This year’s conference was well organized and amazing. From the moment I stepped through the door at 7 am until the finish of the draft, I was amazed. All the featured guest speakers were very informative and impressive. The biggest and best surprise was seeing the Cup in the flesh!!
2022 "in-person" Hockey Career Conference at the NHL Draft
July 6-8, 2022 in Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Register now for our "in-person" SMWW Hockey Career Conference featuring some of the most connected people in hockey. Included with each registration is a 100 level ticket for all 7 rounds of the 2022 NHL Draft in Bell Centre, the home of the Montreal Canadiens. For over 15 years we have hosted general managers, scouts, agents, and more to speak at our Hockey Career Conference – and this year, the first hockey conference after the pandemic, will be better than ever! We are so excited to see you all!
This event will be held in English. Cet événement se déroulera en anglais.
Our annual NHL Draft Hockey Career Conference provides people of all ages with a desire to work in professional hockey insight and exposure they can't get anywhere else:
- Network with hockey executives
- Receive career guidance from hockey insiders
- Discover who is hiring and what you need to know to get hired
- Connect with other hockey career-minded individuals
- Learn strategies to catapult your career to the next level
- Ask questions of hockey executives, scouts, media members, and more
- 100 level ticket to all 7 rounds over two days to the 2022 NHL Draft
Looking for a place to stay?
If you're looking for accomodations, here is a great list of hotels/hostels near the Hotel Bonaventure!*
(Updated as of 06/16/22) *Prices and availability subject to change
- Auberge Saintlo Montréal - $52 USD per night (not including taxes and fees)
- M Montréal - $58 USD per night (not including taxes and fees)
- St. Paul Hotel - $177 USD per night (not including taxes and fees)
- Hotel de Paris - $125 USD per night (not including taxes and fees)
- Hotel Victor - $99 USD per night (not including taxes and fees)
If you want to start a career in hockey or advance your current one, attending the SMWW NHL Draft Career Conference is the move you need to make. Find out who is hiring and for what roles, network with hockey executives, and learn strategies to catapult your career to the next level.
"Our NHL Draft Career Conference provides an invaluable opportunity for attendees to learn about careers in the NHL while networking with some of the biggest names in the industry," says Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, president of Sports Management Worldwide. "Agents, GM's, directors of player personnel, and marketing executives all will be present, meeting, and speaking with attendees. This is a unique event!"
Past conference speakers have included team executives like the Pittsburgh Penguins Brian Burke and Edmonton Oilers GM Ken Holland, powerful sports agents like Pat Brisson and Rick Curran, media members like NHL Network Senior Reporter EJ Hradek, head coaches, personnel executives, scouts, and more.
"SMWW gets the best speakers year after year, who are all able to speak with confidence and experience regarding a wide variety of topics in the hockey industry. Every moment at the conference was time well spent," confirms Dylan Skubel, Ontario Minor Hockey Association referee and linesman.
Montreal becomes the center of the hockey universe as NHL club executives, scouts and coaches will all be present on the NHL Draft floor joined by hundreds of print, television and radio media. SMWW puts you in the 100 level so you can watch the hockey executives interact and make decisions, while the media reports it to the world. Be in the heart of the action!
Hockey careers start with Sports Management Worldwide, and our annual NHL Draft Career Conference is a great way to get introduced to the people behind the scenes that make the game great.
"If you are thinking about a career in hockey, SMWW is a cutting-edge program that offers you the training, skills, vital networking, mentoring, and hockey specific training that will assist you in breaking in or advancing your career in professional hockey. They have hundreds of graduates now working at all levels of the game," says Pittsburgh Penguins President of Hockey Operations Brian Burke.
2019 Featured Speakers
*Speakers are subject to change. 2022 Speakers will be announced later.
Ken Holland
Edmonton Oilers GM
Rick Curran
The Orr Hockey Group
NHL Agent
Daniele Sauvageau
Canadian Women's Hockey Head Coach
EJ Hradek
NHL Network & NHL.com Sr. Reporter. NHL Live Host
Mike Johnston
WHL Portland Winterhawks General Manager & Head Coach
Wade Klippenstein
Colorado Avalanche Scout
John Shannon
Sportsnet.ca
Sportscaster
Ryan Bowness
Pittsburgh Penguins Professional Scout
Nicole Lee
NHL Senior Director Integrated Marketing
Damian Echvarrieta
NHL Player Safety Group Vice President
George Parros
Former NHL player, NHL Director of Player Safety
Jeff Ulmer
Arizona Coyotes Coordinator, Skill Development / Assistant Director of Special Projects
Dana Clark
Vancouver Canucks Sr Director, Human Resources
Lisa Hollenbeck
WHL Portland Winterhawks
Senior Director Business Operations
Mike Oke
Peterborough Petes
General Manager
Patrick Burke
NHL Director of Player Safety & You Can Play President
Manny Schmidt
Link Management NHL Agent
Harkie Singh
Uptown Hockey
NHLPA Agent
Dino Caputo
WHL Tri-City Americans Scout
Ella Chan
Vancouver Canucks Vice President Hospitality
Lynn Lashbrook
President & Founder of SMWW. Certified Sports Agent. Former NCAA Athletic Director.
I would highly recommend to anyone with a goal of pursuing a career in professional hockey that they give serious consideration in attending the NHL Draft Career Conference which is absolutely an incredible value for the return on the investment.
