The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on best selling author and business/leadership coach Craig Ballantyne! Craig has worked with numerous leaders around the world to help grow their businesses and has had incredible success especially with up and coming entrepreneurs. There were so many great parallels between his coaching and what we talk about regarding leadership in sports, and some of the amazing things we talked about include:-Structuring your day to optimize your time-"To Do Lists" and "Not-to-Do Lists"-How less can very much be more-The best ways to achieve accountability-So much moreThis was a masterclass on leadership and efficiency. We thank Craig so much for hopping on, we know our listeners are going to take a ton from this conversation. You can find Craig's work at craigballantyne.com and pick up his Perfect Day Formula books where you get books today!Thank you to our sponsors: GELSTX (gelstx.com), TrainHeroic App, Ice Hockey Systems (icehockeysystems.com), and our podcast parent company Blue Wire Pods! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Justin Dowling...who newly signed an NHL contract with the Vancouver Canucks on Free Agent Frenzy Day! We love telling stories like Justin's on this podcast...as he went undrafted in juniors and the NHL but is now going into his 11th year playing professionally. We talk:-How to make it as a smaller player.-Playing with the Dallas Stars in the Stanley Cup Finals bubble in 2020.-Using setbacks to fuel your fire to prove people wrong.-MUCH MORE!Thank you so much to all of our amazing listeners! Please if you can, shoot us a rating and review wherever you get your podcasts today. Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX, TrainHeroic, and icehockeystystems.com for all of your support for what we do. We know you're going to love this conversation of another NHL player that has defied the odds! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on the new Head Coach at the University of Maine, Ben Barr! Fresh off a National Championship at UMASS as the Associate Head Coach, Ben comes on to the podcast to share his knowledge and wisdom of what it takes to win at the college level. We talk:-The recruiting process-The importance of open, honest conversation-Creating and changing team culture-MUCH MORE!This was such a fun conversation that so many are going to embrace and enjoy. Thank you so much to all of our loyal fans and listeners. Thank you to our sponsors GELSTX, TrainHeroic, IceHockeySystems.com, and our podcast parent company Blue Wire Pods.Blue Wire is doing a really cool initiative if you're looking to get into podcasting,..If interested, submit your Blue Wire Hustle application here: http://bwhustle.com/join Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, Jeff and Topher take us through some of the toughest times in their careers...and how they got through them. We are big believers on this podcast that adversity makes you stronger if you frame it right, and the guys detail their own times of adversity and what it took to overcome it. They talk:-Getting cut at the youth levels-Topher narrowly missing out on a childhood dream of playing for Team USA-Handling long-term injuries during their careers-Jeff's concussion that kept him out of hockey for over a year after signing an NHL contract-Much MoreThis one got deep, and our hope is that it will resonate with all of our listeners to help them get through some of their tough times.Thank you to all of our supporters and our sponsors. Thank you to GelStx, TrainHeroic, and icehockeysystems. Thank you to BlueWire our podcast platform as well. We know you'll enjoy this episode. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Coach Jeremy, the founder of How To Hockey and one of the top social media influencers in our game. He does such an amazing job providing content through videos on youtube, social media, his website howtohockey.com that entertains and educates the hockey world at large. On this episode, we talk:-Spreading and growing passion of the game-Fundamentals vs. Tactics and systems-Building a brand through hard work and adversity-MUCH MORE!!Thank you to Coach Jeremy for giving us and our listeners some awesome insight into growing the game through awesome content based on teaching hockey fundamentals. Thank you also to our sponsors GELSTX, TrainHeroic, IceHockeySystems.com, and our podcast platform BlueWire pods. And our biggest thank you to all of our listeners who continue to support our podcast. You are going to love this conversation with Coach Jeremy! