Following a hockey career that spanned two seasons of Junior in Penticton, BC, four seasons of NCAA hockey for Michigan Tech University, and 2 seasons at the professional level including attending an NHL Prospects Camp, Deron Cousens transitioned to the world of finance with Sun Life Financial where he is now a successful Advisor.  Although he experienced some bumps along the way, the path he took toward his transition to a successful post-hockey career could be one that other players may consider following.

Growing up in Georgetown, Ontario, Cousens ventured west while in his teens for an opportunity to play junior hockey, all the while intent on securing a hockey scholarship to an NCAA school.  “I had moved out to Penticton, British Columbia for 2 years, which is a hotbed for NCAA Division 1 scholarships.  I played well and had a couple offers, and ultimately chose Michigan Tech which is a great school and has a great reputation, and studied Business Management,” said Cousens.

After three hard fought years with the Huskies, Cousens was named Co-Captain of the team after the players held a vote to determine their leader for the 2010-11 season.  “It was a huge honour, especially to be voted by my teammates.  The other co-captain, Brett Olson, actually suffered an injury and was out for most of the season so I was the Captain for the majority of the year.  My leadership style is not over the top, but I don’t mind speaking up when something needs to be said.”

Cousens had been on the radar of some NHL teams, and during the off-season leading up to his senior year, he took part in an NHL Prospects Camp with the Washington Capitals.  “My agent helped get me an invite as Washington identified me as a player who could sign with them straight out of college.  It was a good measuring stick for me to see where I stacked up against the other attendees.  I was out there against guys like John Carlson, Braden Holtby, and Mathieu Perrault.  It was definitely a good experience and looking back is one of the highlights of my hockey career.”

After posting impressive numbers during his final year including 21 points in 38 games as a defenseman, pro scouts began calling.  “The Florida Everblades of the ECHL were interested in me.  I actually had a buddy who was playing for them at the time.  The coach had asked him about me, he put in a good word, and shortly thereafter I was moving down to Florida, which wasn’t a bad thing after living in Michigan all season long.  It was a real culture shock at first going from College hockey to pro, but ended up being a good fit.”

Counsens would go on to play 6 regular season games with the Everblades that year and even saw action during the team’s playoff run.  The following year, his first full season of pro, saw him make an impact with the Everblades who would go on to capture the ECHL Kelly Cup.  Unfortunately, Cousens was traded to Idaho late in the year and wasn’t part of the team’s successful playoff run, although he did help the Steelheads advance to the Conference Semifinal.

Due to circumstances beyond his control, the 2012-13 season didn’t quite go as planned for Cousens, which is where his story takes an interesting turn.

The 2012-13 hockey season was marred by the NHL lockout, which saw many players on NHL entry level contracts permissibly assigned to the American Hockey League.  This presented a player supply issue that trickled down throughout hockey’s development leagues, with a number of players affected and shuffled between teams and leagues.

Cousens was no exception, as he ended up playing for 4 different teams, including Idaho, Greenville, and Bakersfield in the ECHL as well as Arizona in the now former Central Hockey League. “I wanted to play and actually had to ask for my release early in the season to go to a team where I would get some ice time,” he explained.

“I then went to Idaho, and really liked our coach who said all the right things, but then the next day we were assigned five more players from the Texas Stars, three of them were defensemen.  I knew there were teams that wanted me, which was a better position to be in than some of my buddies who weren’t playing at all.  It can get pretty taxing on players and their families.  I finally ended up back in the ECHL with Bakersfield.”

Once the season was over, Cousens had some time to reflect about his hockey career during the long drive home from Bakersfield, California to Georgetown, Ontario.  “I began thinking that maybe this was my last kick at the can.  I had great memories and experiences playing hockey but going through that season made me realize it was time to start looking ahead to a post hockey career.”

Professional hockey players are often at a crossroads when faced with the challenge of navigating through the post-hockey phase of their lives.  Cousens was no different.

“When I made the decision to leave hockey I had no clue what I wanted to do.  I had no idea at the time that I would go down the finance path. I started working for Xerox, and although it was OK I didn’t think it was quite right for me.  Maybe it had something to do with being in a new job and a new way of life that is much different than the lifestyle I was accustomed to from playing hockey.  It was a real culture shock for me.  I even thought about possibly getting back in to playing hockey.”

Fortunately, a chance meeting with another former professional hockey player helped bring light to a new opportunity.

“I met a former pro player, Victor Oreskovich who would eventually become my Sales Manager.  He got me an interview with Sun Life Financial which is where he was working at the time.  I wasn’t sure if I would be interested, but thought I would hear them out anyway and gain some interview experience at the same time.  But after the interview, I was sold on the potential of working for Sun Life.  I went through the testing and was hired on, worked individually for about 3 months before I was paired with a Senior Advisor who became my mentor, which was an absolute life changer.”

Sun Life Financial provided Cousens with the proper training and mentorship that left him primed to help clients with an array of financial issues.  “I sit down with clients, go over their financial picture and portfolio, and help them clearly define their financial goals and develop a plan to eventually achieve those goals.  I also assist with the purchase of life insurance and ensure that clients are sufficiently protected.  Every client is different.  I don’t do one specific thing on a daily basis, but rather it’s a broad spectrum which keeps things interesting.  I am in charge of my own schedule and it’s like running your own business.”

Cousens soon realized that there were a number of similarities between his new career at Sun Life Financial and his old career of playing professional hockey, and that other players may be interested in following the same path.  “Hockey players are very personable, they talk to a lot of different people such as fans, media, team personnel, and others.  Players are good at being able to relate to other people.  It’s a great career option.  It’s not easy but that’s no different than your hockey career.  You work hard to improve your skills, and then you realize that you can be successful at this.”

Recently, some other former players have joined the Sun Life team who have since done well for themselves and are enjoying the experience.  “Going from hockey to any regular job there will naturally be some degree of culture shock.  I would advise other players to take a look at what suits their interests and set up an interview.  Guys need to start thinking about their post hockey career.“

The Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) offers assistance with career transitions through their renowned Career Enhancement Program (CEP) which has worked with over 1800 players since it’s inception in 1997.  “I didn’t take part in the program as a player, but looking back I wish I had.  Players who are nearing the end of their on-ice career should start thinking about something other than hockey.  Sun Life has a great program and would be a great start point for any player seeking a challenging yet rewarding opportunity that parallels the game in more ways than what you might think.”