Episode 272 - Amanda "Mazz" Alessi | The Hockey Think Tank Podcast Podcast

Episode 49 - Adam Nicholas & Brandon Naurato: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we chat with your two favorite guests Adam Nicholas and Brandon Naurato. Passion development has been a topic we have been talking about for a while, and we wanted to get right into where our obsession with hockey and helping others comes from. We talk a lot about our wanting to prove people wrong, the importance of failing forward and learning how to be resilient, and some of our personal stories that has given us scars that has allowed us to have that mentality. We got pretty deep and we think you'll enjoy this one for sure...and as always thank you for tuning in to our podcast!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

94 min listen

Episode 50 - Wacey Rabbit: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Wacey Rabbit who is one of Jeff's favorite teammates of all time. Wacey grew up on a reserve in Alberta and is very involved and proud of his First Nation, Native American culture. Wacey was the first in his culture to get drafted into the NHL...and tells a great story about it. He played 5 years in the WHL where he won a Memorial Cup championship with the Vancouver Giants and he also won the leagues Humanitarian award as well. He has played pro hockey now for 13 years and had some great stories along the way...including being the team "Scare Guy" at hotels. We talk a lot of great hockey too, including the importance of faceoffs, finding your role on a team, and the importance of a "glue guy" in the locker room. Great conversation with a great guy...thanks for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

81 min listen

Episode 48 - Al Roy: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast we bring on NHL certified agent, Al Roy of the Roy Sports Group. Al has been in the business over 20 years now and talks about how his profession and responsibilities has changed in that time. It was a great conversation that got into some great topics including how players and teams deal with mental health in the NHL, how and why the recruitment of kids has gotten so young, and what he does as an agent to prepare his clients for the real world. He also shares a few great stories about a few of his big time clients, including what it was like being with Nico Hischier the day he was drafted Number 1 overall in the NHL Draft. We're happy to bring you some great perspective, and thank you again for tuning in to the podcast!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

81 min listen

Episode 63 - Martin St. Louis: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we talk to Hall of Famer and all-around great guy Martin St. Louis. It was a thrill to talk to him about his journey and then we got into some unreal hockey talk. We spoke about battling setbacks and adversity, his Cup team in Tampa Bay, and his massive tree-trunk legs. We also got into talking shop...how to create time and space, the difference between playing fast and rushing it, teaching hockey IQ, and much more. Such an amazing conversation, thanks again for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

71 min listen

Episode 56 - Connor Carrick: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on current NHL player Connor Carrick! Connor grew up in Chicago and then played his junior days at the US National Development Program. We talk about the ups and downs of playing there, and then we go into Connor's choice to play in the OHL, where he played for AHL Calder Cup winning coach Mike Vellucci, and what it was like to play for him. Connor was extremely open and candid about the game we love and where he sees it right now, the all-so-important coach athlete relationship, and ways to better yourself on and off the ice...especially as a defenseman. Connor is a great ambassador for our game, and this was an incredibly insightful conversation! Thanks again to everyone for tuning in! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

94 min listen

Episode 54 - Duncan Fletcher: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we chat with Duncan Fletcher who is the founder of a company called Game Change. Duncan and his team put in a lot of time researching athlete development from the youth all the way to professional levels. One of their current projects deals with "behavioral analytics" which we think is one of the waves of the future in sports. Duncan lets us know that one of the best things to do for an athlete is have other interests, even for the pros at the highest levels. Game Change also works closely with the NHL and NHLPA on the player transition to the real world. We talk a lot about this transition and how difficult it can be. This was an awesome conversation with one of the most knowledgable guests we've had on...we think you're going to really enjoy it! Thank you again for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

80 min listen

Episode 73 - Colin Fraser: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on multiple time Stanley Cup Champion, Colin Fraser. Colin won Cups with both Chicago and LA as a defensive forward who was awesome on the PK and one of the best guy in the business in the room. Here are a few of the highlights from the conversation: 25:45 - What it was like playing for both Brent and Darryl Sutter 38:00 - Winning a World Junior Gold Medal for Team Canada 44:35 - Winning Stanley Cups with two teams (Chicago and LA) with differing styles of play 50:15 - The camaraderie of the Blackhawks team that won in 2010 (and how crazy the celebration was afterwards) 58:15 - Colin explains his "Make em Pay" growl... 1:04:55 - A great conversation about habits on the penalty kill 1:11:20 - Colin discusses a new venture he's working with, scoolu.com. Colin is known as an unbelievable teammate and that shines through in the episode. You don't win 3 Stanley Cup without it!! Thank you to everyone t by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