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on two junior hockey players who started an UNBELIEVABLE mentorship program for other players looking to get into junior, college, or professional hockey. They founded the Fellowship of Hockey Advancement to help younger players navigate the crazy process of higher level hockey. What an amazing gift from these two young men. On this episode, we talk:-The ups and downs of struggling to try and make it in hockey-The importance of having a great support system-The value of mentorship-Navigating trying to figure out junior hockey-Much More!!!Thanks to these two incredible players for starting this organization that will help A TON OF players and their families. The website is https://fellowshiphockeyadvancement.weebly.com/ to check it outThank you to our sponsors GELSTX (gelstx.com), ICE HOCKEY SYSTEMS (icehockeysystems.com), and TrainHeroic. Thank you to our podcast family Blue Wire. And thanks to all of our amazing listeners. We think you are going to absolutely love this episode with Connor and Adam! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Alyssa Gagliardi - Former Team USA national player, Cornell captain, NWHL/PWHPA pro hockey all-star, and now working with the Carolina Hurricanes to grow the sport in Raleigh. This was an UNREAL conversation on player development...while we hardly spoke at all about hockey. Development is so much more than what happens on the ice and Gags gives us a great blueprint on what that should entail. We talk:Mental SkillsSocial RelationshipsNutrition/SleepGoal SettingLearning SkillsSO MUCH MOREThank you to our awesome sponsors - GELSTX (gelstx.com), icehockeysystems.com, TrainHeroic, and our podcast platform BlueWire. Thank you also to all of our amazing listeners, you are going to get so much better after listening to Gags! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, Jeff and Topher talk about anything and everything hockey tryouts. They give advice to players on how to stand out and prepare, talk about the process of evaluation and scouting, what they would do if they led a tryout, and go through why the process is so complicated in the lower ages of hockey.Thank you to our title sponsor GelStx (gelstx.com), TrainHeroic, icehockeysystems.com, and our podcast network Blue Wire. And as always, thank you to all of our amazing supporters!! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on the hosts of Boston Bruins recap show "Morning Bru with Jaffe and Razor", Billy Jaffe and Andrew Raycroft! This was an awesome episode if you love to get the inside scoop of the Boston Bruins and we talk a lot of hockey as well. Some of the topics include:-Tuukka Rask- How the Bergeron/Marchand/Pastrnak line creates their chemistry-Charlie McAvoy's leadership-An UNREAL story about Brad Marchand chasing criminals...Tune in for a fun conversation with two incredible hockey guys. Thank you to our sponsors GELSTX (gelstx.com), TrainHeroic, IceHockeySystems.com. And thank you to all of our AMAZING listeners. You're gonna love this one, especially if you are a Bruins fan. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we share Topher's presentation to all college hockey coaches at the AHCA (America Hockey Coaches Association) Coaches Convention. This is the 4th year in a row that Topher has been asked to speak in front of this esteemed group of coaches, and this year he tackles what he's learned from his relationships with coaches at the highest levels of hockey. He goes through five takeaways: Identity is everything It's all about the people Developing leaders Player accountability How are you spending your time? We hope you enjoy this episode! Thank you to all of our sponsors, including GELSTX (gelstx.com), TrainHeroic App, IceHockeySystems.com, and our podcast company we are under Blue Wire Pods. Thank you so much to all of our amazing listeners who continue to push us to be better every episode. And thank you to the ACHA for allowing Topher to speak again at this convention. To get access to more awesome presentations from the convention go to ahcahockey.com. Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring back on Adam Nicholas of Stride Envy Hockey to talk about player development and his journey with the Chicago Steel as they just hoisted the Clark Cup as the USHL champions. This is the fourth time Adam has been on the podcast, and it doesn't disappoint for a second! We talk:-Individual Player Development Plans-Working through relationships between coaches and player development coaches-Methods of teaching development to high level athletes-The Chicago Steel Clark Cup run and the development relationships built with their players Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on mental performance coach and resiliency expert Matt Caldaroni! Matt and his company Molliteum work with high achieving athletes from the professional to youth levels and is a big part of working with the Chicago Steel who just won the USHL's Clark Cup this weekend. On this episode, we talk: -The definition of mental toughness -The benefits of having a performance alter ego -The importance of being "realistically optimistic" -MUCH MORE!! This is a must listen to episode for anyone trying to develop their mental toughness and mental game. Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX, our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com - listen to the intro for a HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT from them, TrainHeroic, and BlueWire Pods. And most of all thank you to all of our amazing listeners!! