Identity Regulation in the North American Field of Men’s Professional Ice Hockey: An Examination of Organizational Control and Preparedness for Athletic Career Retirement by Andre Michael Andrijiw A thesis submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation University of Alberta © Andre Michael Andrijiw, 2019 ii Abstract Following a significant commitment of time, energy, and role identification, athletes retiring from sport may experience any number of difficulties, including emotional distress, diminished subjective well-being, and identity disruption. These difficulties may be particularly acute for those who hold a salient athletic identity. Notwithstanding an expansive body of literature on the subject of sport career cessation, few works have examined how athletic identities have been constructed, maintained, and/or transformed by managers and organizations. Providing a compelling case for just such an examination was the North American field of men’s professional ice hockey. The field, composed of the National Hockey League, two lower-level affiliates, and a number of related organizations, has long supported the development of athletic identities. This support, despite its service to the achievement of athletic outcomes, has marginalized personal development, complicated the process of sport career cessation, and triggered the introduction of several interventions. In turn, the several questions arose: how have managers and organizations in the field regulated athletic and non-athletic identities; and how might such regulation affect preparation for the process of sport career cessation. To answer these questions, an interpretive study, informed by Alvesson and Willmott’s (2002) concept of identity regulation was undertaken. As part of the study, interviews were conducted with players/alumni (n = 3); and managers from the National Hockey League (n = 1), National Hockey League Players’ Association (n = 1), Professional Hockey Players’ Association (n = 1); Core Development and Career Enhancement Programs (n = 3); and seven National/American Hockey League teams (n = 7; N = 16). In addition, 3902 documents (primarily in the form of online articles, from the aforementioned organizations) were reviewed. iii Analysis of the data revealed that regulation entailed the construction and maintenance of a salient and bipartite athletic identity; a largely self-directed, non-sporting alternative; and a nascent merger between the two. Consistent with Alvesson and Willmott’s (2002) conceptualization, each of the identities was defined by multiple motives, sets of values and characteristics, and bodies of knowledge and skill. Building upon the conceptualization, the analysis revealed that organizations fostered identity adherence and performance, to varying degrees, through scouting, monitoring, evaluation, and enforcement; explicit conveyances; auxiliary resource allocation; exemplars; awards/rewards; routinization; and publicity. Attempts of identity disruption/change, moreover, were subject to insulative measures. The study ultimately found that the product of regulation, and the organizational practices that undergirded as much, was an eminent athletic identity, one that could continue to complicate the process of sport career cessation. To limit the deleterious nature and occurrence of transition- related difficulties, it was suggested that manager continue to challenge extant regulation practices, and/or employ as much in novel manners. In these ways, broader identities, conducive to the process of athletic career retirement, and the long-term well-being of individuals, may be developed. iv Preface This thesis is an original work by Andre Michael Andrijiw. The research project, of which this thesis is a part, received research ethics approval from the University of Alberta Research Ethics Board, Project Name “Identity Regulation in the North American Field of Men’s Professional Ice Hockey”, Pro00071595, May 15, 2017. v Dedication To the many students who fostered a further curiosity about life, and inspired a love for teaching: Andre Abayof, Mykala Abel, Daniel Aiello, Trevor Aime, Emily Ainsley, Steven Ainsley, Gareth Allen-Symmons, David Almeida, Kevin Alp, Tyler Amodeo, Shannon Anderson, Pamela Andrews, Chris Arnold, Anthony Arnone, Keegan Atack, Michelle Atkins, Michael Atkinson, Megan Axenchuk, Cameron Baguley, Michael Barbin, Ian Barnett, Alessandro Barreca, Jessica Barrett, Steve Barry, Ian Barteaux, Nick Baskerville, Jillian Basterash, Max Bell, Meghan Belrose, Andrew Belton, Jennifer Bertrand, Jed Bick, Emma Biesenthal, David Bin, Michelle Blaha, Ben Blain, Zach Blain, Lindsay Blake, Mike Blondin, Bryan Blue, Kris Boomhouwer, Dana Boos, Olivia Bordin, Howie