Hobbs retires as pro, enrols at U of S
Home is where the heart is for former Regina Pats star Connor Hobbs, writes Greg Harder.
Connor Hobbs' reputation for being a bit of a character isn't just well deserved, it's easy to corroborate.
A quick online search for his name and the words “pulled pork sandwich” reveals video evidence of a classic commercial shoot that went viral during his final WHL season with the Regina Pats.
Just watch it. You'll get the idea.
Hobbs was a fun-loving guy and a dynamic performer over three seasons in Regina, but the Saskatoon product slowly began to lose his passion for the game during three subsequent years with the AHL'S Hershey Bears.
Fortunately, Hobbs found it again this summer when he quietly retired from pro hockey and enrolled in online classes at the University of Saskatchewan.
“It's different, for sure, but I figured it was time to come home and be around family,” says Hobbs, 23, who was also skeptical about whether the AHL would have a season in 2020-21 due to COVID-19.
“There's so much unknown.
But the transition to doing school work, it's no different than watching video and preparing for a game. The only difference is, I don't know a lot of this stuff already. Hockey is all I knew but this is just a different chapter.
It's not like I quit because it was hard. I just wanted a different kind of hard, maybe. This is it. There's a little bit of growing pains but it's going good.
“I'm loving it.”
Hobbs — a fifth-round pick of the Washington Capitals in 2015 — was the WHL'S top-scoring defenceman in 2016-17 with 31 goals and 85 points in 67 games.
After helping lead Regina to the league final that season, Hobbs graduated to the pro ranks as a 20-year-old.
Three years later, he's calling it quits.
“I figured it was time for a change,” says Hobbs, whose contract expired in the spring. “I wasn't having a whole lot of success in Hershey. I was really in a dark place. When you're that far from home, from all the
support system and stuff, it's not healthy. It took a while to realize that but I really think I made a good choice.”
Hobbs is enjoying the comforts of home this fall for the first time since midget hockey at age 16.
More importantly, he has regained the trademark smile that faded in recent years.
“Once I start to notice that, I'm sure other people were seeing it,” he notes. “It's not good for anybody when you're not giving it your all when it comes to your attitude and how you are presenting yourself. I truly just was not happy. When it comes down to it, you have to change something. There are so many examples of guys who just keep beating a dead horse. That's what I was doing. Every time I left home, I felt like I left a humongous piece of my heart here.
“It feels good to be whole again.”
Hobbs dressed for 119 games over three injury-shortened AHL seasons, compiling seven goals and 37 points in a defensive role. He played just 16 games last season before undergoing surgery to repair a torn rotator cuff.
The time off proved to be therapeutic, giving him time to contemplate his future.
“It wasn't a rushed thing,” he says. “I had a ton of time to really think about it when I was laid up on the couch in a sling. That was my first major surgery and it was a bad one. I couldn't move my arm ( beforehand). I hurt it a couple years ago originally and it wasn't bad enough for surgery so I just rehabbed it. I don't know if that was the greatest choice but that's how it went. Eventually I got hit again and it was time to do something.”
Hobbs was best known for two things as a player: Heavy hits and an even heavier shot.
The former eventually took its toll as injuries started to pile up.
“I wasn't very smart about it,” he reflects. “I didn't really care if I bonked my head or blocked a shot. `I don't need an ice pack. I'm good.' That's not really the right way to look at it. You have to take care of yourself. My first year in Hershey I broke my arm because I was trying to hit somebody. That's kind of the tale of the tape for me.”
There were also several head injuries. Hobbs estimates he had about four concussions in junior and three more as a pro.
“That definitely takes its toll on you mentally,” he continues. “It scares you when you have to sit in a room for 25 days and just have the lights off. You can kind of lose it a little bit. I don't want to experience that anymore.
“There comes a point when you need to choose your own health, whether it's mental health, physical health, whatever. You only have one brain. It's something you don't want to mess with.”
Although Hobbs has moved on from pro hockey, he still has a passion for the game. He's getting his fix by joining younger brother Declan with the Saskatchewan Huskies, who are conducting practices even though the U Sports season is cancelled.
Hobbs, who plans to play games next season, is continuing to rehab his shoulder while skating with the team and expects to receive clearance for full contact in December.
In the meantime, he's focused on his classes in the U of S business program.
“Getting an education is a priority,” he adds. “Let's say I played hockey for three more years and then I'm done. Now I'm 27 with no schooling. It's going to be tough to get a job.
“The hockey side (at the U of S) is great. It's nice to know I'm not totally stepping away from it ... but the school part is No. 1. I'm pretty happy where I'm at. It's really nice to be home in Saskatoon where my heart is.”