Adirondak Phantoms

The life of a minor league player is usually characterized by long bus rides and playing in smaller arenas in front of small crowds for far less money than even an NHL player on a minimum contract makes.

That said, the goal of a minor league hockey player is simple; be the best player you possibly can in order to earn your way up to the next level.

For AHL players, that means moving up to the NHL.

In the case of ECHL players, like Trenton Titans goalie Brad Phillips, this means playing to get the AHL.