— Patrick Edwards, International Scouting Services — Hockey Scout
2022 NHL Draft Career Conference details:
As the NHL updates their NHL Draft schedule, we will update these approximate times below.
Note: Times will change. The dates are confirmed.
Wednesday, July 6th, 2022
What: SMWW hosts the Hockey Career Conference at the NHL Draft Welcome Reception
When: Approximately 7- 9pm eastern time
Location: Winston Churchill Pub Complex, Karina's Club, 3rd Floor in downtown Montreal, Quebec, Canada
1455 Crescent St, Montreal, Quebec H3G 2B2, Canada
(Must be 18 or older)
Thursday, July 7th, 2022
What: SMWW hosts the Hockey Career Conference
When: Approximately 8am- 5pm eastern time
Location: Hotel Bonaventure, 900 Rue De La Gauchetière O, Montréal, Quebec, Canada H5A 1E4
Thursday, July 7th, 2022
What: The 2022 NHL Draft 1st Round
When: Approximately 7- 9pm eastern time
Location: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Friday, July 8th, 2022
What: The 2022 NHL Draft, 2-7 Rounds
When: Approximately 11am- 3pm eastern time
Location: Bell Centre, Montreal, Quebec, Canada
This event is limited to the first 200
Conference Registration includes:
General Admission : $500 $425.00 USD
College Students, Faculty & SMWW Alumni : $500 $375.00 USD
Team, Agency Employees & SMWW Agents : $500 $400.00 USD
** Please note that the conference fee does not include flight or hotel accommodations.
Walk-up registrations will not be accepted. Please register online in advance.
SMWW’s Industry Leading Courses Featured In:
2019 NHL Career Conference Agenda
*This is the agenda for 2019, the 2022 agenda will be similar.
Note: The NHL Draft is on Thursday & Friday. (This is a change from previous years.)
June 18th, 2019
7 - 9pm Welcome Reception
June 19th, 2019
7:30 am - 5:00 pm SMWW Hockey Career Conference
7:00 am: Registration Open. Coffee and bagels are available.
7:45 am: Opening Remarks
Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, Sports Management Worldwide President, and Founder
8:00 am: Breakfast with Ken Holland, The Life of a GM in the NHL
Moderator: Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, Sports Management Worldwide PresidentKen Holland, Edmonton Oilers General Manager (formerly with the Detroit Red Wings for 36 years)
8:30 am: The Business of Minor League Hockey
Moderator: Dino Caputo, WHL Tri-Cities Americans ScoutMike Johnston, WHL Portland Winterhawks General Manager, and Head Coach Lisa Hollenbeck, WHL Portland Winterhawks Senior Director Hockey Operations
9:00 am: Identifying the Next Big Star
Moderator: Mike Oke, OHL Peterborough Petes General ManagerRyan Bowness, NHL Pittsburgh Penguins Professional Scout
Trace Linton, NHL Carolina Hurricanes Video Scouting Coordinator
Jeff Ulmer, NHL Arizona Coyotes Coordinator, Skill Development
10:00 am: Life of an NHL Agent
Rick Curran, Orr Hockey Group NHL Agent
10:45 am: On - Air with...
Moderator: Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, Sports Management Worldwide PresidentEJ Hradek, NHL Live! Host
John Shannon, Sportsnet Sportscaster
11:45 - 1:00 pm: Lunch with the Vancouver Canucks Senior Director of Human Resources
Everything you always wanted to ask HR
Dana Clark, NHL Vancouver Canucks Senior Director of Human Resources
1:00 pm: Sports Marketing and Hospitality
Moderator: Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, Sports Management Worldwide President
Nicole Lee, NHL Senior Director of Sports Marketing Partnerships
Ella Chan, NHL Vancouver Canucks Vice President of Hospitality
1:45 pm - The Agent's Take
Moderator: Mike Oke, OHL Peterborough Petes General ManagerHarkie Singh, Uptown Hockey NHLPA Agent
Robbie Fromm, Delorme, WHL Portland Winterhawks Forward (Draft Eligible 2020)
Manny Schmidt, Link Management Founder, NHL Agent, and SMWW Alumni
2:45 pm - Player Safety and League Operations
Moderator: Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, Sports Management Worldwide PresidentPatrick Burke, NHLPA Senior Director Player Safety
Damian Echevarrieta, NHL Group Vice President, Player Safety and Hockey Operations
George Parros, NHLPA Director Player Safety
3:45 pm - Closing remarks with Dr. Lynn Lashbrook and Mike Oke
5:00 pm - First Round of the NHL Draft & Fan Fest
Tickets included with registration!
June 20th, 2019
10 am - 1 pm: Rounds 2-7 of the NHL Draft & Fan Fest
Tickets included with registration!
Check Out Our Photos From The 2019 Conference In Vancouver!
Past Speakers
Note: Due to team meetings, speakers are not guaranteed and will change. The closer we get to the date, the more accurate the schedule becomes as executives do not yet know their team meeting schedules. Keep coming back to this agenda to see the most recent additions all the way up to the draft day!
Scholarships for the NHL Draft Career Conference Are Available
SMWW will award a limited amount of full and partial scholarships for each SMWW Career Conference. You must be 18 years or older to be considered. If interested, fill out an application, submit your resume and a one-page letter explaining why you should receive a scholarship to info@smww.com.
Scholarships do not include lodging or airfare. Those who have completed an SMWW training program will be given preference.
Download a Copy of the
2019 NHL Draft Hockey Program Here