The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on country music star Julia Cole! This was such a fun episode where we talked about so many of the parallels between "making it" in country music and "making it" in hockey. We also talked a lot about how sports is such a great teacher of life lessons, and Julia was fantastic giving us some awesome perspective on the grind it takes to be successful in her line of work. Thank you to Julia for taking the time to come on our podcast. She has a new EP out called HONEY CHILD...we encourage everyone to check it out!! Thank you to GELSTX our title sponsor...thank you to TrainHeroic Jeff's workout app...and thanks the most to all of our listeners who support us week after 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 a pHD and Professor of Educational Leadership at Ferris State University, Brady Flachs. We always talk about how so much of coaching isn't the X's and O's...it's about teaching. And bringing Brady on to talk about Leadership, motivation, and the parallels between teaching and coaching...this was an UNREAL conversation. We talk: -Teaching Creativity -Preparation and Intentionality -Empowering Students in their own Learning -Creating the right Environment -MUCH MORE! This episode we learned a ton! Thank you to our title sponsor GELSTX, Jeff's training app TRAINHEROIC, and thank you to all of our 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, Jeff and Topher talk PLAYOFF HOCKEY. They go through what makes it so special, how it's different from the regular season, how to prepare as a player or coach, and much more. Jeff and Topher also go through the TOP 10 most downloaded episodes of the podcast for all of the new listeners to go back to. Very interesting to see which episodes have been the most popular and have had the greatest impact! Thank you to GELSTX our title sponsor, TrainHeroic another sponsor, and thank you to all of our amazing listeners who continue to support our podcast. *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 have an incredibly powerful conversation and one of the most inspirational guests we've had with Topher's little brother, Max Scott. Max lives with intellectual and social disabilities through a genetic disorder called Fragile X, and while it's not always easy it hasn't deterred Max from accomplishing some amazing things in his life. We talk about how from a young age Max played hockey but was bullied and didn't have the best experience. But as an adult, Max has taken on a new love for the game as he mentors/coaches many kids to the absolute best of his abilities. This episode has some laughs, some emotional moments, and a lot of life lessons for all kids that are around hockey locker rooms today. It's our can't miss episode and we are so excited to bring it to you. Thank you to our title sponsor GelStx and our supporting sponsor TrainHeroic. And thank you to all of our loyal listeners who continue to amaze us. This will be an extremely special podcast 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 former NHL player Patrick O'Sullivan to talk some hockey and his journey through the game! This was an extremely open and honest conversation that any hockey player, parent, or coach will be able to take a lot from. We talk: -Growing up with a physically abusive father -Being a phenom at the younger ages (Played junior hockey at 13!) -Scoring the game winning goal to help secure USA's first ever gold medal at the World Junior Championships -An unreal encounter with Wayne Gretzky at the NHL draft -The human side of the NHL journey -Falling back in love with the game and helping youth hockey players today Thanks so much again to Patrick for hopping on the podcast! Thank you also to GELSTX, our title sponsor. And thank you to all of our loyal listeners who continue to make our podcast one of the top hockey podcasts out there! *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 talk about HOCKEY HABITS that are essential for hockey players in the game today. They break it down through: 1. Team Offensive Habits 2. Team Defensive Habits 3. Individual Forward Habits 4. Individual Defensemen Habits 5. Attitude Habits Topher also talks about the charity hockey "game" he is chairing this summer. If you'd like to donate to the cause, visit: https://www.givegab.com/p2p/RRBR2020/topher-scott Thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx, for continuing to support our podcast. Thank you to TrainHerioc, the training app that Jeff uses to make his workouts available to the masses. And thank you to our passionate listeners, we love you! 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 #1 overall NHL draft pick Patrik Stefan. What a journey filled with ups and downs for the incredibly skilled forward from Czech Republic, and we go through many of those ups and downs in this conversation...which many can be great lessons for players coming up in the game today. We talk: -Coming over to the USA at the age of 16 to play pro hockey. -The thrill and pressures of being drafted #1 overall in the NHL. -Advice to his younger self. -Handling the ups and downs of an NHL career. -Mentoring up and coming players today. This was an awesome, candid, honest conversation with a great player and now mentor. We're looking forward to all young players listening! Thank you to all of our listeners for continuing to support our podcast and mission to make the game of hockey better. Thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX, and also Jeff's