Many players say they want to play professional hockey in Europe. Very few understand the process, and the timelines needed in order to make any of these options a reality.
Playing professional hockey in Europe can not only be a great way to extend your career, but a great opportunity to see the world, learn about history, and enjoy a different lifestyle and cultural experience. And thats how players need to look at playing in Europe.
As we enter 2025, the reality for players who are interested in playing professional hockey in Europe is that you need to be working on a contract between now and the end of April. After April 30th, the money and opportunities begin to disappear. Why is that?
European professional teams usually begin team training at the end of July or early August. Meaning travel, ice, equipment and housing costs kick in a lot earlier than in North America.
European professional hockey is supported by sponsor money. Very few teams are owned by individual people or groups of people. Most are owned by the city or by not for profit organizations. Teams are not operated or structured in the same way as they are in North America.
When the sponsor money commitments come in, teams spend that money on contracts early to secure the best players possible as early as possible. There are no salary caps, and the salary floors that exist are very low if the league has a salary floor at all.
Once the sponsor money is spoken for, thats it, there is no more money. So if you think you can wait until June or July to find a good professional offer, you are mistaken. You will be picking up scraps at that point.
If you are lucky enough to get a good offer between January and April, then you need to understand there is very little negotiating, and very little time to accept an offer. Teams are working within strict budgets, and they do not wait for players to shop around for other deals. If you get a good offer, you have between twenty four and seventy two hours to accept it, or they will move on.
With so many players trying to play in Europe, teams do not have to wait for players. There are thousands of players they can choose from.
Paperwork takes time. Some work visa’s can take up to six months to process. With new travel rules for Europe starting in 2025 through the ETIAS program, there will be new wrinkles in every country for the 2025-2026 season.
Understanding the time lines and rules surrounding the future of playing professionally in Europe will help you make better plans for the future and give you reasonable expectations for what results will come.
For more information on playing professionally in Europe in 2025 please contact Devin Panzeca at [email protected]
