HOCKEY HEROES & HISTORY
Experience Is The Best Teacher As Sheehy Guides Future Stars
Neil Sheehy’s decade of professional experience has served him, and his clients, well in his new role as a player agent.
By Elizabeth Casey
As players begin the complicated search for an agent to help guide their professional hockey careers, many would agree that it can’t hurt to have a man who’s been in the trenches watching their back.
Neil Sheehy, a former Harvard University and NHL defenseman, has found a way to continue his positive involvement with hockey by helping tomorrow’s stars navigate the minefield of pro hockey.
Since hanging up his skates in 1994, Sheehy has turned his focus on becoming a lawyer and player agent based out of Minneapolis. Working together with his brother, Tim, Sheehy represents approximately 35 clients, who include such up-and-coming names as Zach Parise, Peter Sejna and Ryan Suter.
Sheehy played professionally for 10 seasons before he went to law school and opened his practice. He spent six seasons with the Calgary Flames and took particular pleasure in ruffling Wayne Gretzky’s offensive feathers during each match up with the Edmonton Oilers.
“It’s tough to put [Sheehy] out of your mind. He does a good job on me … he keeps pounding away — nothing illegal, but he keeps coming at you to get you off your game,” Gretzky is quoted as saying on Sheehy’s web site (sheehyhockeyllc.com).
The Great One was occasionally vocal about his frustration with Sheehy in the media, something Sheehy considers a point of pride.
“It’s a neat feeling knowing you had a special relationship with the greatest player of all times,” Sheehy says.
In 16 games with the Oilers during Sheehy’s stint in Calgary, his team went 11-4-1, partially thanks to his persistent watch on Gretzky.
With such fond memories of his own days in the NHL, Sheehy now uses his experience to help other hopefuls achieve similar successes at the highest level of the game. As an agent he lists honesty, hard work, personal experience in the pros and reliability as his biggest assets. He emphasizes that he has been in their shoes and will be there whenever he is needed.
Sheehy played on the U.S. Men’s National Team in 1985 and was the team’s MVP in 1992. He retired in 1994 after playing and coaching for two years in Slovenia and finished his law degree in 1996. He also served as a member of USA Hockey’s Executive Committee. |
