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Jacob
As a Swede I can confirm the entire structure of organized team sports is very different to American.
There is indeed a professional adult league in Sweden, which is organized into multiple tiers (divisions) based on historic performance. Salaries vary but on the highest levels it's similar to what a regular 9-5 job would pay, more for the top players. Players in the league are mostly those who were just one step below being NHL prospects, but some players come home to it if the overseas career didn't quite pan out. Peter could have been one of those.
Moreover most clubs are not corporations but rather "non-profit" associations without owners, which is why some of the book's sections on the decision making within the club can be confusing. The club in theory belongs to the members and citizens of the region it serves. Without a single direct owner it's quite possible, though uncommon, for the club's voting members to take control and oust an unpopular board.
Finally Beartown Hockey reminds a lot of the club Luleå Hockey with it's logo, proud history, and geographic location in the cold & forested northern parts of Sweden. Though in other regards Luleå town, population 75k, is probably substantially bigger than Beartown.
There is indeed a professional adult league in Sweden, which is organized into multiple tiers (divisions) based on historic performance. Salaries vary but on the highest levels it's similar to what a regular 9-5 job would pay, more for the top players. Players in the league are mostly those who were just one step below being NHL prospects, but some players come home to it if the overseas career didn't quite pan out. Peter could have been one of those.
Moreover most clubs are not corporations but rather "non-profit" associations without owners, which is why some of the book's sections on the decision making within the club can be confusing. The club in theory belongs to the members and citizens of the region it serves. Without a single direct owner it's quite possible, though uncommon, for the club's voting members to take control and oust an unpopular board.
Finally Beartown Hockey reminds a lot of the club Luleå Hockey with it's logo, proud history, and geographic location in the cold & forested northern parts of Sweden. Though in other regards Luleå town, population 75k, is probably substantially bigger than Beartown.
Stacy
Sounds like the WHL or OHL here in Canada. The players are between 15-21, they are major junior league.
Amy
Junior hockey in the US and Canada consist of high school and older, as someone noted below 15-21 years old. These are players who hope to gain experience to make it to the NHL, or get recruited to the U.S. colleges and universities. Preferably division 1, which can offer scholarships and are feeders for the NHL. Some players spend a year or 2 in junior hockey following high school or prep school before playing college/university (collegiate) hockey so they can gain size, experience, and get exposure. Most collegiate hockey players are a couple years older than the average freshman, and don't come straight from their public high school teams. A player from high school who wants to play collegiate hockey attends a post year or 2 in a private boarding school with a strong hockey program, or plays juniors. After playing collegiate hockey some will go to Europe to play on their teams to gain additional experience and maybe get recruited to the NHL. Junior hockey in Canada is the premier junior hockey, and that is where the U.S. players try to go. And the ones who can afford it go to Europe after college/university if they don't make it to the NHL from college/university or juniors. Some do it because they want to keep playing, and they can get paid to do it. All the players I know that went to Europe went for the experience (not just hockey), but to live and work in Europe. Just another adventure. It doesn't pay a lot, and they usually have to pick up another job. Not sure how many make it from the European teams to the NHL. The best scenario for any player is to play prep school hockey on a scholarship, gain an excellent education, and either get recruited directly into a division 1 collegiate program, or play a year (no more) of junior hockey in Canada, and then go the collegiate route. Prep school gives them the academics they need to get into college/university, and be successful students while playing hockey (which is like having a full-time job in college), that way if they don't make it to the NHL they have a degree to fall back on.
Meredith
Look up the QMJHL- Quebec Major Junior Hockey League. :)
Rachel
I did end up looking it up on the internet and it looks like there are some pro teams in Sweden that function more like a club. They don't pay very well, most of the club players are local kids who were brought up from the local junior team and the end goal of most players is to play for a U.S. or Canadian NHL team.
There wasn't a ton of info on it but this is what I gathered. If anyone has more info, please add it.
There wasn't a ton of info on it but this is what I gathered. If anyone has more info, please add it.
Too Fond of Books
As far as I know, all of the minor league teams for the NHL are in the U.S. and Canada. I was also a bit confused. I think Sweden has a professional hockey league of its own. This wasn't explained in the book, probably because the book was originally written in Swedish, and Swedish readers would not have needed an explanation.
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