Former Pete Betzold playing for ECHL’s Kalamazoo Wings this coming season
A hockey player’s career is seldom defined by a smooth upward trajectory to the NHL from major junior.
More common than the long-term contracts signed immediately after the draft are free agents, players required to put in additional work to justify a possible contract in the future and movement between teams and leagues. Often, a player will see time in the ECHL in his path through pro hockey.
Commonly referred to as “the jungle,” the ECHL provides affiliate teams for their respective AHL and NHL clubs in smaller cities scattered across North America. The style of play has developed a reputation for being fast and gritty, while maintaining a grassroots fan culture.
Over the past five years, the jungle has had an influx of Peterborough Petes alumni including Nelson Armstrong (2012-14), Steve Lorentz (201317) and Clark Seymour (2010-14), who all played for the Florida Everblades, Matt Spencer (2015-17) of the Orlando Solar Bears and Greg Betzold (2012-16), who will be playing for the Kalamazoo Wings in the upcoming 2021-22 season.
Hailing from West Chester, Ohio, Betzold was signed by the Petes as a free agent in 2012 out of the Shattuck St. Mary’s prep school in Minnesota and donned the maroon and white from 2012-2016.
Across 244 games, the left-winger, more commonly known as Betzy around the Memorial Centre, put up a total of 88 goals and 80 assists for 168 points.
Admittedly, the Petes alumnus attributes the holistic nature of his junior hockey alma mater as the reason for his on- and off-ice success.
Following his time with the Petes, Betzold played his inaugural professional hockey season with the ECHL’s Elmira Jackals, followed by three seasons with the Kansas City Mavericks.
Serving as an extended family, the Petes and its fellow OHL teams are hands-on in the development of their players, monitoring things like routine, curfew, emotional and physical health, school and life with billets.
Contrary to the continuously monitored lifestyle of an OHL player, the ECHL provides an abundance of additional free time allowing guys to tailor their off-ice training and sleep routine to match their personal preference. With the freedom comes increased accountability — a reality of playing professional hockey.
“Major junior is where the lifestyle and the habits you develop begin. In junior there are a lot of people looking over you, who can guide you in the right direction,” explained Betzold.
“I used to blame Sharpie (Don Sharp, Petes director of merchandise and former billet for Betzold) for everything,” laughed Betzold.
“If I wasn’t skating fast enough I would tell people he cooked me ribs before the game.”
The former Petes forward cut his humour with a moment of sincere gratitude for the active guidance of his junior team.
“In all seriousness, the Petes were good about that. We always had rides and people knew where we were,” he said.
Betzold finished, stating, “It is definitely different going and living on your own. You are getting paid to play and you are expected to perform, to show up on time, no excuses, no school to blame,” Betzold said.
Although the transformation from student-athlete to professional athlete provides a flexible schedule and an opportunity to live alongside your buddies, it removes the comfort of a steadfast support system like a billet family.
Betzold continued to rave about Sharp, his billet dad, “They were so happy and they put me in a great atmosphere. If I didn’t have a good game, they would always cheer me up. One night we were playing Niagara and before the game I said if I score what celebration do you want me to do and he told me to wave to him. Two minutes were left and we were tied and I scored,” he said.
In addition to increased independence, larger questions of a player’s presence lingers around a team with the potential to shift leagues at a higher frequency, a trait unique to the ECHL.
“The fact that it is your job, every position in the organization is trying to move up: coaches, trainers.
“That changes everything,” Betzold said.
ECHL teams often play in saturated hockey areas or markets dominated by sports like baseball or football, creating a hockey culture juxtaposing that of the Petes fan base.
Although his time away from the Petes continues to get longer, Betzold recalls vivid memories like the comeback series against the Kingston Frontenacs in 2015-16 playoffs and participating in events throughout the community.
He expressed immense appreciation for the environment and structure provided by the Petes. It was the foundation here that helped to foster success in their transformation into adulthood, going from the Patch to the pros.