberta Junior Hockey League (AJHL) for two seasons.  In 2013, Healey won the AJHL’s Most Outstanding Defenseman Award before leaving to play Division 1 college hockey.

“It was a nice accolade but for someone to win such an award you need to be surrounded by good people,” said Healey.  “In my two years at Sherwood Park, I was surrounded by many great coaches and teammates, and that environment really helped me to develop.”

Throughout Healey’s time at Sherwood Park, he was approached by WHL teams looking to sign him, however he was already committed to the college route, which provided more time to physically develop.

Once the recruiting process began, Healey was courted by various coaches from different NCAA Programs as well as various Agents.  Naturally, this became a stressful time as he entered the unknown.  Healey did not know which school was the best option or who he could trust.

“Ultimately, I ended up selecting what was best for me from a schooling standpoint.  I went and visited with Ohio State, and it felt right for me.  Honestly, looking back, I was fortunate that it worked out the way it did.  I wouldn’t change it for the world,” Healey explained.

In 2013, Healey attended Ohio State University, playing for their Division 1 hockey program while majoring in finance with a specialization in investments.  He enjoyed every minute of the student-athlete experience.

“It was an unbelievable experience going to a Big Ten school with large athletic programs.  From a student-athlete perspective, time management was obviously something I needed to work on, but I was able to settle in fairly quickly.  I think that the ability to get an education while playing hockey and being in the environment of a school is amazing.”

Healey consistently developed year after year.  In his final two seasons with the Buckeyes he was named to the Big Ten Conference’s First and Second All-Star Teams.

“All of my coaches played a huge factor.  Steve Rohlik was the Head Coach during my time there, and I had a few different Assistant Coaches as well including Joe Exter, Brett Larson, and Mark Strobel.  The four of them all played a different yet important role in grooming me to become a professional on and off the ice.  I owe them a lot.”

Although scouts began taking notice of Healey’s physical style of play in college, it was something that was instilled in him from a young age.  It demonstrated that his game would translate seamlessly to the professional level.

“What really carried me through my career and into the pro level was being known as a player who plays a physical game and plays with an edge,” acknowledged Healey.

“I found that my niche is my ability to hit players harder and more efficiently than others.  I still appreciate the time and effort my coaches take in developing other areas of my game, but my physical presence on the ice is definitely why I’m still here.

“My one piece of advice for young players is to find what makes you different or what separates you.  Whether it’s winning faceoffs or making clean breakouts, really hone in on that because at the pro level, everyone is the best player from every league.  If you don’t have something that separates you, it’s easy to find someone else.”  

Following his Senior season at Ohio State, Healey signed his first professional contract, a two-year entry-level deal with the Calgary Flames ahead of the 2017-18 season.  He joined the Flames’ American Hockey League affiliate at the time, the Stockton Heat, on an Amateur Tryout for the remainder of the 2016-17 season to gain a sense of what life was like at the professional level.

“It was definitely an adjustment but at the same time it’s a process I’ve had to deal with at every level.  I’ve learned to get more comfortable and confident every year when transitioning.  When I went to Stockton it was a learning experience, I needed to find my role and be the best at it.”

While there wasn’t one individual in particular who helped Healey transition into a professional, he did find significant value in grabbing bits and pieces of information from the veteran players.  Among those he learned from in his early years in Stockton were Luke Gazdic, Tyler Wotherspoon, Dalton Prout, and Rod Pelley.

In 2019, Healey signed with the Nashville Predators and played for their affiliate, the Milwaukee Admirals.  The following year, Milwaukee opted out of the 2020-21 season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and thus Healey was presented with a unique opportunity to continue his development.  Many Admirals players were loaned to the Carolina Hurricanes’ affiliate, the Chicago Wolves, to gain crucial playing time.

“Obviously it wasn’t ideal, but we had top talent from both organizations on one team.  There were a lot of guys at practices, but they were fun and competitive.  I think a lot of guys actually knew each other so we had a really good group that gelled.  It was definitely a development year but being in a different organization and seeing how they ran things was cool too.  They’re a first-class organization.  I loved every minute of playing for the Chicago Wolves.”

