Alyssa, Since the NHL Draft Conference, it's been a game-changer to me. The amount of confidence I was able to obtain and how people think at your conference is on another level. I can't thank you, Dr. Lashbrook, and the rest of the SMWW team enough for changing my mentality and the opportunities I’ve been given in hockey. Thanks to the conference, I will be working with a hockey academy in Calgary Alberta Canada this upcoming season. Thank you!
Nashville, Tennessee - June 27-29, 2023
2023 Hockey Career Conference at the NHL Draft
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 2023 NHL Draft at the Bridgestone Arena, the home of the Nashville Predators. 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!
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 2023 NHL Draft
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.
2023 Featured Speakers
*Speakers are subject to change.
Ken Holland
Edmonton Oilers General Manager
Rick Curran
The Orr Hockey Group
NHL Agent
Daniele Sauvageau
Canadian Women's Hockey Head Coach
EJ Hradek
Sr Reporter for NHL Network & Host, NHL Now!
Mike Johnston
Portland Winterhawks President, GM, and Head Coach
Wade Klippenstein
Colorado Avalanche Director of Amateur Scouting
2022 Stanley Cup Champion
Ryan Bowness
Pittsburgh Penguins Professional Scout
Mike Oke
Peterborough Petes’ General Manager
General Manager
Harkie Singh
NHLPA Agent
Dino Caputo
Tri City Americans Regional Scout
Jeff Baidoo
Former Minnesota Wild Account Executive
Mike King
Ottawa Senators Video Coach
Bill Guertin
800-Pound Gorilla CEO
Jeff Scott
NHL Vice President of Community Development & Growth
Brian Blake
Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion – National Hockey League
Mike Curran
NHLPA Certified Agent with ORR Group
Casey Torres
AHL Hartford Wolfpack Asst Coach
Claire Cornish
OHL Scout and SMWW Hockey Faculty
Peter Brauti
Seattle Kraken Principle Owner
Ian Beckenstein
Abbotsford Canucks Video Coach
Jack Brauti
Left Defenseman in Greater Toronto Hockey League (GHTL)
Reagan Carey
Commissioner, Premier Hockey Federation (PHF)
Phil Pritchard
Hockey Hall of Fame Vice President
Dr. Lynn Lashbrook
SMWW President & Founder, & NFLPA Agent
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
2023 NHL Draft Career Conference details:
As the NHL updates its NHL Draft schedule, we will update these approximate times below.
Note: Times will change. The dates are confirmed.
Tuesday, June 27th, 2023
What: SMWW hosts the Hockey Career Conference at the NHL Draft Welcome Reception
When: Approximately 6- 9 pm Central Standard Time
Location: TBD
(Must be 18 or older)
Wednesday, June 28th, 2023
What: SMWW hosts the Hockey Career Conference
When: Approximately 8 am- 5 pm Central Standard Time
Location: TBD
Wednesday, June 28th, 2023
What: The 2023 NHL Draft 1st Round
When: Approximately 7- 9 pm Central Standard Time
Location: Bridgestone Arena - Nashville
Thursday, June 29th, 2023
What: The 2023 NHL Draft, 2-7 Rounds
When: Approximately 10 am- 3 pm Central Standard Time
Location: Bridgestone Arena - Nashville
This event is limited to the first 150
Conference Registration includes:
April 1st
General Admission : $500 $400.00 USD
College Students, Faculty & SMWW Alumni : $500 $400.00 USD
Team & Agency Employees : $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:
2022 NHL Career Conference Agenda (Note this is the agenda for 2022 but 2023 will be similar. Tuesday, June 27th, 2023 will be the Welcome Reception and Wednesday, June 28th will be the conference and 1st round of the draft.)
Wednesday July 6th, 2022
7 - 9 pm Welcome Reception
6 pm - 9 pm SMWW Welcome Reception
Winston Churchill Pub
Thursday, July 7th, 2022 - Hotel Bonaventure
7:30 am Coffee
7:55 am Welcome to the 2022 NHL Draft!
Dr. Lynn Lashbrook, SMWW President & Founder
8 am Winning the Stanley Cup
Wade Klippenstein, Colorado Avalanche Director of Scouting
8:30 am Draft Day with Edmonton Oilers GM
Ken Holland, Edmonton Oilers President of Hockey Operations
9 am Coffee break
9:15 am Getting Paid to Watch Pro Hockey
Ryan Bowness, Pittsburgh Penguins Director of Pro Scouting
9:45 am Life of a Hockey Insider
EJ Hradek, Sr Reporter for NHL Network & Host, NHL Now!
10:30 am Coffee Break
10:45 am Diversity and Inclusion in the NHL
Brian Blake, NHL VP Community Development and Growth at National Hockey League
Jeff Scott - NHL Senior Director, Diversity & Inclusion at National Hockey League
11:30 am Negotiating and Recruiting in the New Era of the NHL
Rick and Mike Curran - Orr Hockey Agency NHLPA Agents & SMWW Faculty
12:15 pm Lunch - Hotel Bonaventure - Salon Ville-Marie
Lunch Speaker: Mike Johnston, WHL Portland Winterhawks President, GM & Head Coach & SMWW Faculty
1:15 pm A New Frontier - The Explosion of Women’s Hockey
Daniele Sauvageau - Univ of Montreal Carabins GM and formerly HC The First Canadian Women’s Hockey Team to Win Olympic Gold in 50 Years
Reagan Carey - Premier Hockey Federation Commissioner and former USA Hockey director of women's ice hockey
2 pm The Inaugural Season of an NHL Team from and Owner & Agent perspective
Moderator: Mike Oke, OHL Peterborough Petes GM & SMWW Faculty
Harkie Singh, NHL Agent
Peter Brauti, Seattle Kraken Principal Owner, & Jack Brauti
2:45 pm Red Bull Break
3 pm Cutting Edge Methods to Analyze Hockey
Moderator Clair Cornish, Peterborough Petes Analytics & SMWW Faculty
Ian Beckenstien, AHL Abbotsford Canucks Video Coach
Julie Robenhymer, Elite Prospects
Mike King - Ottawa Senators Video Coach
3:45 pm Secrets and Tips to Breaking into the Industry
Jeff Baidoo, former Minnesota Wild, SMWW Alumni & SMWW Faculty
Casey Torres, AHL Hartford Wolfpack Asst Coach & SMWW Alumni
Dino Caputo, WHL Tri-City Americans Scout & SMWW Faculty
4:15 pm “The Three Most Important Moments In Your Sports Career”
Keynote Bill Guertin, The 800-Pound Gorilla CEO
4:30 Conference Ends
5 pm Bell Centre Doors Open - (500 meters from Hotel Bonaventure)
5:15 pm Top prospects arrive on the red carpet at Bell Centre
5:15 pm Network on the Bell Centre Concourse
6:55 pm Be in your seats for Live Cameras
7 pm 1st pick of the NHL Draft
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