Kevin Chapman

Strength and Conditioning Coach SKA Saint Petersburg @HCSKA

[Drew Shore @Drew22Shore]

I retired from playing professional hockey in 2021.

I started playing professionally in 2011 after I signed a contract with the Florida Panthers and decided to leave the University of Denver after only three seasons.

I felt completely “burnt out” when I decided to stop playing and could not understand why, after playing professionally for only 10 seasons. I always thought I was going to be the guy who played until he was 40. Recently, I had a conversation with a friend of mine, Derek Armstrong, who helped me crystallize my thoughts on why this occurred. Derek and I had very similar skill sets and talent levels.

Let’s begin by comparing our careers:

Derek: 17 years pro, 477 NHL games, 1,015 pro games, retired at 37.
Drew: 10 years pro, 99 NHL games, 322 pro games (a million healthy scratches), retired at 30.

From the time I was three years old, I shot pucks every day. I did this because I thought I had to in order to make the NHL. Derek shot pucks every day because he thought it was fun and genuinely enjoyed it.

I moved away from home when I was 13 to play hockey in Vancouver, and that was the year I mentally made hockey a job. I never once felt any pressure from either of my parents; this was simply the way I was wired at an early age. Derek played with his buddies every day on a pond until he turned 18. He didn’t think hockey was a job until his first NHL game at 20 years old.

This is an important lesson for both players and parents. I now realize that when I retired at 30, I felt exhausted because I had been treating the game like a profession for 17 seasons.

It is impossible to reach the pinnacle of any profession without years of hard work. The best players love their work. They enjoy every part of the game, which enables them to sustain energy and be successful for many years.

You have to find a way to fall in love with the daily grind, or else long-term success is impossible. This applies to sports and everything else in life.

[New York Rangers @NYRangers]

UPDATE: #NYR have recalled Will Cuylle from @WolfPackAHL. Sammy Blais has been assigned to Hartford (conditioning).

Details ⬇️ https://t.co/1iiLc5fPrn

[Brampton Steelheads @OHLSteelheads]

Congratulations to your new Co-Captains James Hardie and Charlie Callaghan, and Assistant Captain Chas Sharpe! 🤩 #MadeofSteel

📰: https://t.co/kGmvwOKQmS

[Kevin Chapman @KChap11]

@Austin_Guzzo For the culture! Didn’t know AG could ball 😁

[Jeff Marek @JeffMarek]

Sounds like Toronto Metropolitan University (MTU) will host the U Sports men's National Hockey Championship next year.

[Brampton Steelheads @OHLSteelheads]

New fish alert 🐟 #NewWave #MadeofSteel

[Brampton Steelheads @OHLSteelheads]

We have received a commitment from defenceman Will Haley 🌊 #NewWave #MadeofSteel

📰: https://t.co/gdneQ8P969

[New York Rangers @NYRangers]

“This week, I’m really trying to show my skills and be a leader.”

More Will Cuylle: https://t.co/z0LJmWhvj9
Brennan Othmann: https://t.co/GtbWzoAZVZ
Jed Ortmeyer: https://t.co/vNZiTL1BQZ

[TMU Bold Men's Hockey @tmuboldmhky]

An amazing regular season in the OUA West returns 6️⃣ awards! 💥

Congratulations to @GameDaySauce @ryanwells_2 and Head Coach Johnny Duco who earned recognition for their dedication to excellence! 👏

🔗: https://t.co/nuLf82sdLC

#weRrams

[Kevin Chapman @KChap11]

Congrats to @GDito77 on signing with the @TheHersheyBears all the best with your new team!

[TMU Bold Men's Hockey @tmuboldmhky]

Another Ram signs a pro contract. Congratulations goes out to @GDito77 who has signed an AHL contract with @TheHersheyBears and is being assigned to @SCStingrays

Congrats Dito and we’re going to miss you!

#weRrams #2️⃣0️⃣

[U SPORTS @USPORTSca]

University sport in Canada is ELITE. It’s time for govts to understand our collective benefit to Canada. @USPORTSca stands with all of our conferences and members to say #OUAisELITE and student-athletes deserve to be recognized as being as such!

[Kevin Chapman @KChap11]

@Jefftwo @Starbucks If you ordered a black coffee we are cool. If not, you have some explaining to do 😂

[Jeremy Frisch @JeremyFrisch]

#freeplay
#LTAD

[Kevin Chapman @KChap11]

@Br00ks21 Low and slow high stepping

[Jeremy Frisch @JeremyFrisch]

If your front lawn looks like a fairway and doesn't have dirt patches or base paths you don't play outside with your kids enough...

[Jamaican Olympic Ice Hockey Federation OFFICIAL @JOIHT]

BREAKING NEWS:
JOIHF Skates Forward With an Assist From Former NHL'er Chris Stewart @Cstew_7 as an Ambassador and Co-Coach of Jamaica's National Ice Hockey Team.

Read official press release here: https://t.co/jUK3qcjLS5

[Ontario Hockey League @OHLHockey]

Congrats Jonah Gadjovich!

Four-year @AttackOHL forward made his #NHL debut with the @Canucks at the age of 22 on Sunday. Big winger scored 46 goals in 2016-17 before being Vancouver's second round pick in the #NHLDraft. #OHLAlumni #Canucks

[Kevin Chapman @KChap11]

@Klindley30 @Oshawa_Generals Much appreciated my brother!

[Steven Ellis @SEllisHockey]

Final day of the #U18Worlds. From people I know down in Texas, they've praised the work by everyone to make the tournament possible.

Great to see consistent coverage, good hockey, no positive cases among players and staff and fans in Frisco.