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Sioux City (USHL) Assistant Coach and one of Jeff's former coaching mates, Mike Berra. One of the most frequent questions we get asked is from young coaches trying to break into the business. They want to know what it takes and how to break in to coach at the higher levels. Well, we thought we'd bring someone on who has done it. Mike started coaching Bantam AA Hockey and is now coaching in the top junior league in the USA and one of the top in the world. This podcast has so many lessons for young coaches and it was awesome getting the chance to hear Mike's journey and all the things he's learned along the way. Thank you to our all of our sponsors, including GELSTX.COM, TrainHeroic, ICEHOCKEYSYSTEMS.COM, and thank you to our podcast platform Bluewire Pods. And most of all, thank you to all of our awesome listeners for tuning in with us each week. You are going to love this one! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, Jeff and Topher navigate the last year of Topher being a youth hockey director. They don't hold back and talk about the good, bad, and the ugly side of youth hockey. They tackle: -Parents -Setting a Culture -Dealing with Covid -What went well, what didn't, and what was learned -Much More! Take a listen to get into the nitty gritty of what is great...and what is broken about the youth hockey system. Thank you to our sponsors GELSTX, TrainHeroic, IceHockeySystems.com, and BlueWire Pods. And as always, thank you to all of our amazing listeners!! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Evan Rankin, a former teammate who played over 500 professional games. This was an awesome conversation that covered: -Playing for Tampa Bay Lightning coach Jon Cooper in midget hockey -How to score as a net-front player -The value of a team that has each other's backs -Much, Much More! Thank you to all of our sponsors, GELSTX, TRAINHEROIC, ICEHOCKEYSYSTEMS.COM. And thank you to our thousands of amazing listeners who continue on this awesome podcast ride with us! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, get ready for a Masterclass on Leadership from Jen Baker – Athletic Director at Johns Hopkins University. Jen went to college at Navy where she was a National Champion Club Lacrosse player and graduated with a degree in aerospace engineering. She then spent 7 years in the Navy as a pilot and facilities manager before going to Cornell University to get her MBA. At Cornell, Jen worked her way from graduate student to Associate Athletic Director and implemented the “Big Red Leadership Institute” which taught athletes how to become better leaders. After returning home to Baltimore to run the facilities for corporate giant Under Armor, Jen now has taken the job as Athletic Director with Johns Hopkins. Quite the resume!! This was such an amazing conversation on leadership where we tackle: -The value of self-awareness -The value of player leadership in a locker room (and why more coaches should invest in this) -The importance of followership -What it means to be a great teammate -So Much More! Jen is the best and we know you are going to take a lot from this episode. Thank you to our sponsors GelStx (gelstx.com), icehockeysystems.com, and TrainHeroic. And our biggest thank you to all of our listeners who continue to ride this podcast wave with us every week! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Head Coach of Norwich University, Cam Ellsworth! Cam is the reining D3 NCAA Coach of the Year after leading Norwich to being a runner up in the National Championship and breaking 9 NCAA D3 records including having a GAA under 1.00!!! Prior to being at Norwich, Cam helped lead the resurgence at UMASS Lowell. On this podcast, we talk: -His team's unreal defensive prowess -Coaching goalies including Connor Hellebuyck -The life of a college hockey recruiter -D3 Hockey -Much More!!! Thank you to all of our listeners, you are going to love this episode with a great human being. Thank you to our sponsors GELSTX, icehockeysystems.com, TrainHeroic, and thank you to BlueWire Pods! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on the Head Coach of Army Hockey, Brian Riley. The Riley family has held the Head Coach position at Army for the last 70 years, and to hear Brian talk about the passion he and his family have for the program is nothing short of amazing. We also talk: -Creating a culture of family -The legacies Derek Hines and Thomas "TK" Kennedy, two of his players killed in action -What makes an "Army kind of player" on the recruiting trail -The importance of adversity This was one of the most inspiring episodes that we've done, amazing. Thank you to Coach Riley for sharing his wisdom and thank you to our sponsors GelStx, TrainHeroic, and IceHockeySystems.com. And thank you to all of our amazing listeners, you are going to love this conversation! