Often times, sometimes abruptly and without notice, professional athletes find themselves lost once their career comes to a conclusion. Many assume that they can simply transition to a new career with ease. However, many do not know what they want to do, or even what they can do besides playing their sport. Having seen friends and teammates live through this experience, former PHPA Member, Tyler Elbrecht, began working towards his post hockey career since the age of 18, knowing that being prepared would be vital to his success.

Elbrecht was born in Edwardsville, IL, and grew into a physical 6’4 defenseman who thrived on protecting his own end on a consistent basis. His strong play beginning at a young age eventually grabbed the attention of several NCAA schools, and it was Minnesota State University (Mankota) that was lucky enough to recruit him.

“I had a couple of options coming out of my junior career and it simply came down to where I felt most comfortable,” recalled Elbrecht.  “A lot of schools wanted me to come visit while our team was in the middle of my last junior playoff run, but I didn’t want to leave my teammates at such a critical time.  Mankota was one of the only schools that was not pushing me or forcing me, which I respected a lot. We ended up winning the championship that year, so it all worked out.”

Elbrecht enjoyed four successful seasons with the Mavericks, the last two as the team captain. His leadership and defensive ability allowed him to thrive and play 142 NCAA games over that span.  

Following his collegiate career in 2013, Elbrecht signed his first professional contract with the Idaho Steelheads of the ECHL. While he does not remember his first professional game, he cherishes the opportunity that was given to him by Idaho.

“I was supposed to sign immediately following my last NCAA season and then join the team, but I missed the deadline. So I signed for the following season and I felt very comfortable with the coaching staff there and some of the new players coming in as well. You immediately notice the shift in speed and skill when you turn professional and I’m grateful for Idaho giving me that first opportunity to play pro.”

Elbrecht went on to enjoy six ECHL seasons, playing a total of 386 games split between eight different teams, and tallying 73 points along the way. Like many other players, his career involved a lot of travelling between teams, meeting new teammates and coaches, while adjusting to new team strategies and environments. Although it was a struggle at times, Elbrecht enjoyed each situation and was eager to adapt.

“I always had the mentality that I’m going to go wherever I can to continue playing the game I love. Each team was a new family for me and I’m going to embrace it. Each time I step into a new locker room, I am going to buy into what they’re preaching and play my role when I’m in the lineup.

I have so many memories from my career, notably the playoff run with the Toledo Walleye in 2015. I think we went to Game 7 three times and almost won them all. That run was incredible.”

Because of Elbrecht’s experience and knowledge of the league, in 2015 he was elected by his Greenville Swamp Rabbits teammates to serve as their Professional Hockey Players’ Association (PHPA) Player Representative.  He enjoyed representing his teammates, attending the PHPA Annual Meeting in Orlando, answering questions posed by younger players, and helping create an environment that allowed players to understand the structure that helps support players off the ice.

“It was a great learning experience, going to the Annual Meeting and understanding the internal structure from a business perspective. It’s great to have that information for the young guys just coming into the league and showing them what their insurance looks like or what form you have to fill out if this happens.

The experience really makes us understand why we have the PHPA, how they support us, and the encouragement they gave us to use them and call them when we have any issues or questions.”

In 2019, Elbrecht made the difficult decision to retire from professional hockey. This was a decision that he came to peace with during his last season and felt the time was right to enter the next chapter of his life.

“I can actually say that I haven’t put on my equipment since I retired, that’s how I know it was the right time and decision. I am lucky enough to say that it hasn’t been a very tough transition because I have been preparing for this for 15 years now. I honestly could not imagine what my transition would have looked like without having something to step right into.”

What separates Elbrecht from so many other former players is that he laid the groundwork for his post hockey career while he was still playing. When he was 18, Elbrecht began developing plans to one day run his own hockey performance school. Starting with lessons on his down time, it quickly grew into a thriving business that was ready to explode once he retired. It was a lot of hard work, but worth the time and effort.

“It started off slow and a means to make some extra income, but quickly grew thanks to building some strong relationships with clients. It has now developed into various off-ice hockey schools, working with hundreds of players ranging from youth to professional at numerous locations throughout Illinois. Building and growing with our community has been huge and I am so thankful for that.”

His company, Elite Hockey Business works with hockey players of various age and skill levels, starting with the four-year olds. The company also strives to work with professional players looking to further improve their game, including Minnesota Wild defenseman Dakota Mermis. With the company continuing to grow, Elbrecht would love to see players interested in improving their game to reach out, or players looking to learn the business side reach out for potential employment.

“Obviously I realize that the transition is not as smooth for some players coming out of hockey.  If you want to come and get some experience, we have both part-time and full-time positions. Perhaps a player may want to start their own school in the future and want to learn the business side of it, we want to offer that opportunity. Having the chance to work within hockey and still continue your training was something I loved during my career.”

After an exciting six-year professional hockey journey and quickly transitioning into a prominent role with Elite Hockey Business, it is a tall task for Elbrecht to look back and reflect on what he accomplished. When asked what advice he would give current or former players, he emphasized how his story can serve as a lesson for players to consider focusing on a post hockey career as early as possible.

“Start thinking about what your Plan B might look like, even if you are still in your rookie season. It’s great to start asking those questions now and looking ahead at what might interest you after your playing career. If you can start working towards that in your down time, you can really set yourself up. That is why I have been so fortunate.”

Elbrecht’s success story is a culmination of hard-work and building something special that would keep him involved in hockey on his own terms.  He hopes other players can learn from his journey and help them create a smooth transition plan into the next chapter of their lives.

Elite Hockey Business is a thriving company that is eager to grow.  Anyone interested in learning more about training or employment opportunities can reach out to Tyler at elitehockeycamps@outlook.com. All other information can be found on his social media outlets:

Instagram: @elitehockeytraining @elitehockeyfacility @elite_hockeyschool