The 7 Most Educated Ice Hockey Players

People have a faulty notion about the smarts of hockey players. It is a standard view that players or even sports enthusiasts cannot excel in their studies. Well, that is a very wrong impression for there are several players who have excelled in their academic records. 

While it is true that becoming a sports person requires incredible practice from a very young age, that does not imply that you cannot hold good grades. Thus, we have compiled a list of smartest players in NHL history – and we’re leaving out quite a few here on this list.

Balancing studies and sports can be difficult. But nothing is impossible. With certain professional help and following a strict routine can help you tackle both. Students involved in sports or other passions can buy assignment from professionals to help relocate the stress to some extent. You too can buy assignments online if you feel they are burdening you.

Lee Stempniak

“Stemper” played for a million teams in the NHL – but while he never really stuck with anyone, he was always in demand as a player. Lee Stempniak was an economics graduate from Dartmouth – and a teammate of former Avs forwards David Jones and T.J. Galiardi. 

Stemper was a  team captain with the Big Green and scored 43 points his senior year, to lead the team. If only one could know what kind of life-hacks these players used as students, nothing can stop him/her from achieving great heights. 

Ben Scrivens 

One of the most well-educated goaltenders who earned a degree from Cornell (an Ivy League institution, same school as a guy named Ken Dryden, who played a little goal in his day) in hotel management. 

Of course, one might raise several objections regarding his subject but one must remember that he was still a senior while he was awarded the prestigious Hobey Baker nomination.

His approach itself is quite intellectual and thus he has been nicknamed “professor”. He speaks eloquently and has been vocal about mental health awareness issues. His reputation of being a smart man goes beyond his grade points.

Shawn Horcoff

This veteran center and journeyman of 949 NHL games had his education from Michigan State University. He was a student of finance and mathematics. No doubt he makes a ton more money than his contemporaries, after all, finance was his subject. Horcoff was one of the better-spoken players in the NHL in his time. In 2016, he was named director of player development for the Detroit Red Wings.

Colin Greening 

Not many NHL players can say they have graduated from an Ivy League school but this guy here can. He also garnered the Lowe’s Senior CLASS national award. He attended and graduated from Cornell University with a degree in applied economics. He had a GPA close to 3.95. That’s a great one even by the standard of most regular students.

George Parros 

OK, for all the criticism he’s received of late at the NHL Director of Player Safety: Parros is undoubtedly one of the most educated athletes the NHL has ever seen. He majored in economics from Princeton and graduated with a 3.18 GPA and 1250 on his SATs. He was given the title of the fourth smartest sportsman in all sports in 2013 by the Sporting News. 

Matt Moulson 

Moulson is another player who got a degree in economics from Cornell. He was a very good player for several years and in 2012 scored 30 goals for a third straight season. His career kind of flamed out after signing a big free-agent contract with the Buffalo Sabres in 2013. He retired from the NHL in 2018.

Alex Killorn 

Alex Killorn is perhaps the most educated hockey player most of the world has seen. This giant who has won several cups and accolades in the past years is a Harvard graduate. He was a gifted player since childhood but his family had a history of brilliant students and thus he decided to attend Harvard to maintain the educational standards of his family. He opted for political science as his subject and scored a staggering GPA of 3.5. That’s a great achievement for someone who had to balance both studies and sports.

Final Words 

So if you too are struggling with education and sports, do not give up on your academics completely. Learn a lesson from these accomplished players and try to manage both. Do not feel shy to seek professional help.