About one year ago, I was forced to make a choice. I was at a crossroads; I was 18 at the time, and was coming to the end of what I would describe as a pretty good childhood. Lots of vacations, and having a brother six years my elder allowed us to get into plenty of trouble during the summer months.  If there wasn't trouble to be found, we'd simply make some.

So here it was. My destination. My fork in the road.

Through the course of my life, all 19 years of it, I have wanted to do many things with my life.  There was a police officer (something I still think about.  It is a fine career to serve and protect.)  Then there was a whole whack of things.

A singer in a rock band I was to become. Except for one problem: I couldn't carry a tune in a bucket.  So it was onto storm chasing, which, well, would still be cool to do.

Then of course there was my career in professional wrestling.  Yes I like wrestling.  I know it's fake, but so are movies, and we watch them too, don't we?

Then I thought a coast guard, also a good career choice.  Of course this decision was reached in spite of the fact I was a hack when it came to swimming.

Also who can ever forget my dream aspiration of having a voice over on the cartoon M.C. Hammer show?  Okay, that one I made up, but remember that show?  What a classic!

So, after all that careful deliberation, here I was, with two paths to forge. One direction led me to a path in the sports agent field and the other led me to the life of a sports writer.

Well, not withstanding, it's easy to find out which path I took, and I am thankful I did, for more reasons than one.

Not only have I had my voice heard to a wider audience than I could have ever imagined, I have also met some great people, and made friendships.

But, there is also another reason.  A bullet dodged.  You see, thinking about my path today, something donned on me.

It appears to me that the people we know as sports agents are going the way of the dinosaurs, the do-do birds, and my M.C. Hammer aspirations (and M.C. Hammer for that matter.)  They are on their way to extinction (in the NHL at least.)

Lets use Washington Capitals Alexander Ovechkin as our model for this thesis.

Ovechkin is in the final year of his three-year rookie contract.  Following this season he will begin his 13-year pact with Washington who will pay a very lofty $124 million.  

This deal, and the deals of others, represents why in three easy steps, the NHL agent is erased.

First off, the typical agent receives 10 percent of the contract.  

Now, I am no mathematician, but by my calculator, Ovechkin has saved himself 12.4 million dollars.  If numbers aren't your thing, put it this way:  Ovechkin's agent would have made more off of his clients contract, than some NHLers make in their career (and I think they are the type of players who are gritty, pay the price.  They certainly work harder for it than any power agent.)

Onto to phase two, where we will finally give the agents their due.  

You see agents do more than just negotiate deals for players; they also market them.  They help them get TV time, help them get magazine articles, and help them get that coveted cover shot.

So, based on what you just heard, do you think one of the top five hockey players in the world needs someone to set up things for him?  

I'm sure the queue is quite long for "Ovie" whether or not he solicits it or not.

Third of all, like Philadelphia Flyers Mike Richards, Ovechkin signed an absolute monster deal.  13 seasons!  So, when this deal is completed, Ovechkin will have played in the NHL (and presumably with the Capitals) for 16 seasons.

He will be 35-years-old at contracts end, and surely would have performed the Washington Capitals with a valuable service as the clubs face of the franchise.

So, the question needs to be asked, does Ovechkin need an agent?

13 years from now, 13 years older, Ovechkin will be a veteran who could surely have some pull with Caps management and be able to negotiate one year deal for himself (a la Mats Sundin and Joe Sakic.)

So, as I sit here now, in my current profession, typing about what could have been my profession, it has donned on me than the NHL player agent is a dying breed.

Surely it won't die out completely, but it will likely fade away. There will still be players who want nothing to do with contract talks.  There will always be players who want to talk about their numbers on the ice, not off of them.

Agents also do more than look after players; they play a role within the league itself as well. They help the league and the players interact. They also help bridge the gap between the two, and come up with plenty of inventive ideas to help the league move forward.

Just like the Prehistoric era, the ones who can adapt to the changing surroundings and carve themselves a stamp some other way, will be fine.

They aren't on the endangered list yet, but if they aren't careful, and resourceful, it won't be far off.