There's a common phrase that players are called “suitcases”.
They talk about education being so important. They're picking up underage kids who are still in high school. If education is so important, then why are they trading kids who are still in high school?
For my son, they made him enrol in the school. There was an educational adviser there. However, if he had been traded that school year, that would have been a disaster. I mean, they're on these long road trips. They work for 40 hours a week. They really own you in every single way: public appearances, going to hospitals, going to the schools, autograph signings. I'm not saying that they don't enjoy those things. It's just that they're not mandatory. It's to make the CHL look good.
There's also another phrase known that sometimes the players say “thugs in suits”. They look really professional and honest on the outside, but on the inside, they're pretty brutal. There are times where players are walked down the hallway and they feel invisible. Coaches and staff will walk by them and not acknowledge them. There's a lot of cruel punishment.
They're called “interchangeable parts”. They've already made this level where they're at the top 2%. They know they're great hockey players. It's like splitting hairs: “You're just an interchangeable part at this time.” They have a way of making you feel worthless.