workout app sponsor TrainHeroic. *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 Director of Hockey Operations for the Providence College Men's team and first ever woman hired to be on a USA World Junior Coaching Staff...Theresa Feaster! Theresa is an incredible hockey mind with a lot of knowledge to share, and on this episode we talk: -Her finding love for the game with her Dad. -Her role with Providence and her love for video work. -Prescouts, scouting players, and the grind of hockey ops. -Representing Team USA as their first female coach. What a great conversation this was as part of our OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN HOCKEY week presented by the PWHPA! Thank you also to our title sponsor, GELSTX...and Trainheroic as well. And most importantly, thank you to all of our loyal listeners...we appreciate your support for our mission to make the game of hockey better! *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 for the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs Women's team...Maura Crowell. Maura also coaches USA Hockey's Under 18 team that won the gold medal in the U18 championships last year. This was an awesome conversation for any coach looking to get better, or any player looking to find out more information about the college recruiting process for girls hockey. We talk: -The art of teaching -College recruiting -Filling in as Interim Head Coach at Harvard for legend Katy Stone -The biggest turnaround in UMD history after being hired there -Winning the Gold Medal at the U18 championships with Team USA -The importance of mentorship from National Team and pro players in women's hockey -Much more! This was a fantastic conversation that made us all better, and is part of our continuing OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN HOCKEY series sponsored by the PWHPA. We want to take this chance to thank our title sponsor, GELSTX and also TrainHeroic for supporting our podcast. And most of all, thank you to all of our loyal listeners who tune in to our podcast 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 continue our OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN HOCKEY series by bringing on Canadian Royalty and one of the best players to ever play the game...Jayna Hefford. She's a 4x Olympic Gold Medalist, one of the leading scorers of all time in professional women's hockey, was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame, and awarded into the Order of Hockey in Canada in 2019. On top of that, she has been a major advocate for women's hockey through the PWHPA and has won numerous awards for her service to her community and the game. In this awesome conversation, we talk: -The origins of internal motivation and drive -The importance in having passion for what you do -ALLLLLL the Olympics and what it means to play for Team Canada -Her continued pursuit to better the game of women's hockey for the next generation of girls coming up. This conversation was so much fun and so inspiring...you are going to love hearing about the journey and mindset of one of the best to ever play the game. Thank you to the PWHPA for sponsoring this OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN HOCKEY series! Thank you to GelStx our title sponsor, Trainheroic, and to all of our listeners who support our mission to provide a little bit of education and inspiration regarding the GREATEST GAME ON THE PLANET! *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 start off our OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN HOCKEY SERIES by bringing on gold medal winning Olympian with Team USA Nicole Hensley. This is an amazing conversation about that spans Nicole's inspiring career to what is happening with the women's game today. We talk: -Her incredible story to become a D1 starting goalie. -What it means to have "hockey sense" as a goalie. -Winning Olympic Gold. -The PWHPA and the Dream Gap Tour. -Sacrificing her own career for the next generation of women coming up. We are so excited to have our OUTSTANDING WOMEN IN HOCKEY series sponsored by the PWHPA! Thank you also to our title sponsor GelStx, Trainheroic, and to all of our loyal listeners who tune in to our podcast. You are going to love this highly inspiring conversation with one of the top women's goalies in the 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, Jeff and Topher talk some youth hockey development! Their conversation centers around 5 cornerstone, which they label the "5 C's" -Creativity -Competitiveness -Coachability -Community -Charisma *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) *Which leads to CONFIDENCE! We talk why these attributes are important, how to improve them in players, and give basic fundamental principles of youth hockey development. We hope you'll enjoy! Thank you to our title sponsor in GELSTX. Head over to gelstx.com and use the coupon code "Thinktank" to receive a discount on hockey training sticks. And thank you to all of our listeners who continue to be the oxygen for us in our show! 