Marc Chorney

Taylor Chorney's hockey career is very much of a story of like father, like son.

Taylor was a star defenseman at the University of North Dakota. He was a second round draft pick of the Edmonton Oilers in 2005, but has largely failed to establish himself as a NHL regular. He has been a journeyman defender in a vagabond career.

Taylor's father is Marc Chorney, a former All-American defenseman who also played for the Fighting Sioux from 1977-1981, played for a national championship in 1979 and won one in 1980. He went on to play three seasons in the NHL, with Pittsburgh and Los Angeles, similarly as a journeyman defenseman. He only scored eight goals in his career, including his first goal in his first game on his very first shot.

Father's experiences allowed him to off his son great career and life advice.

“The excitement of pro hockey wears off quickly when you know it’s a business,” Marc Chorney said to NCAA reporter Patrick Miller. “Once you turn pro, you can’t go back to your college days. It’s hard to tell that to a young person when the opportunity is right there in front of him and it’s his dream to play in the NHL.

“Among those I know who played college and pro hockey, it’s unanimous that the longer you can stay in school, grow up and mature, the better player you’ll be when you turn pro. I tell that to everybody, not just my son.”

“As parents, our preference is for him to go back to school,” Marc said. “The big reason for him to go to Shattuck and to North Dakota was to get a good education. It’s ultimately his decision, but I’m hopeful that he feels the same way I do.”

Marc played all four seasons of his college eligibility, graduating with a degree in business. Today, he owns a company that manufactures hardwood flooring for semi trailers. The company has three plants in the U.S. and one in Canada.