The 92 Report

Show Notes: Allain Roy shares that he left Harvard to become a professional hockey player, signing his first NHL contract out of college. He recalls winning the national championship in 1989 and the team's tradition of reuniting every 10 years. Al mentions attending Coach Clear's 90th birthday celebration and running into former teammates, Tim Burke, Kevin Sneddon, Rich DeFreitas, Brian McCormack and Greg Hess, along with Chuck Hughes at Harvard games. Participating in the 1994 Olympics Al discusses turning down an offer to play in Moscow before graduation and signing with the Winnipeg Jets. He played for the Canadian national team in the 1993-1994 season, traveling the world and participating in the 1994 Olympics. Al describes his experience at the Olympics, including the silver medal loss to Sweden in a shootout. He explains his decision to move on from professional hockey after a player strike and his involvement in various businesses with his ex-father-in-law. Working for the NHL Al talks about missing the game of hockey and deciding to get back into the sport either as a front office executive or an agent. He met Dennis Polanich, an agent, during an alumni game, leading to his purchase of a small agency in 2000. Al grew the agency into RSG Hockey and became an NHL certified agent for 26 years. He explains the services his firm provides, emphasizing the importance of hockey expertise and personalized services.   The Success of the NRX Hockey Model Al details the services offered by RSG Hockey, including tax advice, estate planning, investment management, and concierge services. He discusses the NRX Hockey platform, which provides holistic solutions for athletes outside of contract negotiations and endorsements. Al explains the integration of North Rock Partners' services into the NRX Hockey platform to create a comprehensive system for athletes. He highlights the success of the NRX Hockey model and its potential to expand to other sports. Financial Challenges Faced by Professional Athletes Al addresses the financial challenges faced by professional athletes, emphasizing the importance of financial literacy and pro habits. He provides an example of an average NHL salary and the need for athletes to plan for their post-career financial stability. Al explains the role of his firm in helping athletes manage their finances, including reviewing cash flow statements and planning for retirement. He discusses the psychological and emotional challenges of retirement for athletes and the importance of planning ahead. Culture Fit and Team Work Al talks about the importance of culture fit and teamwork in his firm, moving away from a traditional compensation system to a team-based approach. He describes the growth of his agency from two employees to nearly 20 in North America, with partners in Europe. Al emphasizes the need for deep hockey knowledge among his employees to better serve clients. He highlights the benefits of a team-oriented culture, including regular team calls and constant communication. The Impact of NIL Legislation Al discusses the impact of the National Image and Likeness (NIL) legislation on college sports, turning it into a de facto professional league. He explains the challenges of the open portal system, allowing athletes to switch schools without penalties. Al also talks about pay-to-play schemes and the need for better governance of NIL deals. He describes the role of his firm in advising athletes on fair market value and potential pitfalls in NIL contracts. Addressing Stigma and Anxiety Al shares his enjoyment of returning to campus, including attending Harvard-Dartmouth games and visiting Pinocchio's pizza. He mentions his two children, both graduates of TCU, and his workaholic lifestyle, including traveling for the Olympics. Al discusses his firm's mental health initiative, addressing the stigma and anxiety faced by athletes. He emphasizes the importance of mental health conversations and support for athletes transitioning to post-career life. Harvard Reflections Al reflects on his favorite classes at Harvard, including astronomy with Dr. Latham and Dr. Gingrich, and the History of Genocide. He shares the impact of hearing personal stories from professors who lived through significant historical events, including working on The Manhattan Project, and guest speakers who worked on the first atomic bomb and saw the testing, and from a former concentration camp prisoner who testified at Nuremberg trials. Al appreciates the passion and unique experiences of his professors, which made their classes memorable. He also mentions the excitement of attending classes by notable figures like Spike Lee. Timestamps: 00:02: Journey from Harvard to Professional Hockey  01:10: Early Professional Hockey Career  04:37: Transition to Agency Work 06:41: RSG Hockey Services and NRX Hockey Platform  11:18: Financial Management for Athletes  32:20: Building a Team Culture  36:30: Impact of NIL on College Sports  40:21: Personal Reflections and Mental Health Initiatives  43:23: Memorable Harvard Classes  Links: RSG Hockey: https://rsghockey.com/ Northrock: https://www.northrock-x.com/ Featured Non-profit: The featured non-profit of this week's is brought to you by Bill Cheng who reports: "Hi. I'm Bill Cheng, class of 1992. The featured nonprofit of this episode of The 92 report is Team Rubicon. Team Rubicon is a veteran led organization that provides disaster aid all around the world. It was started in 2010 by a Marine veteran who is spurred by the devastation of the Haiti earthquake to bring a team of seven for hands-on support, and has since grown to become a major global relief organization. I first learned about it from my best friend who served in the Army and have donated annually in his honor. You can learn more about their work at Team Rubicon usa.org, and now here's Will Bachman with this week's episode." To learn more about their work, visit: TeamRubiconUSA.org.  This episode on The 92 Report: https://92report.com/?post_type=podcast&p=1893&preview=true *AI generated show notes and transcript