Where can I play as a Pro/semipro? - should i get an agent?

[Swedish Viking]

I´m a goalie from a swedish division 2 team (a top team). Does somebody know where, in europe, I would be abel to play as a pro? I heard that there were some swedes in nice (from the same division) that earned so much that they could just play hockey for there living... What I want is to get an opportunity to focus on my game instead of working al day and then go to practice...

[jokke_wiberg]

hey viking,
division 2 in sweden is a 4th tier ? right ?

if you wanna play in highest tier - probably spain, iceland or belgium maybe.
thats the first step if you wanna start a pro career as a import, if you cant get a spot in a team there than you know that you should give up your dreams of a professional hockey career coz most of the teams/leagues bring imports that are quite better than domestic players

nice is french 2 div team (3 tier), i doubt that you can make decent living from playing there. but french lower divisions could also be a first step...

[Viktor]

hey viking,
division 2 in sweden is a 4th tier ? right ?

if you wanna play in highest tier - probably spain, iceland or belgium maybe.
thats the first step if you wanna start a pro career as a import, if you cant get a spot in a team there than you know that you should give up your dreams of a professional hockey career coz most of the teams/leagues bring imports that are quite better than domestic players

nice is french 2 div team (3 tier), i doubt that you can make decent living from playing there. but french lower divisions could also be a first step...
decent and decent.... My freind got a contractpropsel last year, and he would have 2k euro i mouth. So you could accutally get some decent money there, not much but decent. By saying this a dont whant to get somebodys hope up.

Even worse english now, but i think you understand

[jokke_wiberg]

2k euros in french div2. wow. probably thats enough to make living, especially if club pays for food & accomodation.
for 2-3k euros you can bring slovakian players with extraliga experience

[Swedish Viking]

yes 2k euros, that´s what I read in the paper here i sweden... I think they also had free appartment... But what about other leagues like polish or serie A2 (italy)?

[Swedish Viking]

I also reed an articel about spain, it was compared to tier 5 here in sweden and it´s a huge gap between tier 4 and 5 here in sweden...

[Viktor]

I also reed an articel about spain, it was compared to tier 5 here in sweden and it´s a huge gap between tier 4 and 5 here in sweden...

I dont whana be rude, but have you consider being a semi-pro and going to the universitiy as well? If so i reckon europe will be open fore you!

[Viktor]

2k euros in french div2. wow. probably thats enough to make living, especially if club pays for food & accomodation.
for 2-3k euros you can bring slovakian players with extraliga experience

This is my childhood and bestfriend. I dont remeber much from his contractprobosal, i am not sure wheater theres was accomodation or not. But whant i remeber was that he was not aloud to accept the frence cantract becuase his girlfriend just here veto. :)

[Swedish Viking]

I´m studing right now so it wouldn´t work for me, but if I get 2k euro I would be happy... :)

[Viktor]

I´m studing right now so it wouldn´t work for me, but if I get 2k euro I would be happy... :)

Even if its looks that way on my post and what you have heard in sweden, there are not many players who get that chance. You have to look on this with sober eyes, not many players in sweden get chanche to even be semi-pro in eurepe. I dont wont to destroy your dreams, but there is alot off kids like you. Go to the university get future and play at Barcelona or some club like that. Go somewhere nobody else goes

[jokke_wiberg]

yes 2k euros, that´s what I read in the paper here i sweden... I think they also had free appartment... But what about other leagues like polish or serie A2 (italy)?


viking, best way to start is spain or belgium. poland and italy are quite better.

http://www.hockeyagency.org/hockeyagencyfranky11.html

check this guys agency. hes playing/coaching in spain...

[no no never never]

This is my childhood and bestfriend. I dont remeber much from his contractprobosal, i am not sure wheater theres was accomodation or not. But whant i remeber was that he was not aloud to accept the frence cantract becuase his girlfriend just here veto. :)

A good woman has been the end of many a budding hockey career :)

I also have a friend, who was not SweDiv.1 standard, but he went to Belguim had much success, and most recently was/is in France 3rd/4th? League and has a comfortable wage.