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 for Colorado College Leon Hayward. As one of only two African American coaches in D1 Hockey, we speak with Leon about the current state of our country and our hockey world as it pertains to race relations and racism. In this conversation Leon gives us a great window into what it is like as an African American in our sport. With this incredibly open and honest dialogue about a really tough topic to talk about in racism, we hope to bring some much needed awareness and perspective to our listeners. Thank you. *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 Phil McRae...an awesome guest with a great hockey pedigree along with some great things that he has going on in the hockey world right now. Phil was highly recognizable even at a younger age...as he was granted a spot on the USA NTDP as an underager. He then went on to play for London in the OHL with players like Patrick Kane and John Tavares. He was a second round draft pick by the St. Louis Blues and played a lot of years of pro hockey. Now Phil is the director of TPH St. Louis' Center of Excellence. We got into a lot of great topics on this podcast: -The art and importance of passing -Being a phenom growing up -What we all would have done differently in our hockey journeys -Mentoring the youth hockey players of today -MUCH more. This was a really thought provoking interview, we think you'll really enjoy it. Thank you to GELSTX, our title sponsor. Thank you to TrainHeroic. And thank you to all our listeners who continue to make this one of the top hockey podcasts in the 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 back on former first round NHL draft pick, 12th leading scorer all time in the OHL, and 600+ professional game veteran Rob Schremp! This was a great conversation where we talked: -How Rob has changed the way he sees hockey post retirement. -How to teach Hockey Sense/IQ -Seeing the game from the net out -Positionless Hockey -Relating sports to business We are thrilled to support Rob and Jeff's new venture with 44 Vision Hockey, where Rob has former pro players, and women's Olympians, teaching kids the game of hockey through video. Thank you to GELSTX, our title sponsor...and TrainHeroic, the app where Jeff stores his workouts. And thank you, as always, to all of our listeners and fans for continuing to support our mission in the greatest game on the planet! *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 the Athletic Director for Long Island University Bill Martinov. LIU shocked the hockey world with the announcement of adding a Division One men's hockey team, and we talk to Bill about the process that lead to this all coming to fruition. We go through: -Long Island University and Athletics -The process of making the decision to go Division One in men's hockey -Questions surrounding the coach, facilities, scheduling -Much more! Thank you to GELSTX, our title sponsor for the podcast. And thank you to all of our listeners who continue to make this one of the most listened to hockey podcasts out there! *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 Sports Psychologist and mental game coach Dr. Adam Naylor. This was a great conversation with Adam centered around the mental aspects of the game and we cover some really insightful topics: -Good vs. Bad Compliments -The importance of resiliency and being challenged -The difference between fun and enjoyment -How to develop passion -Much more! We absolutely loved this really insightful talk with Adam and we know that you will too! Thank you to all of our supporters who continue to drive this podcast into one of the fastest growing hockey podcasts in the world. And thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx, for your continued support of our mission to provide some education and inspiration to the hockey universe. *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 Arizona State University Greg Powers. This was a powerful conversation where we talk to Greg about the blueprint of bringing ASU from a club program to a Division One power. ASU made their first tournament last season (and would have made it this season without Covid) and their staff has done an incredible job making ASU a nationally recognized team in so few years. We talk: -Greg's powerful childhood story -The process, ups, and downs of bringing ASU to Division 1 -Building his team through recruiting and culture -No Excuses, Ever This was an awesome conversation that brings you inside access into one of college hockey's best stories over the past few years. Thank you to all of our listeners for continuing to support our mission of providing the hockey world with a little bit of education and a little bit of inspiration regarding the greatest game on the planet. And thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX, for continuing to believe in our podcast 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.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Associate Head Coach of the Western Michigan Broncos Pat Ferschweiler. If you are a kid that wants to play college hockey...this is the episode to listen to! In this episode we give you an inside look into college hockey recruiting. What it takes to get there, what coaches look for, and we bring you behind the scenes of what coaches do in identifying and landing players. Fersch also spent times as an assistant coach with the Detroit Red Wings...and he has an UNREAL story about Pavel Datsyuk that will knock your socks off (HINT: he works really hard). This is an inspiring episode, that really peels back the onion of youth hockey, college hockey, pro hockey, and more. Thank you to all of our supporters out there following us...and thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX Sports... and our episode sponsor Train Heroic! *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 acclaimed filmmaker Gabe Polsky...who produced and directed two major hockey films that have circulated