27-Year-Old and Former Tenth Overall Pick Retires from Oilers and Works at Tim Hortons
Photo credit: TSN
This former tenth-overall pick has recently retired from professional hockey and has taken up working odd jobs, including working at his local Tim Hortons.
Slater Koekkoek Picks Up Odd-Jobs in His Retirement
Slater Koekkoek was the 10th overall pick back in 2012, however, the 27-year-old elected for early retirement in order to prioritize his mental health. While he didn't pan out as a traditional first-round pick, this led him to deal with anxiety and ultimately retire to find a new purpose, and that has been doing odd jobs.
These days, you can often find him clearing driveways and laneways after big snowfalls. In the fall, he was helping with yard cleanups in Ottawa.
"I'm trained from the school of YouTube. I'm A-plus as a hard worker. And what I don't know, I'll try and learn," he said. "But you probably wouldn't want me doing your crown molding."
"I'm trained from the school of YouTube. I'm A-plus as a hard worker. And what I don't know, I'll try and learn," he said. "But you probably wouldn't want me doing your crown molding."
In the interview with The Athletic's Ian Mendes, Koekkoek opened up about how he experienced anxiety while playing in the NHL, ultimately impacting his health and performance while on the ice.
"I would say I played a majority of my professional games without the ability to eat much, if anything, the night before and the day of the games. Hockey Night in Canada on a completely empty stomach? Let's do this, I guess."
Koekkoek Finding New Passion in Retirement With Purpose
Koekkoek has pursued a number of odd jobs in retirement, including volunteering at his local Tim Hortons to work. Others include shovelling driveways when a big storm hits, or doing handiwork around the community.
Now, he has started a new initiative to pair people who need employment with employers who are facing labour shortages, something he calls Fulfill Your Life Work.
We wish Koekkoek the best in his new pursuits in his life after hockey.
As seen on Oilers Daily - "Oilers defenceman retires from hockey to work odd jobs"
| POLL | ||
14 MARS | 243 ANSWERS 27-Year-Old and Former Tenth Overall Pick Retires from Oilers and Works at Tim Hortons Do you think the NHL should have more support for mental health for its players? | ||
| Yes | 207 | 85.2 % |
| No | 36 | 14.8 % |
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