82 min listen

Episode 62 - Brian Galivan: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast we bring on one of the top strength and conditioning coaches in the game, Brian Galivan. Brian runs GVN Performance in Chicago where he trains players from the NHL to youth levels. He just got named the Head Strength Coach for the USA NTDP as well. He worked his way up from the bottom through hard word and a positive attitude, which radiated throughout our entire conversation. We talk leadership in hockey, recognizing the importance of individual differences in a team environment, old school vs. new school off ice training, and much more! What a genuine guy and an unreal conversation. Thanks for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

107 min listen

Episode 53 - Seth Appert: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast we have a great conversation with Head Coach of the USA National Development Team Program, Seth Appert. Seth grew up in Minnesota, played hockey at Ferris State, and then has gone on to be a great coach in the college ranks. He made a name for himself as an assistant coach at Denver University where he won two national championships. After Denver, he became Head Coach at RPI for a decade before taking his current role with the NTDP. We talk a lot of great hockey including what it's like coaching at the NTDP, how to build relationships with players, building a team of coaches, and the joys of coaching a kid like Jack Hughes who will be the number one pick in this year's draft. Thanks again for tuning into the podcast!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

76 min listen

Episode 57 - Nick Petrecki: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we welcome on Nick Petrecki a former first round draft pick of the San Jose Sharks. With the NHL draft coming last weekend, we talk about the exciting lead up to the draft, the pressures of being a first rounder, and the difficult journey of becoming an NHL player. We go through Nick's journey from junior, to winning a national championship at Boston College, to signing early and struggling to find his way to being an NHL player. We also talk about the importance of mental health and the difficulties of transitioning outside of hockey. It was a great conversation with a great guy, thank you again for tuning in to the podcast!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

77 min listen

Episode 51 - Paul Stastny: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on NHL Superstar and one of our good friends Paul Stastny. Paul grew up playing hockey in St. Louis where he and Jeff became best friends. The two then went on to play for Omaha in the USHL where Paul was one of the top players in the league. He then went to Denver University, won a National Championship, and then began an NHL career that has spanned 13 seasons and 4 teams. He also is a two-time Olympian and silver medalist. In our conversation, we talk about growing up with an NHL Hall of Fame dad, the importance of playing multiple sports growing up, how NHL coaching and playing has changed over his career, and much more. We also talk intimately about the legendary gold medal game against Canada in Vancouver. Such a great talk with such a great joy, thank you for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

94 min listen

Episode 64 - Cody Barra: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we take it all the way down to the grassroots level and bring on Jeff and Topher's cousin and mite/squirt youth hockey coach, Cody Barra. Cody is a passionate young coach looking to make a difference in the youth hockey world and brought on a lot of great insight and opinions on the youth hockey culture today. We talked about parent/coach communication, the importance of feedback, the difference in how the game is played from the younger and older levels, and much, much more. We also talked a lot about the development of passion and life skills...the most important job for any youth coach or teacher today. This was a fun one, thanks for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

76 min listen

Episode 52 - Anthony Noreen: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Head Coach of the Tri City Storm of the USHL, Anthony Noreen. Anthony is one of the top young coaches in the game, having won the USHL Coach of the Year award while coaching in Youngstown a few years ago and this year he won the Anderson Cup in Tri City. We talk about the importance of following your moral compass, having a great mentor, how to coach and get the most out of your best players, and the difficulties/rewards/balance of coaching to develop vs. coaching to win. This was an awesome conversation with one of the great people in the game...and thank you for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

75 min listen

Episode 70 - Mark Wick: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on former D3 Head Coach and now motivational speaker, Mark Wick. This episode is dedicated to speaking about mental health today...and it is a POWERFUL one. Mark has an incredible story with a lot of ups and downs, and he is incredibly vulnerable and inspiring in sharing some of the tougher events he's had in his life. September is also National Suicide Prevention month. With the rise in youth suicides and mental health issues, we talk about a lot of different topics that will shed light into a topic that is very rarely talked about. Thank you to everyone that tunes in! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

88 min listen

Episode 61 - Matt Herr: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on someone with one of the best resumes in hockey we've ever seen...Matt Herr. Matt is a 2x national champion at the University of Michigan where he also played baseball as well. He then went on to have a very successful pro career including playing in the NHL and being an AHL Allstar. After his playing days, he's gone on to coach prep school, be an ADM Manager for USA Hockey, was executive director for the Pittsburgh Pens elite program, and now he is the Senior Director for Youth Hockey and Growth for the NHL. It was an awesome conversation spanning his hockey journey, to his job now where he travels around growing the game from the grassroots levels. Such amazing perspective on the game, we learned a ton from this episode. Thank you again to everyone that is tuning in! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

