One will become a firefighter when he hangs up the skates and the other is returning from a three-year layoff after copping a puck to the face.
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Canadian imports Kyle Mariani and Kelly Geoffrey are the two newest additions to the Canberra Brave as it seeks to build on an impressive first season in the Australian Ice Hockey League.
Twelve months after the demise of the Canberra Knights, the Brave is going from strength to strength in its quest to go one step further from last year's terrific run to the playoffs.
Mariani joins the Brave with a wealth of experience having played in a number of leagues in Canada and in Europe, including in England, Poland and Sweden.
The 26-year-old defender is already planning for a career once he retires and admits a stint in Australia could be his final stop before moving on to the next chapter in his life.
"When I'm done playing I'm going to be a firefighter for sure," Mariani said.
"I couldn't do a desk job, I can't sit down, I need a little bit of a thrill and the physical aspect of the job.
"Hopefully we can win a championship here this year and I'll go from there, I haven't really looked past playing in Canberra yet."
Born in Toronto, Mariani played in the same junior league as Pittsburgh Penguins National Hockey League star Sidney Crosby.
He took a year off to attend firefighting school before playing in the US for two years then started his journey across Europe, finishing with an unhappy stint in Poland last year.
"Some sponsors fell through so they couldn't afford what they agreed upon," he said.
"I thought I would go home for Christmas and do my firefighting stuff for a couple months and get that sorted.
"This felt like the right time to give this a shot."
It's a similar situation for Geoffrey, albeit in different circumstances.
The 25-year-old hasn't played since 2012 after breaking his cheekbone from a slapshot to the face.
"I was in and out of hospital getting surgeries on my face and I needed to take some time to get healthy," Geoffrey said.
"I was still in (university) and stuff like that and stuck to my studies for a couple years.
"I missed (ice hockey) way too much and needed to get back into it.
"Since I've been in Canberra, all the feelings of loving hockey is rushing back, so it's good to be here."
The Brave starts its season against the Sydney Bears at the Phillip Swimming and Ice Skating Centre on April 25.