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Matt Fornataro - former professional hockey player that started a multimedia company (torchpro.com) taking you behind the scenes of some of the best players in the world. In this conversation, we talk: -Why Joe Pavelski is so great -Playing for Jon Cooper -How repetition leads to excellence -The importance of always adding skills to your game -Much More! Thank you to all of our incredible sponsors, including GELSTX (gelstx.com), icehockeysystems.com, and TrainHeroic. Thank you to Blue Wire Pods for welcoming us into their podcast family. And thank you to our awesome listeners who continue to help us spread positivity to the hockey world! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on NHL Draft writer and one of the top hockey journalists in the game, Chris Peters! Chris has done some awesome work writing for companies like CBS Sports and ESPN. On this episode, we cover all things NHL draft including... -Old school vs. New school scouting -Learning from your mistakes -How important is character when drafting? -Skill vs. impact -Much more on the NHL Draft This was an awesome conversation! Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX (gelstx.com), our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic, and all of our amazing listeners!! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring recognized skill development coach, Dwayne Blais! In this conversation we talk: -The most important skills in hockey and breaking them down -Unstructured play -Isolated vs. transferrable skills -Being a development coach for the Washington Capitols -Much More!! Thanks to our sponsors GELSTX (gelstx.com), icehockeysystems.com, TrainHeroic, and all our awesome listeners. For some great hockey content from Dwayne, visit thensda.com! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we reached out to YOU to see what your hot button topics are in the game of hockey and you delivered with some awesome questions and issues! We addressed what triggers you about the hockey world and got a little heated ourselves! We talked: -The "Me" Attitude of players today -Coaching communication struggles -Anonymous message boards (really?) -Lack of preparation from players and coaches -Participation trophies -MUCH MORE This was a fun episode as we always love interacting with our listeners and hearing what you want us to talk about. We had SO MANY people reach out, THANK YOU! Thank you to our sponsors GELSTX.COM, ICEHOCKEYSYSTEMS.COM, and TRAINHEROIC training app! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Boston Bruins forward Trent Frederic! Jeff is Trent's strength coach during the summer and we had a blast catching up with him. In this conversation, we talk: -The "Cup Check" from Ovi -Being 1 of 5 first round draft picks from St. Louis in one year -Boston Bruins culture -Adapting to different roles as a player -Much More! Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX (gelstx.com), our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic, and thank you to all of our awesome listeners! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Brian Yandle...awesome hockey guy and the #rinkshrink you've heard on his podcast and Spittin Chiclets. This was an awesome conversation that will resonate with a lot of parents and coaches talking about the most important aspects of youth hockey development. We talk: -It's a marathon, not a sprint. -The importance of playing multiple sports -Being a parent coach -SO MUCH MORE This was a really informative conversation on everything youth hockey...we know you'll enjoy! Thanks to Brian for hopping on the podcast...our title sponsor GELSTX, our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic, and all of our amazing listeners for continuing along this podcast journey with us! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring 6x World Champion and 3x Olympic Medalists Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux! They will go down as two of the top Women's Hockey players of all time, but their impact on the game of hockey, especially for women, has been game-changing. On this podcast, we talked... -Growing up in a hockey-crazy household. -How they became top 5 women's college hockey scorers of all-time. -The potential 2017 World Championship boycott -The 2018 Gold Medal at the Olympics -Their passion for changing the game for the next generation of women. Check out their new book - "Dare to Make History: Chasing a Dream and Fighting for Equality" Their journey is so inspiring and you'll get a great view into their impact from our podcast and their book. Thank you to our title sponsor GelStx (gelstx.com), our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, TrainHeroic, and to all of our awesome listeners. We can't wait for you to be inspired from this podcast episode! