After only seven seasons of professional and junior hockey, former Toronto Maple Leafs enforcer Kurt Walker found himself beaten down – literally – and out of a career at age 26.
More than 35 years later he’s still feeling the effects of his nearly 900-combined penalty minutes. Only now he’s fighting a different fight on behalf of his former colleagues as he pursues the help they need in their transitions to life after hockey.
Like many former players, Walker has struggled with life after hockey. When it’s all over, there’s usually no education to fall back on.