the hockey world with "In Search of Greatness" and "Red Army". Gabe also was a hockey player himself, having played growing up in Chicago and then Division One at Yale University. In this conversation, we talk a lot about the film "In Search of Greatness" where Gabe interviews Wayne Gretzky, Jerry Rice, Pele, and other academic authors on why/how the Greatest of All Time became that way. We talk: -Sport Specialization -Passion -Building Hockey Sense/Game Sense -Providing the right environment for development -Much More!! This is a film that is a must-watch for any parent, player, or coach with dreams of achieving great things. Gabe does such an amazing job with this movie, and it was enlightening talking to him about it on our podcast. Thank you to all of our listeners for continuing to tune in, and thank you to our title sponsor GelStx for supporting our podcast! *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 100th(!) episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on ESPN Sportscenter Anchor and huge #cawlidgehockey advocate John Buccigross!!!! This was a phenomenal conversation and Bucci brings so much passion...we had an absolute blast. On this episode we talk: -His early career in getting to ESPN -The NHL2night days -His love for hockey, especially #cawlidgehockey -The origin of the #bucciotchallenge -The love of being a hockey parent -The unbelievably inspiring story of Brendan Burke We want to take this chance to thank all of you listeners. We literally can't believe we are at 100 episodes of this podcast. Your support has driven us to keep this thing rolling, and we really wanted a special guest for you for our 100th. Bucci absolutely brings it, and we're so honored to continue bringing you a little bit of education, and a little bit of inspiration, regarding THE GREATEST GAME ON THE PLANET. And thanks always for the support from GelStx as well...you guys are the best. *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 of Player Development for Frolunda in the top Swedish league overseas. Frolunda is highly regarded as one of the top programs in Sweden, and getting the chance to speak with Tobias did not disappoint! He has coached and developed the likes of Rasmus Dahlin, the number one draft pick overall to Buffalo a few years ago...and Lucas Raymond who is projected to go in the Top 5 of next year's NHL draft. In this conversation, we talk to Tobias about: -Sweden's development model for developing players. -Communicating with today's athlete and building trust. -The importance of competition and small area games. -What sets the truly elite talents apart from their peers. -Coaching the individual within a team structure. -Much, much more!!! Thank you to all of our listeners for your continued support for our podcast. Can't believe we're on episode Gretzky (99)! Thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx as well for your continued support for what we do. *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 go across the pond and speak to a Finland National Team Coach, Tommi Niemelä. This was such an amazing conversation speaking about Finland's philosophy on hockey development, and think it will be one of the most influential episodes that we've done. It's amazing what Finland has done in the number of NHL players it has developed...and also what they have done in International Play in winning some of the top world tournaments...with so much fewer numbers of players than their competition. In this episode, we talk: -Sport Specialization -An incredible view of coach education -Servant leadership vs. Authoritative leadership -Development of intrinsic motivation -Winning vs. Developing players -Playing with "rhythms" during a game -So.So.Much.More We are so excited to bring this episode to you and feel like you will learn A TON. Thank you to all our listeners for supporting our mission to educate and inspire the hockey world! And thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx, for supporting our mission 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.

On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on current Harvard University Assistant Coach, James Marcou. James was an unreal player, who broke the career assists record for UMASS Amherst. After his junior year there, he signed with the San Jose Sharks before concussions unfortunately ended his career after his first season. He is a rising star in the coaching ranks and is currently in his first year at Harvard. In this conversation, we cover: -Playing for another crazy Russian coach growing up and the impact that had. -What it takes to make it as a smaller player. -What it means to "make players around you better." -The importance of honesty in recruiting. -Battling concussions as a hockey player. -The Cornell/Harvard rivalry. James is a great guy and a great coach, we know you'll enjoy this one! And as always, thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx...and thank you to all of our loyal fans for tuning in! *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 take you out to Western Canada and speak to former college star and 9+ year professional player, Brandon Wong. Brandon grew up in beautiful Victoria, BC and played his college hockey at Quinnipiac University where he was a Hobey Baker candidate (he scored A LOT of points). After his career there he played almost a decade of pro hockey before returning to Western Canada to become a dedicated hockey skills coach. We talk a lot of great topics including: -The