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on the creators of the App and website PROJECT HOCKEY, Danny Heath and Evan Karambelas. This was a fun episode where we talk... -Growing up playing in non-traditional areas -How to "do the extra work" -How competition breeds excellence -Danny and Evan's PROJECT HOCKEY community of players pushing each other to get better. Check out projecthockey.com for more details! Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX (gelstx.com), our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, and our training sponsor TrainHeroic. And thank you to all of our awesome listeners every week! Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Head Coach at the University of Vermont, Todd Woodcroft! Todd has worn so many hats during his career coaching and scouting at the highest levels of hockey including stints with the Minnesota Wild, Winnipeg Jets, Calgary Flames, Washington Capitals, LA Kinds, KHL, Team Sweden, Switzerland, and Belarus!! Quite the resume! We talk about his journey, some of his influences like Paul Maurice, Mike Babcock, and Jacques Lemaire, and his transition into becoming the Head Coach at UVM. We talk leadership, mentorship, building teams, and so much more. Thank you to our sponsors GELSTX (gelstx.com), TrainHeroic, IceHockeySystems.com, and to all of our listeners! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Rich Cohen...a New York Times best selling author who just came out with his latest book book "Pee-Wee: Confessions of a Hockey Parent". This episode was a lot of fun where we discuss the craziness and hilarity of being a hockey parent through the lens of Rich's book where he chronicled an entire youth hockey season. This episode was full of laughs, hilarious stories, along with some great insight and perspective on being a hockey parent. We think you are going to absolutely love this episode! Thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX (gelstx.com), our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic...and thank you to all of our listeners! Have fun with this one! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank Podcast, we bring on Head Coach of the OHL's Saginaw Spirit Chris Lazary! This conversation was absolute GOLD! We talk: -Development vs. Winning Games -Player and relationship centered coaching -Coaching the top young players in the world -MUCH MUCH MORE We LOVED this conversation with Chris, and we think everyone will take a ton out of his experiences working his way up into one of the top coaches in the Ontario Hockey League. Thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX...our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic, and to all of our AMAZING listeners who continue to rock it with us every week! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on former Army Ranger and now Team Building and Leadership consultant JB Spisso. JB has worked with many organizations and teams, including the Pittsburgh Penguins, New York Rangers, and Montreal Canadiens, on building culture and leadership. This was an awesome conversation where we dive into: -Building Leaders -Defining and building mental toughness -Parallels of military leadership and training to hockey -Much more Thanks to JB and all members of the Armed Forces for everything they do protecting our country and freedoms! We truly would not have these freedoms without the selfless sacrifice of these warriors and their families. Thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX...our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic, and all of our awesome listeners who are along for this podcast ride with us. *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Sport Psychologist Dr. Cassidy Preston to talk about the mental game as a player and how to get the best out of your team as a coach. This was a really informative conversation where we cover: -Mental Toughness -The importance of building resiliency -How to make "Getting 1% Better" sexy -Optimal Levels of Energy/Arousal -The importance of self-awareness and reflection -MUCH MORE! Thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX, our training sponsor TrainHeroic, our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, and to all of our great listeners! This will be an episode that you can take with you on your journey! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Assistant Coach with the Austrian National Team currently at the World Junior Championships...Philipp Pinter. It was great going behind the scenes with an underdog coaching staff during their quest to upset the bigger named countries during the International Championships. In this conversation, we talk: -Austrian Development -The difficulties of the European Model in a smaller country -World Junior adjustments of play -Being an underdog playing against the top players in the world This was a fun conversation we hope you will enjoy! Thanks to our title sponsor GELSTX, our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic, and all of our awesome, loyal listeners!