NHL Alumni Cory Conacher

PERSERVERANCE THROUGH ADVERSITY

"The greatest victories in hockey aren't always won under the bright lights of an NHL arena. Sometimes they're won the moment a young player decides not to quit and train hard when nobody is watching . Dream BIG."

— Cory Conacher

THE CORY CONACHER STORY - How Cory Conacher Went From Undrafted To NHL Star | Hometown Hockey

Sportsnet

President – Train To Perform Hockey

Head Instructor – Conacher Hockey

Professional Hockey Agent – RSG Hockey

Raiders Hockey Organization U9 Head Coach

Conacher Hockey Elite Head Coach

Some hockey careers begin with first-round draft selections, elite junior accolades, and a clear path to professional success.

Cory Conacher's story began with rejection and being told:

"You are TOO SMALL." "You’re Not Gonna Make It." "You can’t handle the rigorous training regimen due to TYPE 1 DIABETES. "You are cut to AA (2 times)"

Despite all this, Cory Conacher is a professional hockey success story. Sportsnet.

CORYS CHARITY GOLF TOURNAMENT - THE FLAME OF HOPE - Diabetes Canada

Growing up in Burlington, Ontario, hockey was more than a game—it was part of his family's identity. As a member of one of Canada's most respected hockey families, expectations surrounded him from an early age. While the Conacher name carried a rich legacy, Cory quickly learned that family history could never replace determination, preparation, and relentless work ethic.

One of the defining moments of his young career came when he was cut from the Burlington Eagles AAA program to AA.

For many young athletes, that disappointment would have marked the end of a dream.

For Cory, it became the beginning.

Rather than accepting someone else's opinion of his potential, he committed himself to becoming better every single day. He trained harder. He competed harder. Most importantly, he refused to let rejection define who he would become.

That decision would ultimately shape one of hockey's great stories of perseverance.

After progressing through junior hockey, Cory earned an opportunity at Canisius College (NCAA Division I). During four remarkable seasons, he established himself as one of the most dynamic offensive players in college hockey.

By graduation he had become Canisius College's all-time leading scorer, earned numerous conference honors including AHA Player of the Year, and developed a reputation as one of the NCAA's premier playmakers. Cory was inducted into the Canisius College Hall of Fame.

Despite these accomplishments, NHL teams still overlooked him.

Cory was never drafted.

Again, for many players, this would have been the end of the road.

Instead, it became another chapter in a story built on resilience.

Eventually, the Tampa Bay Lightning organization signed Cory as a free agent, giving him the opportunity he had spent years earning.

He seized it.

Character & Family

Above all else, Cory Conacher is a devoted family man.

While his hockey career has taken him to the highest levels of the game, the role he values most is being a husband and father. Cory is devoted to his wife, Shannon Conacher, who is a valued member of the Conacher Hockey organization and serves as a Cold Surfaces Expert. Together, they have built a family founded on love, integrity, hard work, and a shared commitment to helping others. Cory and his father Dave started an annual golf tournament (Cory Conacher Flame of Hope) in support of Diabetes and have raised just under $1 Million in the past 10 years.

Together, Cory and Shannon are proud parents to Koda and Callum, and family remains the foundation of everything they do. Whether supporting their children, contributing to the Conacher Hockey community, or spending time together at home, they lead by example and believe that strong families build strong communities.

Those who know Cory best describe him as humble, approachable, and genuine. Despite reaching the National Hockey League and achieving success at every level of hockey, he has remained grounded, never forgetting the lessons of perseverance, humility, and gratitude that shaped his own journey.

As a coach, Cory believes hockey is about far more than developing elite players. It is an opportunity to build confident young people with strong character, accountability, resilience, teamwork, and respect. The values he teaches every day on the ice are the very same values he strives to model as a husband and father. Cory knows what it takes to make it to the highest level in Hockey and he passes this on to all of his players.

