Professional Hockey And The BibleSample

“Pauline Passage Helps Dan Ellis Find Comfort Amid Career Uncertainty”

Anaheim Ducks: 2011-12 Season

Dan Ellis wanted to be in charge of his career. Unfortunately, after a successful three-year run as a goalkeeper at the University of Nebraska Omaha, he found out he was anything but in control. The Dallas Stars drafted him in the 2000 NHL Draft, but he played just one game with the team before spending the next four years languishing in the American Hockey League (AHL).

“That’s when I started to learn some hard lessons about faith,” Ellis told the Christian Sports Journal.

One Bible verse in particular jumped out at Ellis during the difficult moments of his young career.

“For we live by faith, not by sight.” (2 Corinthians 5:7)

Then in 2012, Ellis was again challenged. With his contract set to expire at the end of the season, he wanted to prove he deserved to continue playing with a solid individual performance.

“Things don’t always happen the way we plan,” Ellis lamented. “At the beginning of the season, my playing time dipped more than any point in my career and right as opportunity was knocking at the door I sustained a grade-three groin tear.”

Knowing that his opportunity to earn a new contract had faded, Ellis said he again returned to the Bible verse that helped him early in his career.

“Even when things like that happen, I know without a shadow of a doubt that God has a better plan,” he said. “That He will take care of me and I will be better off than I ever could have imagined.”

For the next four years, Ellis played for three NHL teams and three AHL teams. It wasn’t exactly like he planned, but he was thankful for the opportunity to play the game he loved.