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on current University of Michigan Assistant Coach...and Assistant Coach for Team USA at this year's World Junior Championship...Kris Mayotte! With World Juniors starting this week, Kris brings us inside Team USA's walls to show us what it's like being a part of the experience at the tournament. In this episode, we tackle: -Coaching the best players in the world at 18-19 years old, including Team USA and also 3 potential Top 10 NHL picks in next year's draft at Michigan. -Winning the World Junior Gold Medal a few years ago against Canada on Canadian soil. -The importance of team Building at a tournament where you're only there for a few weeks. -MUCH MORE! This was an awesome episode, we're looking forward to sharing it with all of you. Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX, our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor TrainHeroic...and thank you to all of our listeners! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we answer your questions! Thanks to everyone who submitted questions on social media...and here's what we covered: -When should my kid make the jump to AAA? -How can I keep my kid engaged during Covid so they don't feel like they're getting left behind? -How can we build team culture with the player point of view at the forefront? -What is our favorite part of doing the podcast? -How early should we think about using a sport psychologist for our kid? This was a lot of fun being able to hear from YOU and talk about the topics you are looking for answers for. Hopefully we gave you some insight from our own experiences! This podcast's title sponsor is GELSTX, our drill sponsor is icehockeysystems.com, our training sponsor is TrainHeroic. Thank you to our sponsors and thank you to our listeners for all of your support! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on hockey development pioneer who works with some of the top names in the game, Darryl Belfry. Darryl's client list includes the likes of Sidney Crosby, Patrick Kane, Auston Matthews, John Tavares...among other of the NHL's elite. Darryl also just came out with a book, "Belfry Hockey: Strategies to Teach the World's Best Athletes." On this podcast we cover so great topics, including: -Darryl's journey to working with the top players in the world. -Can you teach offense? -Manipulating failure and success rates in your coaching. -Linking transition hockey with hockey sense. Lot of great hockey we cover on this one, we're really excited to bring it to all of our listeners. Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX, Jeff's training app sponsor TrainHeroic, our newest sponsor icehockeysystems.com and our drill of the week, "Picket Fence Drill", and thank you to all of our listeners who continue to support our mission each week to bring a little more positivity to the hockey world! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on 10 year pro and one of Jeff's college teammates Brent Walton. Brent comes from a small town in Ontario and he takes us through his journey into becoming one of the top scorers in the NCAA and then a long professional career. We talk: -When to make the move to AAA -The ups and downs of transitioning to professional hockey -The decision to stay in North America to try and "make it" or go over to Europe -Off ice training education importance -MUCH MORE This was a fun one! Thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX. Go to GELSTX.COM to get an awesome weighted training stick used by many pros...and use the coupon code "THINKTANK to get a little discount. Thank you to our drill sponsor icehockeysystems.com...this week's drill we cover is 3v3 handball! Thank you to all of our listeners, we appreciate your support for us trying to make the hockey world a better place! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on one of my favorite players that I've had the opportunity to coach in Cole Bardreau. Cole's story is one of major ups and downs throughout his career, and it culminated last year getting his first NHL call up with the New York Islanders and scoring his first career goal on a penalty shot. Cole played for the USA NTDP, then came to Cornell where I coached him. While there, he was asked to play for the US World Junior team where he won a gold medal. The next weekend...his world almost fell apart. He got hit from behind into the boards and broke his neck, very close to paralyzing him. He missed the rest of the season, but worked his tail off to get back. After his senior year on sheer grit and determination he signed an NHL contract, but not until four years later did he receive his first call up to the NHL. The resiliency is such an incredible story. Now, even as an NHL player, he has started a company "Bardreau Mentoring Group" where he aims to mentor young hockey players as a professional player himself. This is such an awesome initiative...visit bardreaumentoringgroup.com to find out more. On top of our title sponsor in GELSTX (gelstx.com) we have a new sponsor in icehockeysystems.com as well! At the beginning of every episode, we will talk about a drill on their website and on this episode we chose the 3v3 Gates of Buffalo! Thank you to all of our listeners who continue to support our podcast, you are going to love this one with Cole Bardreau! