Is the hockey dream worth the investment?

Reaching the NHL is a dream held by many Canadian children—but what’s the likelihood of getting there?

With league hockey becoming more and more expensive, reaching the NHL is becoming less affordable for many Canadian families. Indeed, a 2011 RBC survey says 40% of parents who pulled children out of hockey programs cited rising fees as the main reason.

If we were to lose hockey entirely, at all levels, and we didn’t replace it with much else, it would shave about a half a percentage point off the GDP.

– Douglas Porter, chief economist, BMO Financial Group

Money matters

Timeline of hockey in Canada

Hockey’s place in Canadian culture

Hockey’s the one sport that hits home. It’s the one that resonates with people and it’s the one that the majority of Canadians have an attachment to.

– Jim Parcels, co-author of Selling the Dream

The path of a hockey child to the NHL

Every player’s path is a little bit different. Due to the work we have done with player development, environment and education, we’ve put together the best resources for a player to develop and make the most of their time in the game.

– Kyle Raftis, director of Recruitment, Education Services and Player Development, Ontario Hockey League

Women’s hockey

They’re highly educated women. Our initiative is creating opportunity for these women to continue to play hockey and to earn a living at it.

– Brenda Andress, commissioner of the Canadian Women’s Hockey League

Sarah Cunningham-Scharf is a Toronto-based financial writer.