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Career Duration in the NHL: Pushing and Pulling on Europeans?

Author

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  • Craig A. Depken II
  • Johnny Ducking
  • Peter A. Groothuis

Abstract

Using a panel of National Hockey League players from 2000 through 2013, we analyze the determinants of career length in the league. In our analysis, we include both performance variables and nationality of origin to determine their importance in determining career length. We find that European-born players have shorter careers than North American-born players holding performance constant and Russian-born players have even shorter careers than other Europeans. We further find that Russian-born players have even shorter careers than other players after the 2005 lockout. These shorter careers are consistent with exit discrimination against European and Russian players pushing them out of the league and voluntary exit by European and Russian players due to opportunities in their home countries pulling them out of the league. Ironically, voluntary exit by European and Russian players provides teams with a financial incentive to discriminate against European players. Key Words: Exit discrimination, competing leagues, professional sports, return migration

Suggested Citation

  • Craig A. Depken II & Johnny Ducking & Peter A. Groothuis, 2016. "Career Duration in the NHL: Pushing and Pulling on Europeans?," Working Papers 16-10, Department of Economics, Appalachian State University.
    • Handle: RePEc:apl:wpaper:16-10
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    1. Johnny Ducking & Pete Groothuis & Joseph Nation, 2025. "An Examination of Coaching Tenure in Women's Division I College Basketball: Does the Head Coach's Gender or Race Matter?," Working Papers 25-06, Department of Economics, Appalachian State University.
    2. Roman Vavrek, 2021. "An Analysis of Usage of a Multi-Criteria Approach in an Athlete Evaluation: An Evidence of NHL Attackers," Mathematics, MDPI, vol. 9(12), pages 1-22, June.
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    4. Martin B. Schmidt, 2024. "On the impact of institutional change: Rights reassignment and career length," Economic Inquiry, Western Economic Association International, vol. 62(4), pages 1702-1721, October.

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    JEL classification:

    • Z22 - Other Special Topics - - Sports Economics - - - Labor Issues
    • L83 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Services - - - Sports; Gambling; Restaurants; Recreation; Tourism

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