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Katie Strang, a fantastic hockey and investigative reporter for The Athletic. Katie is a prominent figure in hockey journalism, and we spend most of this podcast talking about a story she has written extensively on regarding a youth hockey coach's history with sexual abuse of youth hockey players. Katie wrote her first article on this subject in February which brought to the public the scandal of this coach's misconducts, along with how people in hockey leadership failed to handle the situation. This is a podcast that contains language about sexual abuse, so disclaimer for any families that typically listen to our podcast with their kids. While a tough subject to speak on, we believe that this episode will provide some positive change. *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, Jeff and Topher go through their greatest hockey memories. From skating on the backyard rink at their Grandma and Grandpa's house, to their first college and professional games, to overtime winners, to favorite off-ice memories with their teammates...this episode has a lot of heart and is full of fun. And speaking of backyard rinks... We bring onto the podcast for the second half Jim and Tyler Stoller of NiceRink, a top backyard rink company in North America. Jim and Tyler answer all of your listener questions submitted to social media about the best ways to build a backyard rink, and then we give a secret hashtag to be entered to win a FREE 24x44 backyard rink from NiceRink!! Details of the contest are in the podcast episode and a random winner will be named on 11/20 from those who use the secret hashtag on our social media channels. Listen to a great episode and get entered into this amazing contest today!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on one of the top hockey strength and conditioning coaches in the world, Matt Nichol. Matt is based out of Ontario and trains some of the top players in hockey, along with Olympic athletes in many other sports. This was an awesome conversation where we hit on the importance of strength and conditioning, but Matt also brings us into the mind of elite level athletes...and the top athletes in the world. If you want to know what it takes to be at that level, and how to find a way to get as close to your potential as you can, this episode will be a great one for you. Big thanks to Matt for coming on the podcast, and big thanks to our sponsors GELSTX and TrainHeroic as well. And as always, thank you to our supporters and fans who continue to inspire us to bring the best guests on we can! Matt is at the top of that list, hope you enjoy this episode! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on NHL veteran of over 700 games and a former 4th overall draft Bryan Allen! Bryan has some amazing hockey experience and is bringing that as a passionate youth hockey coach now, and we get into some really thought-provoking conversations around the state of youth hockey today. This is a great episode for all involved in the youth hockey experience! Thanks to Bryan, and thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX, Jeff's training App TrainHeroic, and all of our great listeners in the hockey world! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on one of the most inspiring guests we've ever had on in so many different ways, Craig Cunningham. Craig defied the odds to make it to the NHL as an undersized player, but an incident while he was playing in the AHL for the Tucson Roadrunners changed his life forever. During a game, he suffered cardiac arrest and collapsed on the ice. Miraculously, he was revived due to the incredible work by doctors. Craig has persevered through that challenge, including losing part of one of his legs in a surgery, to be an inspiration to so many, including those he works with in player development. We touch on his recovery, but this was an AWESOME talk on hockey and hockey development. Craig is as passionate as they come about the game, and you are going to love this episode! Thank you to GELSTX our title sponsor...visit gelstx.com and use the coupon code "THINKTANK" for a discount off a training stick. Thank you to TrainHeroic, Jeff's slick training app that houses all his workouts. And thank you to our listeners for all of your support for our podcast. This is a special episode, let us know what you think by shooting us a review wherever you get your podcasts today! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring back on Patrick O'Sullivan, former NHL player now working in hockey development with youth all the way up to the NHL levels. Patrick is one of the smartest hockey minds in the game, and we all will get better from listening to this one! We talk: -How to find space on the ice -What it really means to play well defensively -Developing to a role vs. developing the player -Teaching the importance of the players without the puck -MUCH MORE Thanks to GELSTX our title sponsor who has the best training sticks in the game! Thanks to TrainHeroic, the App where you can find Jeff's training regimens. And thank you to our loyal listeners! Shoot us a rating or review wherever you get your podcast today to provide us some feedback as well! