Sask. pro athlete turns years of team-hopping into blog for future players

Jeff Ulmer calls himself "hockey's most travelled player" and for good reason.

The 39-year-old right-winger, who hails from Wilcox, Sask., has played on 24 professional hockey teams in 11 countries over the past 18 years.

"It's putting on your equipment and doing what you love, whether that means you're in Siberia or somewhere else," said Ulmer, who currently plays for the Frederikshavn White Hawks in Denmark.

"It's either somebody really wants you or the opposite," he said, adding that for him, "it's always been about chasing the best opportunity."

From counting goals to counting words

Ulmer is turning his years of experience into a blog where aspiring players can learn about the game.

His first blog post — aptly titled "10 tips from hockey's most travelled player" — was an instant hit, garnering thousands of views.

The list includes practical advice, like "in receiving the puck, be on your shooting leg so you don't waste that split second just to shift weight, and the goalie makes it back to the net in time."

'I'm just glad it's helping people'

The post's success has inspired Ulmer to write more.

He has begun writing about teammates, too, beginning with Adam Graves. He played with Graves briefly with the New York Rangers.

Ulmer recalled his first experience being an NHL player, walking into Madison Square Garden feeling lost with his bags and sticks. Graves approached him, knowing his name, and congratulated him.

"I get into the elevator for the ride to the ice level and he grabs my big, heavy hockey [bag] out of my hands ... and wants to carry it for me," said Ulmer.

"So that was kind of an eye-opener for me about how to treat people."

Ulmer said readers can expect to read more posts like that on his blog, which he posts on his LinkedIn profile.

"I'm just glad that it's helping people. It makes me feel proud."