I was recently featured on the Junior Hockey Magazine Podcast hosted by Gino Reda. Their segment “Where Are They Now” focuses on former CHL players who have transitioned into their lives after hockey. We discussed my experience in the WHL, the importance of education, attending the University of Manitoba, and how I’ve transitioned into my life after hockey while finding a way to stay involved in the game.
Gino – “Time now for CHL leaders presented by CIBC dedicated to telling the stories of those who use the CHL education program to launch their careers after hockey. This week we put the spotlight on Adam Henry, who played four seasons in the WHL for Lethbridge, Seattle, Saskatoon, and Portland and is now a Financial Advisor with a practice tailored towards working with professional hockey players at Harbourfront Wealth Management. Looking back Henry’s got some great memories from his career in the WHL, but his favorite came in his final season.”
Adam – “My last year when I was 20, being fortunate to be picked up by the Portland Winter Hawks and going on a bit of a playoff run. We ended up losing in the Western Conference Finals, but playing against some really good players like Josh Morrissey and Leon Draisatl, and we had Nic Petan and Oliver Bjorkstrand, and selling out the arena and just overall, that last experience I had finishing out my WHL career was pretty special.
Gino – “Throughout his time in the ‘Dub, Henry was also busy in the classroom. He believes he learned many important life lessons during his WHL career that he’s been able to apply to his job today.”
Adam – “It just teaches you that balance which is so important. I came from a family where school was always the priority and I wasn’t allowed to play hockey unless my grades were good, so I was forced to kind of adopt that from an early age but then yeah when I was playing in the Western League I was going to high school and when I graduated high school every team that I was on we were forced to take at least one college class so you had to learn how to take college classes and then it totally prepared me for life after when I didn’t end up making it to the NHL and needed to go to school and actually University and take a full course load I was a little bit more prepared than I maybe would have been if I went right to University out of high school.
Gino – “Henry, who’s now 26, was a very solid two-way blueliner during his WHL career. In 265 games he scored 132 points and had 157 penalty minutes, but after his final year in Portland he knew getting his education was a major priority and thanks to the CHL scholarship program Henry went to the University of Manitoba.
Adam – “As soon as my junior career ended, I had that choice between pursuing minor pro or going to school. I didn’t sign an NHL deal right out of junior, so I had that decision of whether I wanted to go play in the East Coast League and try to make it the long way or should I take advantage of the scholarship package that the Western League offers and go to school.”
Gino – “Henry continued to play hockey while at the University of Manitoba and in the classroom, he received a Bachelor of Commerce Degree with a Double Major in Accounting and Finance, and now he’s a Financial Advisor with a practice tailored towards working with professional hockey players at Harbourfront Wealth Management.”
Adam – “I handle investment management for hockey players but also provide financial advice such as understanding how the NHL pension plan works or the implications of cross border taxes and things like that. So, I work with hockey players in that regard (financially), and then I also wanted to stay involved and coach a little bit, so I work here in the city Winnipeg coaching hockey with The Laker hockey Academy, and we run kids through grassroots all the way up to the junior level, on the ice and in the gym just working on player development. For me it was a way to transition from my hockey career playing into something where I can put food on the table for my family but still be involved in the game a little bit.”
Gino – “Without the CHL scholarship program, Henry might not have had the opportunity to get the education and the job he’s got today.”
Adam – “I think it’s a pretty big misconception just how good the scholarship package is. I know my family and I went through the process of signing the standard player contract in the Western League and we didn’t even know until they told us about what was offered and the fact that I was able to get a full year of University (tuition and books) to my home University immediately upon signing and an additional year every season I played a game. I ended up having my entire 5-year University degree (tuition and books) paid for. So, it didn’t cost me any money to go to school and, I mean, I looked at my bank account when I finished University and there wasn’t much in there, I can’t imagine what it would have been like if I had to pay for the degree!”