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT FROM THE HOCKEY THINK TANK!!! We have made a Hockey Parent Survival Guide for all hockey parents out there looking for some guidance on the craziness that is youth hockey. As a former college recruiter, I've gotten the chance to speak with hundreds of families...and one of the biggest sources of their stress is that they all have trouble navigating their son or daughter's youth hockey journey. So...we made this easy-to-use Survival Guide to help all families put their kids in the best position to achieve their dreams while also helping them to destress and enjoy the process as well! On this podcast, we preview the Hockey Parent Survival Guide by talking about all 12 topics represented in the course. Those topics include: Choosing a Team The Car Ride Home Life Skills Built in Hockey Playing Multiple Sports vs Specialization Parent Culture Parent/Coach Communication Off Ice Insight (w/ Jeff LoVecchio) Breaking Down the Costs of Hockey What's Your Why? Advisors 101 Junior Hockey - Explained Pathway to College Hockey If you'd like to purchase this survival guide, it's only $25 and because we love you if you use the coupon code "HOCKEY" at checkout you can get it for $19.99. 20 bucks for peace of mind on the youth hockey process...that's a deal! Visit: http://thehockeythinktank.teachable.com/p/parent-survival-guide to purchase today!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Drew Laine...and get educated about the world of hockey equipment. We live at a time where the cost of equipment is pricing people out of the sport, but Drew and his colleagues created a company to combat the problem and creatively brought the hockey world together in the process. This was an inspiring conversation in so many ways, and the meaning of service and compassion come full swing. Thank you for listening! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on one of our most inspiring guests, Ben Eaves. Ben comes from an amazing hockey family and lead an incredible hockey career that included National Championships at the youth level with Shattuck St. Mary's and in college at Boston College. In this episode, we talked to Ben about: -Growing up and having support from a great hockey family. -Using adversity as an opportunity to learn and grow. -Playing through injuries (WHAT A STORY ABOUT SENDING BC TO THE FROZEN FOUR PLAYING ON ONE LEG) -Much, much more. We got better as hosts from learning from Ben and his enthusiasm on this podcast, and we know our listeners will too. He might be the most well-liked people in the hockey industry, and it will come to no surprise for anyone that listens to this episode. Check it out! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on former NHL player and one of Jeff's old teammates Casey Borer! This was an awesome conversation where we talked: -Growing up in MN -Playing at Shattuck St. Mary's with so many future NHL players -Persevering through a possible career ending injury to come back and play in the NHL -Playing professional hockey around the world This was a fun and insightful conversation...enjoy! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, Jeff & Topher get in depth on the structures, skills, habits, and principles of effective Offensive and Defensive Zone play. Another episode of some pure hockey talk...hope you enjoy! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on one of my best friends in the business and the most positive person I know, Nick Petraglia. Trags and I coached together for one year at Miami-Ohio and we've stayed close ever since...going through the many ups, downs, and amazing times together through our journeys coaching college hockey. We talk: -The powerhouse of Shattuck St. Mary's -The transition from playing to coaching -The building championship cultures (we won the CCHA championship and coached Hobey Baker winner Andy Miele our year coaching together) -Transitioning into youth hockey from coaching in college This is one of my favorite episodes we've done...guaranteed to uplift your spirits! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Stanley Cup champion and Minnesota Hockey Hall of Famer Tom Chorske! We had a great conversation with Tom who has great perspective on the game from being: -Minnesota High School Hockey player -Stanley Cup Champion NHL player -NHL Hockey Analyst -Current GM of a NAHL team We talked a lot of hockey, he told a lot of stories about his days in the NHL...including about Scott Stevens, Jacques Lemaire, Wayne Gretzky, and Mike Milbury. This one was a lot of fun, we hope you enjoy! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.