Dan Ratushny
He traded his hockey stick for a legal brief, becoming a unique force in sports arbitration and international coaching.
Born 1970 (age 56)·Ice hockey player·Birthday: October 29·Generation X
Biography
Dan Ratushny carved a path that defies the typical jock stereotype. A skilled defenceman, he was a first-round NHL draft pick and played professionally in North America and Europe, including a stint with the Ottawa Senators. But his mind was as sharp as his skates. While still playing, he earned a law degree, setting the stage for a remarkable second act. After hanging up his skates, Ratushny didn't just practice law; he merged his dual passions, becoming a respected sports arbitrator and legal counsel for the International Ice Hockey Federation. He also returned to the bench, applying his strategic intellect as a head coach in the Swiss National League. His career is a masterclass in synthesis, proving that the discipline of elite sport and the rigor of the law can fuel a singular, impactful vocation.
Generation X
1965–1980
The latchkey kids. Raised during divorce, recession, and the end of the Cold War. Skeptical, self-reliant, media-literate. They invented indie culture, grunge, and the early internet — then watched the Boomers take credit.
Dan was born in 1970, placing them squarely in the Generation X. The events that shaped this generation — economic uncertainty, the end of the Cold War, and the rise of personal computing — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Dan Was Born
The biggest hits of 1970
#1 Movie
Love Story
Best Picture
Patton
#1 TV Show
Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In
Dan's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1970Born
First Earth Day; The Beatles break up
Gas: $0.36/galHome: $17,000Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Bridge over Troubled Water" — Simon & GarfunkelBest Picture: Patton
1975Started school
Fall of Saigon ends the Vietnam War
Gas: $0.57/galHome: $27,600Min wage: $2.10/hrPresident: Gerald Ford"Love Will Keep Us Together" — Captain & TennilleBest Picture: One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest
1983Became a teenager
Internet adopts TCP/IP, creating the modern internet
Gas: $1.16/galHome: $57,700Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Every Breath You Take" — The PoliceBest Picture: Terms of Endearment
1986Could drive
Challenger disaster; Chernobyl nuclear meltdown
Gas: $0.86/galHome: $66,600Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"That's What Friends Are For" — Dionne & FriendsBest Picture: Platoon
1988Could vote
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1991Turned 21
Soviet Union dissolves; World Wide Web goes public
Gas: $1.14/galHome: $82,400Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"(Everything I Do) I Do It for You" — Bryan AdamsBest Picture: The Silence of the Lambs
2000Turned 30
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2010Turned 40
Deepwater Horizon oil spill; iPad launched
Gas: $2.79/galHome: $147,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Tik Tok" — KeshaBest Picture: The King's Speech
2020Turned 50
COVID-19 pandemic shuts down the world
Gas: $2.17/galHome: $248,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Blinding Lights" — The WeekndBest Picture: Nomadland
2026Age 56 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Selected in the first round (25th overall) by the Winnipeg Jets in the 1989 NHL Entry Draft.
- Earned a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Ottawa while still an active professional hockey player.
- Served as head coach of Lausanne HC in Switzerland's top-tier National League A.
- Worked as an in-house legal counsel and arbitrator for the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF).
Did You Know?
He represented Canada internationally as a player, winning a silver medal at the 1994 World Championships.
He is a certified player agent in addition to being a lawyer and coach.
He played college hockey at Cornell University, where he was an All-American.
“The law is a game of strategy, much like hockey, but with higher stakes.”
