Oilers defenceman retires from hockey to work odd jobs

At just 27 years old, former tenth overall pick Slater Koekkoek retired two years ago after just 37 games played with the Oilers. Koekkoek never met traditional expectations for a first round pick, something which wore on him throughout his career and led to his early retirement. In a recent interview with Ian Mendes of the Athletic, Koekkoek revealed he was looking for a new purpose in life, and retired to work odd jobs.

In the interview, Koekkoek opened up about his mounting anxiety and unhappiness while playing in the NHL, getting so bad that he was unable to eat for days before a game. Koekkoek really leaned on his wife and former Oiler fan favourite Brandon Perlini to support him through the difficult times. He's now pursuing several odd jobs, everything from handiwork to volunteering to work at his local Tim Hortons. He's even creating a service to pair workers with employers facing labour shortages, called Fulfill Your Life Work.




Despite playing only a few games with the Oilers, and just less than 200 in his career with the Lightning and Blackhawks, fans will wish Koekkoek only the best in retirement - especially after learning of his mental health and circumstances. Doing whatever he wants in life, we're still fans of Koekkoek.