Be the Hardest Working Player on the Ice — Advice from Scott Hartnell

Every young hockey player wants to score goals. Every player wants more ice time. Every player wants to make the top team. But when former NHL All-Star Scott Hartnell joined Ride to the Rink, his advice wasn’t about skill moves, shooting techniques, or highlight-reel plays. It was about something every player can control — effort. 

Hartnell played 17 seasons in the NHL, and the lesson he shared with young players was simple: if you want to stand out, be the hardest working player on the ice.

Growing Up the Youngest Made Him Tougher

Hartnell grew up with older siblings, and like many younger brothers and sisters, he had to learn how to keep up. That meant playing against bigger, stronger kids all the time — whether it was knee hockey in the house, street hockey outside, or competing at the rink.

He talked about how those battles with his older brothers helped make him tougher, more competitive, and more willing to fight through adversity. 

For young players, this is a great reminder that playing with older or better players isn’t a bad thing. It can actually help you grow faster. Losing sometimes, getting knocked down, or having to work harder to keep up can build the kind of toughness that shows up later in games.

The Best Advice He Ever Followed

When asked what lesson he would give kids today, Hartnell didn’t hesitate.

Be the hardest working player on the ice. 

That was his mindset as a kid, in junior hockey, and when he got to the NHL. He knew he might not always be the fastest player or the most skilled player, but he could control how hard he worked every shift.

Coaches notice effort. Scouts notice effort. Teammates notice effort.

Hard work is something every player can choose, no matter their age or skill level.

Practice Is More Important Than the Game

One of the best reminders from this Ride to the Rink conversation was that effort doesn’t start when the puck drops in a game. It starts in practice.

Hartnell explained that the habits you build in practice become the habits you rely on in games. If you battle hard in drills, make the extra pass, backcheck, and pay attention to details in practice, those things come naturally when the game speeds up. 

Players who coast in practice often struggle in games. Players who compete in practice are ready when it matters.

Effort Shows Up in the Little Things

Not every great shift ends with a goal. Some of the most important plays are the ones that don’t show up on the scoresheet.

Winning a puck battle.

Coming out of the corner with possession.

Backchecking hard.

Making the smart pass instead of the fancy one.

Doing the right thing even when no one is watching.

Those are the habits that earn trust from coaches, and trust leads to more ice time.

Hard Work Builds Confidence

One of the best parts about being a hard worker is the confidence it creates. When you know you gave everything you had, you don’t have to wonder if you did enough.

Players who work hard every day feel more prepared. They feel more confident in games. And when big moments come, they’re ready for them.

Confidence doesn’t just come from scoring goals. It comes from knowing you did the work.

A Message for Every Player on the Ride to the Rink

No matter where you are in your hockey journey right now — trying out for a team, learning the game, fighting for more ice time, or chasing a dream — the advice stays the same.

Be the hardest working player on the ice.

Not just in games.

Not just when the coach is watching.

Every practice. Every drill. Every shift.

That’s something every player can control, and it can take you farther than you think.

🎧 Listen to the full Ride to the Rink episode with Scott Hartnell, and share it with a teammate who needs a reminder that hard work still matters.