Hendrickson began his career as a teacher and varsity hockey coach at Richfield High School in 1973 and helped lead the team to the 1976 state title game. He served two stints as the head coach for Apple Valley High School, helping the team win the 1996 state championship. Hendrickson was also an assistant hockey coach for Buffalo High School, the head coach of Benilde-St. Margaret High School, served as the strength and conditioning coach for both the University of Minnesota and the Minnesota North Stars and coached the Vulcan organization's first national champion Junior-A team in 1968.
He founded The Hendrickson Foundation in 2011 in partnership with USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey to help grow the game of hockey in Minnesota by being inclusive to children and adults with mental and physical disabilities, paralysis or loss of limbs/amputations and military veterans with combat, or non-combat injuries. The Hendrickson Foundation strongly believes that Hockey Changes Lives! Hendrickson also had a long career as an off-ice development instructor for USA Hockey and Minnesota Hockey, organizing player clinics, select camps and coaches' certification clinics. He also served as the Program Director for the Herb Brooks Foundation.
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The State of Hockey Legacy Award, presented by the Wild, Minnesota Hockey and FOX Sports North, recognizes individuals who have made extraordinary and long-term contributions to hockey in Minnesota. Past recipients are Bob Naegele, Jr. (2018), Walter L. Bush, Jr. (2016), Bob O'Connor (2015), Lou Nanne (2014), Glen Sonmor (2012), Neal Broten (2011) and Lou Cotroneo (2010). There was no award in 2013 due to the NHL work stoppage.
