Networking has been key for Blair Stewart’s post hockey journey

Sean McCann, for PHPA.com | April 1st, 2019

Blair Stewart enjoyed the days of being a professional hockey player. Travelling to different cities, making money, and most importantly playing against the best players in the world.  However, when it came to life outside of hockey, that was not a priority.

 

When his eight-year pro career split between the NHL, American Hockey League, and Central Hockey League from 1973 to 1981 came to an abrupt end, Stewart was lost.  If it were not for the contacts he made or the people he met during his hockey career, he’s uncertain where he may be today as it was those connections that have guided Stewart throughout his post-hockey career.  He is now the CEO of Tomcatt Sports & Business Services, a promotional products company, and credits his hockey network for helping to set him on a career path that he thoroughly enjoys.

 

Blair Stewart grew up in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada and was drafted by the Detroit Red Wings in the fifth round (75th overall) of the 1973 NHL Entry Draft.  That summer he was invited to the Red Wings’ training camp, unsure if he could make the team. It was an unpredictable experience, one that seemed to change daily.

 

“I thought I had a pretty good camp, but assumed I was still going to be sent to the American League. A couple days went by and during a morning skate, the General Manager called me into his office and told me that I would be playing against the Flyers that night,” said Stewart.

 

That first season, getting the opportunity to play against hockey’s greatest players, especially at such a young age was one of the most memorable experiences of his career.

 

“I get on the ice in warmups and as I’m skating around I was just in awe about where I was. During the first period I went to take a faceoff and it was against Bobby Clarke, who was known for his faceoffs. I remember I beat him and couldn’t believe it.”

 

Stewart’s career would see its share of challenges. He suffered severe injuries early on and thus would have to work even harder to continue his professional career.  

 

“A couple weeks before training camp in my second season, I had taken out some people for dinner who were helping me run my hockey camp. On the way back, we got hit head-on in a car accident and I broke my leg. I also hit my head on the windshield. I ended up going to camp in a cast. From there, the injuries eventually caught up to me.”

 

After an eight-year career that saw stops with the Red Wings, Washington Capitals, Quebec Nordiques, four AHL teams, and 2 CHL teams, Stewart was forced to retire at the age of 28 due to chronic injuries. With Stewart’s on-ice career ending abruptly, he did not have much time to think about a post hockey career. There was no one in his life who cautioned him about how hard the transition out of a playing career could be.

 

“No one really helped me, other than maybe my Mom. She would tell me that I needed to save some money, but my mentality then was that I might be dead tomorrow.”

 

“It wasn’t like we ever got tutored or anything like that on saving money or thinking about getting an education or what to do in terms of a job after hockey back then. You don’t realize it at the time that you aren’t going to be playing forever.  Unfortunately for me, at 28 years of age I couldn’t play anymore and I wasn’t prepared.”

 

Following his hockey career, Stewart reluctantly bounced from job to job.  Anything that would provide a paycheck.

 

“Because my career ended so abruptly, that first year I didn’t do anything with myself. My wife was pressuring me to get a 'normal job'.  But to me, hockey was the only ‘normal’ thing in my life. That was when her father approached me with an opportunity.”

 

“He owned an elevator company, and back then the only way to get into the trades union was if you knew somebody. He got me into the elevator trade, which I did for about 8 years. It was tough at first going in as an apprentice at 28 years old and having to carry around tools for a 21-year old; it felt embarrassing at the time as I still considered myself a professional hockey player.  I wasn’t in the proper mindset.”

 

From there, Stewart credits his connections made through hockey for further developing his career.

 

“I began reaching out to guys I had played with during my hockey career which was definitely good for me. Bryan Watson, who I met during my time in Detroit and later Washington got me a bartending job. Gary Rissling, my roommate in training camp during his rookie year has helped me. Alan Hangslaben, another Washington Capitals alumni has helped me as well. I have been very fortunate. I had a lot of help and if I didn’t, who knows where I would be today. Sometimes it is hard to turn to family because they don’t get it.  Other former players though get what I was going through.”

 

Today, Stewart is the CEO of Tomcatt Sports & Business Services, a company that offers promotional products and apparel to other businesses which he is growing with the help of fellow ex-hockey players.

 

“I co-founded a company in 1995 called FanCall. It was going very well. I brought in Gary Rissling to help. From there I launched a similar company, but different in terms of the products offered. We got some pretty big names involved like John Elway; all of whom were athletes from all types of sports and were willing to help. I then started Tomcatt where another former player, Mike Zuke, became a partner, and thanks to our connections, the joint business gained traction. People answered my calls because they knew me and what I have done in the industry.”

 

Now trying to create another successful career off the ice, Stewart can look back and appreciate how much the people he met through hockey have helped him get to where he is today.

 

“My strength is my ability to make connections and network. I am not sure how I get to people sometimes. Being a former player opens the door for you, but then you have to do something with it. You never know where some of these connections are going to take you.”

 

“You need to have persistence. You have to recognize when an opportunity is there. You have to be willing to turn to people you know for their help through their vast network of connections. I meet a lot of business-type people on LinkedIn. I always add in the subject line 'Former NHL player' because 99.9% of the time I get a response because of that.  I learned you have to use what you have or had.  My past experience in the sport still opens doors to this day.”

 

Stewart is proud to be part of the PHPA’s Alumni Network, which offers current and former players mentorship support, business contacts, plus unique access to PHPA resources and corporate partner programs and strongly recommends that players look into this and take advantage.

 

“I think they need something like that because many of the players aren’t superstars like Gretzky who don’t have to worry about money. Most of us are the ‘worker-bees’. Not everybody is getting their doors knocked down to help them out or get them involved.”

 

Stewart is forever grateful for the relationships he developed through hockey.  “If it were not for the connections I made playing hockey, I am not sure where I would be today or what I would be doing.  I know that if you don't have passion for what you are doing, the days can be long, dark, and cold. Believe me, I know. Make those connections, because you never know what they can do for you years later.  The PHPA Alumni Network would be a great start.”