Brooks Laich hung up his skates at 35, ending a decade‑long career that had taken him from the draft floor to the ice‑rinks of the NHL. The retirement marked the end of a journey that included stints with the Ottawa Senators, Washington Capitals, Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings, but it also opened a chapter clouded by uncertainty.
The silence around his departure lasted five years, a span made heavier by a divorce and a period of relentless workouts that failed to fill the void left by the rink. In one of the darkest phases of his life, lasting nine months, Laich experimented with a podcast and a fitness app, searching for a new purpose that could match the adrenaline of the game.
A New Chapter
The breakthrough arrived when he turned his attention to travel, a passion that had always sparked his curiosity. He channeled that energy into World Playground, a platform designed to surface the best hotel and cruise deals for wanderers, turning a personal fascination into a service that helps travelers save while exploring the world.
Laich’s mission now is to inspire people to follow their natural curiosities, to build businesses around what excites them, and to view setbacks as opportunities to reinvent. He stresses resilience, discipline, and the power of a diverse team, noting that the skills honed on the ice — strategy, teamwork, and perseverance — translate directly into entrepreneurship.
Reflecting on his journey, he shares that the lessons learned from championship‑hungry locker rooms can guide anyone looking to pivot after a career crossroads, urging aspiring creators to leverage existing skills and remain unafraid of starting over.