Borrow, Shelley Bots, Melissa Bouwsema, John Boyle, Rebecca Brandt, Andrew Brett, Kyle Brock, Allison Brown, Wade Bryant, Cory Budge, Stephanie Buga, Daniel Buglisi, Dani Burstrom, Andrew Caldana, Vincent Cancelli, Jessie Candlish, Ian Cater, Samantha Chabot, Johnny Chan, Chris Charlebois, Andrew Chau, Eric Chemerika, Kendra Chernoff, Colleen Cheze, Samantha Chilvers, Kelsi Ching, Emily Choi, Emily Christen, Lauren Christensen, Max Christiansen, Jodie Clapp, Sarah Clarke, Steve Collier, Matt Comand, Jacqueline Cormier, Kevin Corus, Garnet Court, James Coutts, Amy Cranch, Glen Crockett, Dylan Cullis, Kennedy Cumming, Shannon Curtis, Chris Daniele, Amy Davidge, Rachelle Davies, Jeff Dawidowitz, Travis DayMiko, Sarah Denobile, Jeff Der, Ian Deschiffart, Kelly Diamond, Luke Diangelo, Lia Diffin, Megan Dobson, Scott Dolson, Adrian Drechsler, Megan Dubas, Lawrence Dushenski, Tyler Dutchyshen, Evan Dyki, Shawn Eckford, Megan Ede, Corrie Effa, Fraser Ehl, Ben Ernewein, Tyson Eteli, Brett Evers, Gord Farnell, Daniel Fawcett, Matt Fawns, Mark Fay, Jessica Ferguson, Ryan Fisher, Brett Fitzpatrick, Jay Fleming, Melissa Fleming, Tyler Flemming, Alexandra Francis, Andrew Frank, vi Megan Franklin, Stefan Fritz, Janelle Froehler, Jonathan Fullard, Whitney Fuller, Bethany Fuzzen, Letasha Gabrielson, Will Gale, Rachel Gannage, Robin Gardener, Jordan Gee, Roy Gentles, Sloane George, Matt Gerlock, Danielle Gibeau, Ryan Gillingham, Scott Gilroy, Elyse Giroux, Katherine Goliath, Whitney Gorges, Carla Graansma, Chantelle Grant, Sam Grewcock, Shelby Hadland, Candace Hagerman, Jordan Hallawell, Mohammed Hamdon, Troy Hansen, Erin Harris, Mark Harris, Azzaro Hart, Steven Hawkins, Kaylin Hayes, Shelby Henry, Katherine Hense, Julie Herringshaw, Kyle Hewson, Pat Hickey, Selena Hickson, Matthew Hill, Malory Hodge, Joe Hoffman, Chase Holland, Jessica Holmes, Matt Hornak, Stephanie Howard, Adam Hunter, Jongjoo Hwang, Whitney Hyshka, Eman Ismaeil, Matt Israelson, Amir Issawi, Brenna James, Colin James, Matt Jarnevic, Jessica Jasper, Daniel Jensen, Adam Jeronimo, Cydney Johnson, Ivan Juresic, Ted Kabzems, Branden Kameka, Ashley Keim, Corrie Keizer, Jamie Kilford, Devon Kippen, Matt Kissel, Marek Komar, Parker Konschuh, Tyler Krawchuk, Deanna Kretzel, Josh Kruger, Jeffrey Kusy, Corey (Oliver) Kuzik, Barrett Kyle, Mike Lambert, Ryan Lang, Kean Lanti, Matt Laszuk, Amy Lawson, Sophia Le, Jennifer Leak, Caitlin Lee, Kyungho Lee, Dillon Leeder, Janelle Lee Pong, Paul Lee Wah, Kristi Lem, Jacquie Lenk, Joel Leonard, Kerry Leontowicz, Sarah Letersky, Greg Long, Katie Love, Tiffany Lowry, Brad Lukey, Ben Lundy, Mike MacAngus, Meredith MacDonald, Lale Mackus, Nate Maclellan, Riana Magee, Adriana Mar, Brad Marsh, Ryan Marshall, Jesse McAllister, Caitlin McCarthy, Molly McGillis, Christopher McGrath, Ashley McNutt, Zachary McRae, Jared Mercier, Luc Mercier, Wade Michaelchuk, Anthie Michailides, Eric Miedema, Erico Mignardi, Andrew Milani, David Milano, Remi Miltchin, Steve Mitchell, Amy Monteith, Candace Moore, Nick Moore, Richelle Morris, Shane Morris, Amanda Morrison, Kylie Morrison, Rob Morrison, Nancy Morrow, Daniel Moser, Katie Mueller, Christopher Muldoon, Beth Muller, Jenalyn Myggland, vii Craig Nadeau, Jordan Naturkach, Jacki Neumann, Meagan Newman, Adam Nicholson, Jordan Nielsen, David (Chuck) Norrish, Kristina Northcott, Doryn Nyroos, Christopher O'Connor, Kirsten Ohanian, Thomas Okamura, Morgan Oliver, Nate Palango, Sangjin Park, Grant Patterson, Andrew Pearson, Christopher Peebles, Ian Pelat, Ben Pellis, Jacob Penner, Kim Perry, Kayleigh Pinto, Matt Pobihushchy, Derek Prodeus, Shannon Pynn, Blair Redinger, Tracy Reid, Connor Reinhardt, Michael Reynolds, Trevor Rioux, Cheryl Robison, Samantha Rocheleau, Amanda Rogers, Leigh Roper, Nicole Roshko, Maja Samborski, Mike Saunders, Heather Sauverwald, Morgan Schiller, David Schwartz, Katie Scoffield, Katie Serediak, Tony Sferrazza, Paulina Sieben, Nathan Small, Becky Smith, Dan Smith, Kevin Smith, Mathew Smith, Eric Snowball, Sam Spinelli, Jerad Sprentz, Judy Stang, Ariana Stenzel, Jason Stitt, Drew Strohschein, Brad Sullivan, Vincent Tan, Tessa Taron, Jamie Tavano, Sofia Teleguina, Miranda Tesolin, Brendan Thompson, Ryan Thompson, Michelle Tremmel, Chelsea Trenouth, Sarah Tsang, Ashley Tucker, Jakub Tymczak, Theresa Urbanczyk, Lynzey Valianes, Jess Valleau, Simon Vanasseldonk, Carley Van Tetering, Brett Varey, Jennifer Vaughan, Laura Vizena, Steffan Wagner, Jared Wall, Mike Wallace, Jason Wampler, Beth Warner Hudson, Alexandra Warrick, Tommy Watson, Matt Wessel, Ian Wick, Cameron Williams, Nick Williams, Mike Wilson, Sven Wilm-Sirum, Adrian Wong, Brian Wong, Shane Wright, Paul Yager, Enace Yaghi, Joshua Yeats, Mike Yeo, Maggie Young, Bryan Yu, Kevin Yurkish, and Peter