Hockey Agents vs Hockey Advisors

The difference between Hockey AGENTS vs. Hockey ADVISORS is a common question we get here at TrailBlazer Hockey.

Firstly, know it is very understandable why players and parents may not understand the difference as both AGENTS & ADVISORS perform similar duties and with the goal to get players to higher levels but in reality, there are some VERY BIG differences between AGENTS and an ADVISORS that it is critical players and families know and understand!

Let us help explain the roles and differences of AGENTS vs. ADVISORS.

Hockey Agents

Hockey Agents at its simplest form are individuals that provide assistance & advice to elite hockey players in return for a percentage of that players future professional earnings. Agents typically target highly skilled young players that are expected to be high draft picks in the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) which includes the Western Hockey League (WHL), the Ontario Hockey League and the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL) and potentially the National Hockey League (NHL).

Some important points to know about Agents are the following:

• They don’t charge a fee, rather they work for a % of a player’s future earnings
• As a result of NOT paying an Agent, they can often NOT provide much for services to the player
• An individual can be BOTH an Agent and an Advisor, but the contract they have with a player will be very different and one requires they are paid a fee by the player, the other no fee is required – rather the player pays with a % of his future professional earnings
• A player can typically terminate his agreement with an Agent very easily at no cost, and why you often see a player changing their Agent over time
• Maybe MOST IMPORTANT, players planning to pursue NCAA hockey are NOT allowed to use an Agent so it is important players and families carefully choose when making this decision
• By default, it can often be wise to utilize the services of an Advisor in order to protect your NCAA eligibility until such time you make a firm decision on if you will pursue NCAA or not

Hockey Advisors

Family Hockey Advisors in its simplest form are individuals that provide assistance & advice to hockey players in return for a mutually agreed to fee, based on the services they will provide to the player and their family. Family Advisors provide their services to a wide range of players that can range from average players to the most elite players. The reason behind this is because Advisors are paid for the services they provide the player and family so their compensation is NOT dependent on if player plays professionally in the future or not – thought many players do! Any player considering pursuing NCAA hockey needs to use an Advisor vs. an Agent due to strict NCAA rules.

Some important points to know about Advisors are the following:

• Advisor’s charge a fee, rather they work for a % of a player’s future earnings
• As a result, Advisors can often provide much more for services and overall value to the majority of player and families
• An individual can be BOTH an Agent and an Advisor, but the contract they have with a player will be very different and one requires they are paid a fee by the player, the other no fee is required – rather the player pays with a % of his future professional earnings
• A player contract with an Advisor is typically for a term of one (1) year for a mutually agreed to fee in return for mutually agreed to services the Advisor will provide over that term.
• Players are free to change Advisors at the end of their term.
• Some players and families use an Advisor for multiple years, while a smaller number utilize an Advisor for maybe one (1) or two (2) years just to get them through a difficult time
• And again, MOST IMPORTANT is that players planning to pursue NCAA hockey can NOT accept free advice from a professional so it is important players and families carefully choose when making this decision
• By default, it can often be wise to utilize the services of an Advisor in order to protect your NCAA eligibility until such time you make a firm decision on if you will pursue NCAA – or not.

Though Agents and Advisors perform many similar roles, there is a big difference between the two. With the combination of the complexity and high cost of hockey today, the use of Advisors by players and their families has become increasingly popular. Many players are paying between $15,000 to $50,000 per year to play hockey. By using the services of a qualified and trusted Advisor, families can feel comfortable they are investing their hockey fees wisely and are getting the best value possible. Frankly, quite often the fees a family pays an Advisor can potentially prevent costly family decisions that would ultimately cost the family more than the fee they pay their Advisor. Advisors can help a player achieve his or her hockey & academic dreams, but as important a good Advisors can also provide the player and family piece of mind that they are doing the rights things and making the right investments on the pathway to those hockey & academic goals.