This past summer, Healey joined the San Diego Gulls as a free agent.  Unfortunately, in November he suffered a shoulder injury that required surgery and Healey has been going through the rehab process ever since.  He is almost back to full health thanks to the staff in San Diego, however, the mental challenges of his injury did not go unnoticed.

“It’s been a challenge.  I looked at it as more of a character-building year for me.  I have also done lots of meditation and visualization programs that my Agent set me up with to help stay focused and ready.  Being able to see sunlight and take walks along the beach every day has definitely helped my mental health and my ability to stay positive,” Healey explained.

Now in his sixth professional season, Healey has had some interaction with the Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) and is appreciative of the help they provide to players.  Prior to his injury, Healey had been elected to serve as the Gulls’ PHPA Player Representative.  He further recognizes the value that the PHPA offers players through its Career Enhancement Program.

“Based on my situation, I haven’t dealt with the Career Enhancement Program personally, but I do know guys that have taken advantage of the program and used it to help them with their education and transitioning to a post hockey career.  The PHPA does a lot for its players and we’re fortunate to have a number of different programs available.”

Healey’s personal circumstances are certainly unique as he has already established a business venture outside of hockey.  While attending Ohio State, he determined that if he wasn’t going to play professional hockey, he wanted to use his business background to create his own company that could help other players while giving back to the hockey community.

In 2019, during his second professional season, he decided his vision couldn’t wait any longer and launched his own app, The Sports Aux.

At its core, The Sports Aux is a resource that can be utilized to find credible information on players, coaches, and agents.  Players can anonymously leave reviews on coaches and agents to help promote accountability.  Additionally, there is a section for player statistics as well as recruitment information for coaches and agents so they can contact players, thus streamlining the recruitment process.

“It really makes hockey safer for all parties involved.  It promotes a streamlined recruitment process, good coaching and representation, and above all, it helps players navigate their careers by allowing them to make the most informed decisions possible.”

The idea originated during Healey’s junior days when he was being recruited by coaches and agents.  There were no credible resources available to find information on the coaches and agents who were reaching out to him.  He ultimately chose his school based on what he felt was right which turned out to be a great decision, however on the agency side Healey wasn’t as lucky.

“I’ve gone through two agents now and the process isn’t ideal.  You meet them and they tell you everything you want to hear.  At the time it all sounds great, but sometimes it’s too late before you realize they aren’t the best option for you.”

Since the launch of The Sports Aux app, over 6,900 users have registered.  Of those users, nearly 3,000 of them are verified players from professional, college, and junior hockey clubs.  Furthermore, the app boasts roughly 4,000 reviews on coaches and agents.

Healey was clear that even though some recruitment features have been added recently, the vision has not changed for The Sports Aux.

“The focus is to hold coaches and agents accountable for their actions while providing a resource for players and parents to find information on them.  We’ve seen a number of abuse-related headlines over the years, and the app can help hold them accountable for their actions and make hockey safer at all levels.  It can be a tool to prevent headlines from happening in the future.”

Although The Sports Aux is designed to help players, it can also help coaches and agents with their careers as well.

“If you do your job well, players will leave positive feedback on your abilities as a professional.  The feedback can then be used as part of your resume when going to apply for another coaching position or when you want to recruit new clients to your agency.”

The future is bright for The Sports Aux as Healey’s goal is to continue to generate as much buy-in from the hockey community as possible.  He eventually plans to focus on the app on a full-time basis whenever his on-ice career comes to an end.

“I love playing but at some point hockey comes to an end and when it does, I want to make The Sports Aux the household name that I envision it to be.  I want every player, coach, and agent to be on the platform, go through the process, and help promote themselves.”

In the meantime, next season can’t come soon enough for the 28-year-old defenseman who’s looking to make an impact both on and off the ice.