But, I agree it is just to go, wherever you get a chance. Is how I ended up in Sweden with a beautiful blonde wife. Go now before you have a ball and chain to muddle you plans!

[hockeynomad]

I saw a premier French league match last fall on TV in Bordeaux, and the league is full of Quebec major junior leaguers who were un-drafted or didn't stick in NA leagues.

Decent hockey, but all offense, no-defense. Rough on a goalie, some who had trouble stopping a beach-ball.

[Swedish Viking]

whats the standard of Major junior league? compared to europen leagues? So the goaltending part wasn´t to solid?

[Marc Brunengraber]

Here, Swedish Viking, try this thread:

http://forums.internationalhockey.net/showthread.php?t=2632&highlight=comparing+leagues

[hockeynomad]

whats the standard of Major junior league? compared to europen leagues? So the goaltending part wasn´t to solid?

I meant "graduated" ex-Quebec major leaguers....

[Swedish Viking]

I meant "graduated" ex-Quebec major leaguers....

Do you know if the Quebec major league are similar to the Highest junior divisions here in sweden?

[Marc Brunengraber]

Canadian major junior hockey, including the Quebec league, is of a higher standard than European junior programs. Many of Europe's best junior aged players play pro or semi-pro in various leagues throughout Europe rather than in the European junior and junior equivalent programs (or in addition to them) so that they can find appropriate competition. Canadian major junior is of a standard equal to many of Europe's lower level pro leagues, and is basically as good as the ECHL, Central and United leagues in North America, all of which are pro/semi-pro. A more even comparsion might be Junior A or Junior B hockey, depending upon which European junior program you are trying to compare.

[Swedish Viking]

choosed to stay another season in sweden but I was thinking of playing elsewhere next season... What about div 1 in norway or denmark (tier 2), is it possible to play as a semi-pro in one of these? What about the standard of thouse 2??

[Tobias]

choosed to stay another season in sweden but I was thinking of playing elsewhere next season... What about div 1 in norway or denmark (tier 2), is it possible to play as a semi-pro in one of these? What about the standard of thouse 2??

If you were to play semi-pro you would have to be a backup goalie on one of the Al-bankligaen teams. Their backup goalies usually play the 1st divison games.

[Swedish Viking]

Hello!
I was thinking of going abroad next season and try my luck as a semi-pro and came up with the question: Would I be better of contacting an agency? So why not start a thread about agencys alaround europe?

So the question is which agencys would be the best for getting in to diffrent nations?

[Karsten]

choosed to stay another season in sweden but I was thinking of playing elsewhere next season... What about div 1 in norway or denmark (tier 2), is it possible to play as a semi-pro in one of these? What about the standard of thouse 2??

Denmark Div 1 corresponds to Sweden Div II (judged from the recent years's exhibition games). Some of the clubs are semi-pro, but I don't know how much they pay. I can ask a friend who is the director of Aarhus Crocodiles. If I was you I would attempt to contact Amar Jets, they have a tradition for signing Swedes. And by the way, Amar Jets first goalie is Christofer Lekander, born 1991 and proabably around the same age as you. Do you happen to know him? What is his background and how did he end up in Amar Jets. How about contacting him?

[Swedish Viking]

Denmark Div 1 corresponds to Sweden Div II (judged from the recent years's exhibition games). Some of the clubs are semi-pro, but I don't know how much they pay. I can ask a friend who is the director of Aarhus Crocodiles. If I was you I would attempt to contact Amar Jets, they have a tradition for signing Swedes. And by the way, Amar Jets first goalie is Christofer Lekander, born 1991 and proabably around the same age as you. Do you happen to know him? What is his background and how did he end up in Amar Jets. How about contacting him?

Never heard of the guy before... Couldn´t find him at enurohockey.net or eliteprospects.com either... so I wouldn´t know anything about him... yes I will probaley go for dansih div 1 next season... but it wouldn´t be necessery to contact an agency?

[buffmatt78]

I´m a goalie from a swedish division 2 team (a top team).

hey Viking!! I will be in Sweden playing for Jonstorp after the christmas break.... is your team in group C???

[toucher40]

buffmath hows your experience in sweden going for you, What kind of level is that