77 min listen

Episode 58 - Vinny Smith: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Vinny Smith, who helps run one of the most successful midget programs in the US in the North Jersey Avalanche. Under Vinny and his team's watch, North Jersey has moved an incredible amount of kids to the junior and college ranks through their emphasis on player development. In this episode, we talk about many topics relating to high level youth hockey including Exposure vs. Development, Coaching the Individual AND the team, the college commitment process, and even the new emphasis on USA Hockey's "no banging on the boards" rule. It was a great conversation with a lot of insight...thank you for tuning in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

105 min listen

Episode 68 - Josh Pauls: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on the captain of the Team USA Sled Hockey team and 3x Gold Medal Olympic champion...Josh Pauls. Josh is one of the most inspirational speakers we have met. His journey as a double amputee to Gold Medal champion is amazing, and the lessons and stories he brought to this podcast were unreal. We talked about team culture, battling adversity, perspective, and all of the values that he thinks leads to success on and off the ice. Josh is now a motivational speaker and a published author...and an awesome podcast guest. Thank you for tuning in...if you want to provide us some feedback please shoot us a rating or review where you get your podcasts today! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

84 min listen

Episode 72 - Brent Brekke: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Head Coach at St. Lawrence University, Brent Brekke. It was a great conversation about hockey, and with Topher having played for and coached with Brekks we all got to get real in depth on certain aspects about the game, coaching, and leadership in general. Here were some of the highlights: 5:10 - The give and take between coaches and refs during games. 27:35 - In depth dialogue on self and player accountability within a team. 39:45 - How Brekks has evolved in his 20 years of coaching and how much information to give players today. 56:00 - Remote control parents and how a parent can affect their kid's recruiting prospects for NCAA Hockey. 1:05:49 - Brekks' three main priorities for setting the culture while taking over the Head Coaching job at St. Lawrence. 1:08:02 - A great discussion on the integrity of the NCAA recruiting landscape today. Thank you to everyone that has tuned in! If you like the by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

91 min listen

Episode 69 - Brian Gionta: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on one of the best American Born players to ever play the game in Brian Gionta. Brian has won an NCAA National Championship, a Stanley Cup, had a 16 year NHL career playing of 1,000 games and scoring close to 600 points. And he did it while standing as one of the smallest players in the game. He was also a seven year captain for both the Montreal Canadiens and Buffalo Sabres. This was an awesome conversation about development, the importance of preparation, leadership...and we dive into some youth hockey as Brian is not coaching his two sons in retirement. Awesome guy, and thank you to everyone who is tuning in! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

74 min listen

Episode 60 - Mailbag x3: It's been a while since we took some listener questions from social media...so here we go with our latest mailbag episode! Thank you to everyone who sent us their questions, we had a lot of really good things to talk about. We discussed some great topics, including what we would do if we started a youth hockey organization...what to do with the zillion emails you get for camps and tryouts in the summer...underrated skills we should be teaching...and even our favorite wedding songs! It was a blast answering your questions, we love hearing your feedback. Thank you again for tuning in to our podcast!!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

69 min listen

Episode 55 - Travis Turnbull: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Travis Turnbull...on of Jeff's best friends and currently playing his 10th year professionally in Europe. We go through Travis' amazing hockey journey...from growing up in St. Louis to the University of Michigan where he tells us why that program is so great and throws in a few hilarious Red Berenson stories. Travis tells us about his time playing pro in the USA, including his brief stint with the Buffalo Sabres where he scored his first goal at Madison Square Garden on Henrik Lundqvist. We go through the ups and downs of playing pro, getting called up and sent down, and Travis talks about the grind of trying to make it in the game we all love. This was an insightful and hilarious conversation with a true workhorse and amazing teammate (and shower guy). A great listen for everyone out there that loves the game. Thank you again to everyone that tunes in!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Ta by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

87 min listen

Episode 75 - Joe Birch: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on VP of Development for the Ontario Hockey League (OHL), Joe Birch. This was an awesome, really informative conversation on a wide range of topics, including: 12:36 - Importance of SLOWING DOWN the youth hockey process 14:30 - Parents, coaches, or entrepreneurs...who's driving youth hockey crazy? 20:50 - How do parents get educated about the process? 26:45 - The foundation of teaching in hockey 30:40 - Birchy's roles and responsibilities with the OHL 35:55 - OHL education packages 49:55 - Advice for parents and players in their minor midget draft years for the OHL and USHL 57:00 - Advice for parents and players for what to do after their draft years *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

