Evan Stoflet’s journey through the game of hockey has taken him to places many people never get to in their lifetime.  For the native of Madison, Wisconsin, it all started on a frozen lake attached to the house he grew up in, and eventually led him to the professional ranks.  Although the Utah Grizzles defenseman played many sports throughout his childhood, it was the game of hockey that he chose to pursue with passion.

As it turns out, Stoflet’s choice ended up being a good one. With the Chicago Blackhawks being the closest NHL team in proximity, by default, he cheered from a distance, having never attended any Blackhawks games during his childhood. For Evan though, that was completely fine, as he spent most of his time attending and passionately cheering for his hometown, University of Wisconsin Badgers.

Being such a passionate fan of college hockey, it was no surprise to anyone, including Evan, that he chose to go the route so many American born hockey players do, and play Division I hockey in the NCAA. “Growing up I was so heavily exposed to college hockey, and with education being as important as it is, especially to my family, I jumped all over the opportunity to be able to attend college, while continuing to play the game of hockey,” said Stoflet. 

After playing two seasons in the USHL, Stoflet committed to the University of Vermont to play for the Catamounts where he earned degree in Community Development and Applied Economics.  Something he cherishes as the number one reason he chose to play college hockey.  “I’m happy to have that piece of paper to use in the future.  I’m undecided whether or not I would start up my own business or venture down another path, but right now, I’m just focusing on hockey, and I will cross that bridge when I get there.”

While attending Vermont, Stoflet enjoyed his time around the rink, despite the team not having the most successful on-ice record during his four years.  He did however get to play with notable future NHL’ers Viktor Stalberg and Torey Mitchell. “You could tell right away those guys were going to have very successful careers, not to mention the fact that they had already been drafted.  Although they approached the game with a strong work ethic, it was their natural ability to see the ice and the way a play would develop that set them apart from everyone else.”

Playing with quality players like Stalberg and Mitchell allowed Stoflet’s transition into professional hockey to be as smooth as he could have asked for on the ice.

Off the ice, he experienced challenges at times when adjusting to the professional hockey player’s lifestyle.  “There’s a huge difference in the gap between college and professional hockey. You’re given much more responsibility in the pro ranks, where everything you do in terms of preparation for the game is completely up to you. I didn’t have a billet family preparing meals, so college helped in that sense. The four years at college also allowed my body to become more developed. I got bigger and stronger over that period, and I think that hurts some guys who play major junior hockey and transition to pro hockey before turning 20.”

Following his University career, Stoflet would spend the next five seasons playing at the professional level, primarily in the ECHL, including stops in Corpus Christi, Utah, Bakersfield, and Elmira before trying his hand at professional hockey in Europe, and more specifically, Denmark.  For Stoflet, playing in a foreign market allowed him to share time between his hockey commitments and a passion for travelling. He played for two separate teams in Denmark, and though one experience was more enjoyable than the other, he was happy to experience both.

“Playing in Denmark was an amazing experience. Between the lifestyle, the culture and the hockey, it was all such a unique occurrence. To be able to see so many cultures and travel to so many countries, all at the privilege of doing so through hockey is something I will always cherish.”

When Stoflet spoke about the differences between North American hockey to his time in Denmark, he notes that it was a difficult comparison to make. From the facilities, to the style of play, to the atmosphere of the crowds, it was just so different.

“When I played in Esbjerg, we had amazing fan support, definitely more so than when I played in Copenhagen. You could describe the arena atmosphere as very soccer oriented; the fans had chants, they banged on drums, and it was very boisterous from start to finish. It was much different than what I was used to in North America, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.”

For Stoflet, Denmark wasn’t the only foreign market he experienced while playing professional hockey. Stoflet joined the China Dragon from 2014 – 2016, a team in the Asia League that played games in Shanghai, Beijing and Harbin, China. When asked about his transition to living in China, Stoflet compares it to no other.

“From the moment I landed in Beijing, I experienced the biggest culture shock of my life. It was nice to think back to Europe, where they spoke English and used letters enough to be able to piece together words.  But in China, there were very few English-speaking people in the city and our team translator couldn’t be around us 24/7.  Figuring out how to survive in China brought a new appreciation to everything I have living in the United States.”

Stoflet recognizes the fact that the Dragon didn’t share as much success as he would have liked, but again, he was extremely happy to utilize the game of hockey to experience a foreign country he might otherwise not have been able to.

“Our team struggled to say the least. The first season I was there, we won the first game in 5 full seasons and managed to string 10 wins together in total.  The players had lots of skill, but the hockey lacked structure. Many players never received great coaching, and that lead to a lack of knowledge toward the game.”

Slowly, hockey is becoming more recognized in China, especially with the Winter Olympics in 2022 right around the corner.  In the northern region of China, Stoflet remembers teams filling arenas with upwards of 3500 fans every night.  He believes this helps prove the notion that with a little more invested towards hockey, the Chinese hockey market definitely has potential for growth.  “When you have hockey in the community for almost 60 years, you see that there is a market there for the game.  But when you get 10-15 people a game, in a city like Shanghai, or 600-800 people at a nationally televised game in Beijing like we sometimes would, it makes you second guess that potential for the market.”

Stoflet now calls Salt Lake City, Utah his home and has returned to the ECHL for the 2016-17 season to play for the Utah Grizzlies.  Since his father transferred there for work in 1996, Stoflet has been a staple in the community where he attended grade school and developed a number of great friendships.

The Grizzlies are off to a hot start to the season, and currently sit tied for first in the Mountain Division.  “I credit our start to the character we’ve quickly developed as a team, where we have a never-say-die attitude and can find a way to win.  Our team is young, so I’m doing all I can to set a quality example because as a veteran player, the younger guys are looking to me to learn. I remember when I was a younger guy in the league, I was too shy to ask questions and speak to the veterans, so as the vet, I am making myself as available as I can to help provide as much assistance as possible.”

Stoflet has also assumed the leadership role as the Grizzlies’ Player Representative for the Professional Hockey Players’ Association.  Having played within non-unionized leagues in Denmark and China, Stoflet knows exactly how reassuring the union is for players, as they fully protect their rights through the Collective Bargaining Agreement.  He has dealt with the union numerous times on a personal level, and thus feels as though his experience and knowledge will provide teammates with the proper guidance they require to deal with union related issues.

“The union makes life beyond the rink reassuring. When I was playing in Denmark for the first time, the team had serious financial issues. Our paychecks were constantly late, and right before the final paycheck, they cut the two other imports and myself, stating we should still expect our paycheck in the mail. In the end we never received our paycheck and essentially played the last month of hockey for free.”

Before having ever dealt with the PHPA, he never understood how much they actually do for the benefit of players and their families.  Now, after following hockey around the globe, he’s fully aware that some of the horror stories he experienced won’t happen on this side of the pond.