Family is not simply an important part of Cory's life—it is the foundation of his leadership. His perspective as a husband and father influences every decision he makes as a coach, mentor, executive, and leader. Players and parents trust Cory because they know he genuinely cares about the person behind the player.

For Cory, success is measured not only by championships, awards, or statistics, but by the example he sets for Koda and Callum, the partnership he shares with Shannon, and the positive impact he leaves on every athlete and family who becomes part of the Conacher Hockey community.

The 2011–12 season with the Norfolk Admirals became one of the greatest individual seasons in American Hockey League history.

Cory helped lead the Admirals to a Calder Cup Championship while capturing nearly every major individual honour the league offers.

His accomplishments that season included an amazing AHL year in 2011/2012 where Cory became the only player in AHL History to win the following 4 awards:

· Calder Cup Championship

· Les Cunningham Award – American Hockey League Most Valuable Player

· Dudley "Red" Garrett Award – American Hockey League Rookie of the Year

· Willie Marshall Award – American Hockey League Leading Goal Scorer

His remarkable season established him as one of professional hockey's elite young players and earned him a permanent opportunity in the National Hockey League.

Over the course of his NHL career, Cory appeared in a total of 203 NHL Games, 193 regular-season games and 10 playoff games with the Tampa Bay Lightning, Ottawa Senators, Buffalo Sabres, and New York Islanders, recording 75 career points (28 goals, 47 assists) plus (3

playoff goals) while earning the respect of teammates and coaches for his competitiveness, hockey intelligence, professionalism, and unwavering work ethic. A great team mate.

Cory also played Professional Hockey in Switzerland winning a Swiss Cup in addition to a Spengler Cup Championship with Team Canada.

Yet numbers tell only part of his story.

The lessons learned from being overlooked, cut, and undrafted became the foundation of his leadership philosophy.

Today, Cory has dedicated his career to helping the next generation of athletes achieve their own dreams.

As President of Train to Perform Hockey, he leads one of Ontario's premier player development organizations, designing programs that emphasize skill development, skating, hockey IQ, confidence, and long-term athlete growth.

As Head Instructor for Conacher Hockey, he works with hundreds of players every year, sharing professional experience while creating an environment where athletes are challenged, supported, and inspired to become the very best version of themselves.

In addition to coaching, Cory serves as a Professional Hockey Agent with RSG Hockey, helping elite players navigate every stage of their careers. Having personally experienced the challenges of being overlooked before reaching the NHL, he brings a unique perspective that resonates with both young prospects and established professionals.

Players and families consistently describe Cory as approachable, honest, and genuinely invested in every athlete's success. His ability to communicate, encourage, and motivate has made him one of the most respected instructors in Ontario hockey.

His coaching philosophy is simple:

Develop the person first. The hockey player will follow.

Every practice is an opportunity to build confidence.

Every setback is an opportunity to grow.

Every player deserves to believe in themselves.

Train hard when nobody is watching.

Whether he's working with a young child taking their first strides on the ice or an elite prospect preparing for Junior, NCAA, or professional hockey, Cory brings the same passion, professionalism, and attention to detail that defined his own playing career.

His message never changes.

Your circumstances do not determine your future.

Being cut from a team does not define you.

Being overlooked does not define you.

Being told you're too small does not define you.

Your willingness to continue when others stop

Training in the gym when nobody is watching—that is what defines greatness.

Today, Cory Conacher continues to honour one of hockey's most respected family legacies, not simply through his accomplishments as a player, but through the lives he impacts every day as a coach, mentor, executive, and leader.

His journey stands as proof that perseverance can overcome adversity, hard work can overcome doubt, and character can carry an athlete farther than talent alone.

For the hundreds of young players who step onto the ice with him each year, Cory Conacher represents something far greater than an NHL alumnus.

He represents hope.

He represents resilience.

He represents what is possible when someone refuses to quit.

"The greatest victories in hockey aren't always won under the bright lights of an NHL arena. Sometimes they're won the moment a young player decides not to quit and train hard when nobody is watching."

— Cory Conacher