benefits of playing junior hockey -What differentiates the kids that "make it" -How much coaching to do on the bench during the game -Much more! Thank you to GELSTX, our title sponsor for supporting our show! And thank you to all of our listeners for keeping us going on this fun hockey podcast 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 have what might have been the deepest conversation yet with acclaimed author and former college/professional hockey player, Ken Baker. Ken played college hockey at Colgate before figuring out that he had a debilitating physical disease that attacked his hormone levels. But after recognizing what was wrong...he put everything on hold (he was a celebrity reporter in Los Angeles and tells a few cool stories about that) to pursue his dream of being a professional hockey player! It's a really inspiring story, and we talk about: -Falling in love with hockey because of the Miracle on Ice in 1980. -The trap of the comparison culture. -The importance of having BIG dreams and goals. -The difference of being a dad to a girl and boy hockey player. -Celebrity culture and how it relates to hockey. This episode is brought to you by our title sponsor, GelStx! Head on over to gelstx.com, use the discount code "THINKTANK" and get a discount on the best training stick out there! Thank you to all of our hockey player, parent, and coach supporters...we couldn't do this without you! *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 the person you've all been waiting for... Topher's crazy Russian youth hockey coach, Stan Stopkin. This was an INCREDIBLE episode full of youth hockey gold...from a coaching, player, and parent perspectives. We talk about: -Coaching development in Russia (insane!) -Stan's first impressions of North American Hockey. -How to teach competitiveness and puck support (what we think are two of the most important attributes of a good hockey player). -Pushing kids outside their comfort zones and interesting ways to do it. -Reminiscing back on a year we won a youth hockey National Championship. And es, we talked about when we beat Jeff's St. Louis team where we played the entire game without a goalie too... This was an unforgettable episode that we are so excited to share with you. Thank you to all of our listeners for supporting our podcast, and thank you to GelStx for being our title sponsor! *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 goaltender for the Tuscon Roadrunners (AHL affiliate of the Arizona Coyotes), Tyler Parks. Get ready to be inspired...because this guy's story is UNREAL. His resume includes being cut from AAA, his HS team as a junior in high school, junior teams...spent a year playing Division 3 hockey, cut in the ECHL and SPHL...but he absolutely persevered and now has earned his first callup to the AHL!!!!!!! Parsky's story is incredible and should be a must listen for any kid out there looking to follow their dreams! Thank you to Parksy for being so open with this conversation, we think it is going to change lives. Thank you also to all of our listeners for supporting our podcast, we couldn't do it without you. And thank you to our title sponsor, GELSTX...the best shooting training aid in the business!!! *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 talk a little hockey! With the overwhelming positive feedback we got from the episode where we broke down the Power Play and Penalty Kill...we wanted to take another opportunity to talk about another concept in hockey that people are starving for information, THE FORECHECK. We go through different habits and reads, different structures and concepts, and how the forecheck vs. the breakout is one of the more fascinating chess matches in hockey. We hope you enjoy, thanks for tuning in and for supporting our podcast!! And thank you as always to our title sponsor, GelStx sports! *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 continue with our Minnesota week and bring on Bloomington HS coach and New Programs Director for Minnesota Hockey (arm of USA Hockey) Mike Terwilliger. This was another great conversation into the depths of the state that produces the most players. We get into: -Playing on the ponds and building creativity -Playing for Pierre McGuire -Coaching and Teaching parallels -Community based models So much great information from Mike in this episode, thank you to everyone who tunes in! Thank you also to our title sponsor, GelStx.com...use the coupon code "THINKTANK" at checkout to get a discount on unreal weighted training sticks! *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 kick off a two-episode week dedicated to Minnesota Hockey and bring on the Head Coach of Warroad High School, a powerhouse in the state. Jay grew up in Warroad, played at the University of Minnesota-Duluth, and went on to a long pro career in the minor leagues before coming back home and becoming the head high school coach. Warroad is a town of close to 1800 people but has produced 5 NHL players, 7 Olympians, 80+ Division One players, and more. In this episode, we cover... -What makes the city of Warroad so special. -Playing for 2x defending National Champion Scott Sandelin at Minnesota-Duluth. -How big of an influence TJ Oshie, Brock Nelson, GiGi Marvin, and other great players have been on the kids in the town. -Much more!! Thank you to all of you that have tuned in, we love bringing you these conversations with awesome hockey people! And thank you to our Title Sponsor, GELSTX Sports! *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 