66 min listen

Episode 59 - Kirk MacDonald: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we chat with Head Coach of the Reading Royals of the ECHL, Kirk MacDonald. His hockey journey is incredible and has come with a few really big ups and downs. In 2005, as captain of RPI, he was diagnosed with testicular cancer and missed an entire season. He beat it, came back better than ever, and went on to signing an NHL contract and played 6 years pro. We talk about his battle...and then get into some great hockey talk including the importance of building willpower, what he's learned going from player to coach, and much more! Thanks for tuning in! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

80 min listen

Episode 98 - Tommi Niemelä: 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 t by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

104 min listen

Episode 66 - Josh Boyer: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on a younger point of view with incoming University of Nebraska-Omaha freshman, Josh Boyer. We have been fortunate to talk to people that are NHL Hall of Famers, but this is the first time on our show that we've brought a kid on to talk hockey from their point of view. And what a perspective Josh Gave us! We talked about the youth hockey journey, the stresses that go with trying to make it in junior hockey and get to college, the ups and downs that many kids face during their seasons...and so much more. Josh is an absolute stud of a kid and we learned a ton being able to speak with him. We think you're going to love this conversation and what Josh has to say...and thank you for tuning in to another one of our podcasts episodes!! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

75 min listen

Episode 77 - Alyssa Gagliardi: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on women's professional hockey player Alyssa Gagliardi. Alyssa has literally won a championship at every level she's played...including a National Championship at Shattuck St. Mary's, 4 Nations Cup with USA Hockey, 3 ECAC Championships with Cornell, a CWHL Championship with the Boston Blades, an NWHL Championship with the Boston Pride...and now she is giving back as well to the hockey community in her hometown of Raleigh NC with her AG2 Hockey Camps. She currently is on the "Dream Gap" tour with other high level women's players promoting the game. We had some great topics on this podcast episode, including: 25:10 - Playing Girls vs. Boys hockey growing up. 30:20 - Playing at National Powerhouse Shattuck St. Mary’s (she had a class with Nathan MacKinnon. 37:35 - The recruiting process to college hockey for girls hockey players. 42:05 - The incredible culture turnaround at Cornell. 45:05 The impo by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

74 min listen

Episode 76 - Alex Tuch: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast we bring on one of the top young players in the NHL, Alex Tuch. Al has had a great young career that spanned the USA NTDP, 2 years at Boston College, a first round draft pick of the Minnesota Wild, and now playing a pivotal role for the Vegas Golden Knights. This was an incredible conversation into the mind of an elite hockey player, and here were a few of the highlights: 25:10 - Growing up playing against older competition in NY. 33:10 - The ups and downs of playing for the National Team Development Program 37:45 - Playing on a line with Jack Eichel 47:40 - His time playing at Boston College and choosing BC over Cornell! 58:00 - A few great Auston Matthews stories and his experience at Darryl Belfry's 88 summit over the summer. 1:07:10 - The magical run for Vegas to the Stanley Cup finals as an expansion team. This podcast is sponsored by GELSTX...which is not the official training aid of The Hockey Think Tank by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

84 min listen

Episode 85 - Our Dads: 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) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

73 min listen

Episode 80 - Power Play and Penalty Kill: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, Jeff and Topher do things a little bit differently and go IN DEPTH on the power play and penalty kill. It's an awesome conversation that dissects what makes each successful, what makes players on each successful, and the different habits and skills that are important in each game situation. Thank you to everyone that tunes in, and we hope you enjoy this talk on special teams! And as always, thank you to our title sponsor, GelStx. Go to gelstx.com and use the promo code "THINKTANK" for a discount on your next order! *Opening music: Forget the Whale - Take to the Skies (Instrumental) by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

92 min listen

Episode 79 - Jon Lounsbury: On this episode of the Hockey Think Tank podcast, we bring on Jon Lounsbury...one of the harder working guys we know in hockey. He is a skills coach in the Boston area along with being a Volunteer Assistant Coach at Division One Holy Cross and a Partner with our title sponsor, GelStx Sports. This was an awesome conversation where we get into a lot of great hockey topics. Here's a sneak peek: 24:05 – Power of community. 28:35 – What’s wrong with youth hockey in Boston? 44:00 – Switching positions at the college level. 48:00 – Is Tier 3 junior hockey a money grab? 56:15 – Benefits of playing an extra year of junior hockey. 1:01:50 – Thinking about the game differently through analogies 1:10:15 – How GelStx formed and how it can transform your shot. As always, we want to thank all of you for tuning in to the podcast...if you think it will help someone else in the hockey world please share and help to spread the positivity. If you also would like to purchase a by The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

89 min listen

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Episode 272 - Amanda "Mazz" Alessi

Episode 272 - Amanda "Mazz" Alessi

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