Laughable, Hiring the Wrong People in Important Positions - Sales Associate Total Hockey Employee Review

Employee discount on gear If you play or have kids in the sport, the discount takes some of the sting out of the price tag. Immersive hockey culture You’re surrounded by people who actually know the difference between lie angles, hollow depths, and why tape arguments matter. Skill sharpening (literally and figuratively) Many associates get trained on skate sharpening, profile adjustments, and stick fitting, which adds tangible expertise you can take elsewhere. Seasonal excitement The ramp-up before league play creates high energy, lots of customer stories, and busy days that move quickly. Customer relationships Regulars come back throughout a season. You get to follow along with tournaments, gear upgrades, and progress, which feels rewarding. Small-team camaraderie Most stores run lean, so everyone leans on each other. That can bond people quickly and reduce politics.

Seasonal workload imbalance Fall and early winter can be chaotic, with long lines and stressed parents. Summers can be painfully slow. High equipment prices lead to tense conversations Parents and players can become frustrated when sticker shock, out-of-stock items, or warranty issues arise. You often absorb that frustration. Physical demands There’s a surprising amount of bending, lifting, carrying bags, and standing for long periods—especially during fitting season. Limited advancement Store-level roles may have capped growth unless you’re willing to relocate or jump to corporate. Weekend and evening expectations Games and practices don’t stop on Saturdays, which means the store can’t either. Expect tricky scheduling if you want consistent weekends off. Gear knowledge isn’t optional Customers expect deep product fit knowledge. There’s a learning curve, and you’ll get called out if you can’t explain blade profile differences or flex ratings.

Working in the hockey industry, Discounts on major hockey equipment brands, paid vacation and PTO time, working with other hockey players.

Extremely low pay at all levels of the company. Poor financial decisions have put the company it some really tough times. A majority of the corporate staff was let go in February and more cuts have happened since. The CEO has said on numerous occasions that he does not care about his employees and that if they don't like it to leave...horrible. If your managing a store you will be expected to hit very unrealistic sales goals while having almost no staff on hand during peak times, for financial reasons. You will get no support from your district managers or corporate office. Corporate really doesn't care about store staff or their needs. Supply Chain is a disaster. From vendors putting our accounts on hold for lack of payment to buyers just not ordering product, it is terrible. Upper management will promise you the world but all of it is lies. In the 7 years that I have been with the company, 2 people were "promoted" from within the stores and their pay did not increase, just responsibilities. The lack of communication and control within this company is sad. It is scary that this is one of the largest hockey retailers in the US and they are a fast sinking ship. Avoid at all costs.