smithers joe

There's the 10,000 hr rule..if you wanna get prettydamnedhandy at something

About 40 hrs wkly, for 5 yrs. The Missus says I'm excellent at daydreaming, for example.

 Calling any player who has achieved elite levels in Europe or AHL let alone NHL as professional athletes are not "plugs' or "losers" and the dedication to the game is beyond what most people can ever understand.   Sure there are  outliers, freakishly gifted athletes who can cruise to the AHL or equivalent, but after that to get to the NHL is reserved for those who work harder, train harder, and simply put on hold most of life's normal activities for the period of time they are in the NHL.   Many people have tough jobs that include travel and many people work more than 8 hour days but I doubt many have a career that so fully dominates their lives from what they eat to how they sleep to having literally dozens standing by just waiting for you to slip a bit so they can take your job.    

Not sure about rest of the comments in this thread or about people who think they are lawyers or not but will say anyone who continues to call an NHL calibre player a "plug" or worse really is demonstrating their lack of knowledge of the game more than anything else.

Here is a good example of just how hard it is to make the NHL.

A friend of mine played "Division 1" in Sweden. This is a lead below Allsveksen, which is the league below the SHL. So lets just say a long way from the NHL (this is the league Edler was scouted out of). 

Started skating at 3. Grew to 6'4. Played in the top rep leagues growing up alongside Tavares, Stamkos, and Hodgson. Plays AAA Junior and is on his team's top line with Reilly Smith. Makes it to the NCAA and soon finds out that he is no longer considered a scorer at this skill level and struggles to get into the lineup. Eventually becomes an effective checker and becomes team captain. Doesn't get any pro contract in North America and goes to Sweden. 

So he went from being a linemate of a near PPG in the NHL (last year) as an 18 year old to playing in the 3rd best league in Sweden as a 23 year old. There isn't much separating the top players in the world to the guys making $700 per week in 3rd division pro leagues. He is also a skinny dude (around 180lbs) who had to bulk up to 220lb during his playing days.