Preserving the State of Hockey: A Conversation with the Minnesota Wild's Mike Snee

In this episode of Puck Academy, host Jason Jacobs interviews Mike Snee, Vice President of Foundation and Community Relations for the Minnesota Wild. Mike speaks about his extensive career in hockey, including his tenure as Executive Director of College Hockey Inc. and Minnesota Hockey. He discusses the unique community-oriented model of hockey in Minnesota, emphasizing the importance of public ice facilities and local participation. The conversation also explores the challenges of maintaining this model amidst the privatization of youth sports, and why it is crucial to preserving and growing the sport in Minnesota. Additionally, Mike explains the new 'Skate It Forward' initiative aimed at making hockey more accessible and ensuring continuous player participation across the state. 

00:00 Introduction to Puck Academy 

00:15 Meet Mike Snee: A Hockey Visionary 

01:34 Mike's Journey in Hockey 

01:58 The Minnesota Hockey Model 

02:06 Community vs. Privatized Youth Sports 

06:20 Mike's Early Life and Hockey Passion 

12:07 The State of Hockey: Minnesota's Unique Approach 

23:05 The Role of Community Ice Facilities 

30:38 Comparing Rink Ownership Models: Massachusetts vs. Minnesota 

32:20 Philanthropy in Minnesota Hockey: The Skated Forward Initiative 

33:52 Making Hockey Accessible: Overcoming Cost Barriers 

36:35 The Big Wild Program: Introducing Kids to Hockey 

38:14 The Minnesota Model: Community-Based Hockey Development 

39:44 Historical Context: The Evolution of Hockey in Minnesota 

43:16 Challenges and Opportunities: Privatized vs. Community Hockey 

45:38 The Importance of Youth Participation in Hockey 

47:48 Minnesota's Success: Producing Top-Level Hockey Players 

56:38 Concluding Thoughts: The Future of Minnesota Hockey

Note: Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).