The Worst Jobs in the NHL

The NHL may seem like a glamorous organization to work for because players are the main source of employees, but maintenance workers at Madison Square Garden, caterers for the Winnipeg Jets and various league bureaucrats have some of the worst jobs in the league. 

The criteria for a bad job may vary from person to person, but it is easy to say that most people would have loved to coach the Stanley Cup champion Los Angeles Kings instead of being the person to trade Rick Nash.

Each person listed has an equally bad job, but here are some of the absolute worst jobs currently in the NHL.

Rink Maintenance Worker at M.S.G.

Madison Square Garden is affectionately known by its nickname, "World's Most Famous Arena," and it is also one of the busiest arenas in North America. The arena is home to two professional franchises and also plays host to conventions, the circus and tons of concerts every year.

If the NHL was not currently in a lockout, the rink maintenance workers at Madison Square Garden would have been very busy last week.

In the course of a few days, the staffers at the Garden would have had to set up and break down the court for the New York Knicks, set up and break down a massive concert stage that played host to many musicians during the 12.12.12. benefit concert and set up and break down the ice for a Rangers' game against the Montreal Canadiens.

When you factor in all the work the staffers at Madison Square Garden do on a daily basis, they have one of the most tasking jobs in the NHL.

Gary Bettman's P.R. Consultant

During the current lockout, it has been pretty tough for Gary Bettman to look like a good guy in the eyes of the fans.

At the Operation Hat Trick charity game in Atlantic City, fans had no problem showing their displeasure for the commissioner through loud and poignant chants. 

If you are a public figure and you have an image problem, hiring a P.R. consultant is usually a good step to take.

However, there is no hope for even the savviest consultant during this lockout because of the amount of hatred the fans have towards Bettman. 

General Manager of the Columbus Blue Jackets

This is an open-ended job description because although Scott Howson is currently in charge, he may not be the main man in a few years.

The Columbus Blue Jackets are a team  made up of youngsters and prospects, and they have very little talent on the main roster to compete with.

Being the general manager of the Blue Jackets is one of the worst jobs in the NHL because there is very little available to offer in a trade, and it will be a long time until drafted prospects actually pay off.

Ryan Johansen

Ryan Johansen is a young prospect center who is a member of the Columbus Blue Jackets. He has one of the worst jobs in the NHL because of the pressure that is inadvertently placed on him when Rick Nash was traded.

Johansen is a young player with a ton of offensive upside, and he will be looked at to represent a new era of the Blue Jackets.

It was tough enough for Johansen when Nash was in Columbus, one can only imagine how it will be fore the youngster once he steps on the ice at the start of the 2012-13 season.

An NHL Timekeeper

One of the worst jobs in the NHL has to be the role of the timekeeper, because it is a position that inadvertently has an impact on a game.

This incident above shows how tough it is to be a timekeeper and what can happen if the job isn't taken seriously.

Brendan Shanahan

Brendan Shanahan has one of the worst jobs in the NHL because he has the daunting task of dishing out judgement to players who break the rules.

No matter what Shanahan does he is always criticized for being too harsh or too lenient.

It is a tough job because Shanahan has to do his best to keep the NHL safe from predatory hits, but he also has to deal with the scrutiny of the media and players throughout the league.

Ilya Bryzgalov's Travel Partner

When NHL players are on the road traveling they often like to relax and wind down in between games. If you are Ilya Bryzgalov's travel partner, you have one of the worst jobs in the NHL.

Bryzgalov is an intellectual who likes to talk and philosophize about the universe, so chances are that he doesn't keep to himself on the plane or in the hotel.

Whether it is a player or a team staff member, they probably have gotten sick of Bryzgalov by now.

Winnipeg Jets' Caterer

It is no secret that NHL teams often have nice food spreads for their players and the media members who cover the team.

The caterer for the Winnipeg Jets has to have one of the toughest jobs in the NHL due to having to put out a bountiful and interesting spread for Dustin Byfuglien.

Byfuglien is a player who enjoys food, so it must be a terrible job to come up with ways to constantly keep him happy.

A NHLPA Negotiator

During the lockout, the NHLPA and NHL have been in and out of board rooms in an attempt to agree on a new CBA.

This process has been frustrating and tedious for all those involved, especially NHLPA negotiators.

Donald Fehr is the head of the NHLPA and one of their chief negotiators alongside his brother Steve Fehr.

No matter which NHLPA negotiator is in the boardroom, it is currently one of the most difficult jobs in the league.

A "Black Ace"

For all NHL games, a team can dress up to 18 skaters and two goalies. If you have ever paid attention to the pregame warm-ups, you will notice that there are often more than 18 skaters dressed in uniform. 

These extra players are often refereed to as the "black aces," as they are players who are always on call and often get a chance to play.

This is one of the worst jobs in the NHL because it is tough for a player to get so close to making it in the NHL, only to become a practice extra.

An Arena Worker at Nassau Coliseum

Working in the worst arena in the NHL earns the arena workers of Nassau Coliseum a spot on this list.

Now that the New York Islanders are officially moving to Brooklyn for the start of the 2015-16 season, their futures are now up in the air, adding uncertainty and anxiety about job security to their plate.

Working in one of the worst arenas of the league is one thing. Knowing your days of employment are numbered is worse.

Pierre McGuire's Partner Between the Glass

This video pretty much explains why being Pierre McGuire's partner between the glass is one of the worst jobs in the NHL. 

Although McGuire has a wealth of knowledge about hockey, he is an individual who can get on people's nerves very easily.

Bill Daly

No matter how you slice it, Bill Daly has one of the worst jobs in the NHL even though most of the bad news decisions of the lockout have come from Gary Bettman's office,

Daly is the one who usually has to make the announcement to the public and field questions from the media.

Additionally, Daly has the yearly pleasure of awarding the Prince of Wales and the Clarence Campbell Trophies to the winner of the Eastern and Western Conferences. It seems that every year no one wants to accept the trophy.

Daly is the Deputy Commissioner, and his job is tough enough without being forced to be the bad guy of the NHL.

The Person Who Has to Replace Nicklas Lidstrom

Nicklas Lidstrom is one of the greatest defenders in NHL history, and he left an indelible mark on the Detroit Red Wings franchise.

Now that he is gone, someone will have to step up and take up the mantle that was previously held by Lidstrom. The task is impossible to fulfill, and defenders like Niklas Kronwall will be looked upon to "replace" Lidstrom.

It is a terrible job to have because not only will the player be looked at as inadequate when compared to Lidstrom, but they will have the pressure of trying to live up to his legacy.

John Scott's Skating Instructor

"Big" John Scott is one of the biggest and most feared enforcers in the NHL, but he still has to do everything that other NHL players do.

In order to be an effective NHL player, Scott has to keep up his conditioning in order to keep up with the everyday challenges of the NHL.

In order to keep in shape, Scott has to train with various team officials and because Scott is such a poor skater, his skating instructor has one of the worst jobs in the NHL.