the Head Coach of the AHL's Binghamton Devils and one of the best people in the game of hockey, Mark Dennehy. Mark is widely known as one of the most respected coaches in the game. He spent 13 years as the Head Coach at Merrimack before now taking the Head Coaching job in Binghamton. On this episode we talk about: -Growing up outside of Boston in the Bobby Orr days -Hockey serving as a vehicle to teach life lessons -The importance of playing meaningful games in youth hockey -The difference between coaching in college and the pros -What private rinks can do in the summer to keep the lights on but not have the kids be on the ice all year. This was an awesome conversation! Thank you to all of the listeners for tuning in and thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx for your support of the podcast. *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 the Director of Hockey Operations for the company 200x85, Justin Lewandowski. Many of you have probably been to one of their events or tournaments like the CCM Invite which brings in teams from all over the world to compete. We talk to Lewy about all things in youth and high level hockey, including: -Is toughness gone from the game today? -How are we teaching kids to handle adversity? -What to look for in a successful coach/educator? -How do you run a business in youth sports the right way? -Much, much more! This was an awesome conversation with one of the best hockey guys in the game who is running one of the biggest youth hockey businesses around. Tune it today, and thank you as always to our title sponsor GELSTX! 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 social media sensation Kane Van Gate (his real name is Keith Van Gels...) With over 30,000 subscribers on Youtube and over 40,000 followers on Instagram, Kane has made a name for himself as a hilarious Beer League goalie. His passion for the game is incredible and we have a great conversation about how his character started and how he's been able to grow the game. He has a new movie coming out shortly, "Hockey Journey," documenting a trip around the US and Canada showing the love of the game. Thank you to all of our listeners and thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx. We wouldn't be where we are without all of you! *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 USA Hockey ADM Manager Bob Mancini. Bob comes back on the podcast to talk about all things USA Hockey...and he surely didn't disappoint. Some of the topics include how to build a youth organizational culture, what makes other countries development models so good, and a passionate back and forth about what happened to the US at the World Juniors this year along with some insight into the decision making at the higher levels of USA Hockey. This is one you don't want to miss...and Topher reveals a HUGE announcement that is going to continue to put the Hockey Think Tank on the map! Thank you so much to GelStx our title sponsor, and thank you to all of our listeners and supporters who continue to make this an incredible ride for 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 OUR DADS!! Hockey Dads are so critical to any player's career and enjoyment of the game and it was great to speak to our dads and reminisce about our journeys. We go through the ups, the downs, the lessons, and everything in between. They also provide some invaluable advice for any parent looking to guide their kid through the youth hockey process (mostly slow down and have fun with it!). We had a great time telling some fun and hilarious stories about how our dads shaped our own careers, and we certainly wouldn't be here without them. As always, thank you to all of our listeners who continue to go above and beyond in supporting our podcast and helping us grow. And thank you to GelStx our title sponsor...home of the best training hockey stick in the game! *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 have our latest installment of our mailbag where we got questions from our listeners via social media...and our listeners didn't disappoint. Some of the topics we discussed include: -Ways to grow the game of hockey. -Coaching kids with ADHD or other behavior/developmental disabilities. -How to teach kids to not take shifts off. -How to develop a scoring mentality. -Evaluating your kid's coach. -Some of our best (and worst) hockey memories. And much, much more. We also had a guest host for the podcast in Topher's dad, Bobby Scott. For our last episode of 2019, we want to thank everyone who has supported this podcast! And we'd like to thank our title sponsor GelStx as well. Go to gelstx.com and use coupon "THINKTANK" to get a discount on the top training stick in the game. Happy 2020!! *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 media personality on everything St. Louis Blues...Andy Strickland. Andy covered one of the most amazing playoff runs and turnarounds we've ever seen last year, and he shares some great insight into an incredible season. Andy also tells us some great stories about being a youth hockey coach, what he learned from covering Jon Cooper when he was just a junior coach, and we discuss why we hate "NO BALL HOCKEY" signs in the rinks. Thank you to GelStx our title sponsor...if you'd like one of their training sticks go to gelstx.com and use the coupon code "THINKTANK" for a discount. And as always, thank you to all of our listeners for supporting our mission 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.