Free Agent
Feb 10, 2025
We sat down with former NHL player Byron Bitz to discuss his transition from pro hockey to earning his CPA. He shared how the discipline, teamwork, and problem-solving skills from sports helped him thrive in business. Now, through Free Agent, he’s helping other athletes navigate career transitions and find new opportunities beyond the game.
For many athletes, the transition from professional sports to a new career can be daunting. The structure, identity, and adrenaline of competition give way to a world of uncertainty. But for Byron Bitz, a former professional hockey player, that transition led him to an unexpected yet fulfilling path—accounting.
Born and raised in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Byron’s journey began on the ice. Hockey took him to Cornell University on a scholarship, where he balanced a demanding schedule of training, competition, and academics while earning a degree in economics. His initial goal? A career in investment banking on Wall Street.
But as fate would have it, upon graduating, he signed with the Boston Bruins, launching his career in professional hockey.
“I had no preconceived notion that hockey was going to necessarily work out,” Byron recalls. “I just wanted to get a good degree and see what happened with hockey.”
What happened was an impressive career spanning several years and multiple teams. Yet, throughout his time as a pro athlete, Byron remained engaged with the business world, having conversations with his accountant that piqued his interest. When the time came to hang up his skates, he found himself drawn to a completely different field.
“One day, I came home and told my wife, ‘I’m going to be an accountant.’” Two years later, he earned his CPA designation.
Byron credits his success in the corporate world to the skills he honed in sports—time management, discipline, teamwork, and the ability to execute a role effectively.
“A lot of the skills you learn as an athlete are highly transferable to the business world. They’re not tangible—there’s no degree behind them—but they are incredibly valuable,” he explains.
He compares excelling in a corporate role to understanding a role on a hockey team. “Your role might not be verbally defined for you, but you figure it out. Then, you work to be the best at it. The same applies in business—identify opportunities, excel in your role, and create more opportunities for yourself by being really good at what you do.”
For Byron, athletes bring a unique set of qualities that make them ideal candidates for a variety of careers.
“If you’ve pursued a sport at a high level, you already have leadership, discipline, and a pursuit of excellence ingrained in you,” he says. “It’s almost innate. You take that same drive and apply it to your job, just as you once did to your training and competition.”
Beyond technical skills, it’s the willingness to learn, humility, and strong interpersonal skills that set athletes apart. “You can teach anyone to do just about any job, but you can’t always teach the intangibles that athletes bring to the table.”
Byron sees Free Agent as a game-changer for athletes making the difficult leap from sports to the corporate world.
“I know so many players who didn’t pursue a college degree, went straight to the pros, and then found themselves at 30 not knowing what to do next. Having a platform like Free Agent to provide guidance and connections is invaluable.”
For Byron, paying it forward is part of the journey. “So many people helped me along the way, from the time I was five years old to the end of my hockey career. If I can help others in their transition, I’m all for it.”
The biggest challenge for athletes leaving sports? Uncertainty.
“You go from a structured environment, where you know what you’re doing every season, to suddenly asking yourself, ‘What am I going to do for the rest of my life?’ That transition is filled with fear and doubt.”
Byron spent nearly a year exploring different options before finding his calling in accounting. He knows firsthand how overwhelming that period can be.
“That’s why networks matter. Most athletes are well-connected in their communities and have a natural willingness to help each other. Having a strong network can make all the difference in finding the right opportunity.”
When asked to describe Free Agent in one word, Byron doesn’t hesitate: “Revolutionary.”
“I haven’t seen anything else quite like this. It’s an exciting time for athletes navigating career transitions, and Free Agent is leading the way in making that process smoother and more successful.”
Byron’s story is proof that the skills developed in sports don’t just disappear when an athlete retires—they evolve. And with the right support, that evolution can lead to incredible new opportunities.