
The Hockey Think Tank Podcast
The Hockey Think Tank Podcast brings incredible stories, interviews, and great perspective from some of the top hockey minds in the game. Hosted by Topher Scott & Jeff LoVecchio, our podcast will educate and inspire all those that love the game! For all the players, coaches, and hockey parents out there...make this your Go-To show on your way to the rink!
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Latest episodes

Aug 16, 2024 • 10min
SHORT SHIFTS - SHORT SHIFTS: THINGS KIDS CAN DO TO WORK ON CREATIVITY, SKILLS & FUN AT HOME
On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Vechs wants to talk about the things that kids can do at home to work on creativity, skills, mindset, and having fun. It’s a walk down memory lane for the guys to Toph’s basement and Vechs’ garage!TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW! We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!

Aug 14, 2024 • 10min
SHORT SHIFTS - DEFENSIVE TRANSITION
On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Toph wants to talk about defensive transition and what’s most important when going from offense to defense. TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW! We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!

Aug 12, 2024 • 1h 25min
Episode 325 - Brian Bonin
This week Topher and Jeff welcome Minnesota Hockey legend, Brian Bonin to the podcast! He grew up in the State of Hockey and lived every Minnesota youth player’s dream; this is an absolutely unreal episode.In this episode we talk about:— The MN Hockey mode— Youth hockey development— Winning Minnesota Mr Hockey, Hobey, and playing for the WildAND SO MUCH MORE!Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, CuredNutrition, Helios Hockey, and, our newest sponsor, Crossbar! And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!If you’d like to join our Hockey Think Tank Community, head over to Community.TheHockeyThinkTank.com and check it out!This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Aug 9, 2024 • 11min
SHORT SHIFTS - IDEAL GAME DAY SCHEDULE
On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Vechs wants to talk about what an ideal game day schedule looks like for a player to be at their best. TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW! We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!

Aug 7, 2024 • 11min
SHORT SHIFTS - 2-on-1s FROM THE D-SIDE
On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Toph wants to talk 2-on-1s, but with a twist - from the D-side. Some awesome tips and tricks when defending a 2-on-1, Vechs gets to drop one of his favorite sayings, “play chess, not checkers," and we tee up the age-old debate on this for defensemen: to slide or not to slide!TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW! We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!

Aug 5, 2024 • 1h 12min
Episode 324 - Joe Meloni
This week Topher and Jeff welcome NTDP Head Strength Coach, Joe Meloni to the podcast! Awesome, awesome guy and this was a great conversation with some incredible insight into what it’s like working with, motivating, and developing the elite young talent in our game.In this episode we talk about:— The development environment they create at NTDP— How competition breeds excellence— Attributes of players that give themselves a chance to be the bestAND SO MUCH MORE!Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, CuredNutrition, Helios Hockey, and, our newest sponsor, Crossbar! And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!If you’d like to join our Hockey Think Tank Community, head over to Community.TheHockeyThinkTank.com and check it out!This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Aug 2, 2024 • 11min
SHORT SHIFTS - NAVIGATING THE REALITY OF MULTI-SPORT ATHLETES IN-SEASON
On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Vechs wants to talk about how coaches, players and parents navigate the reality of multi-sport athletes, in-season. It’s one thing to say we want our athletes to have a diverse skill set, and to say we encourage players to play multiple sports - but it’s an entirely different thing to manage that as a coach, parent and player. TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW! We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!

Jul 31, 2024 • 10min
SHORT SHIFTS - THE 1-3-1 POWER PLAY
On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Toph wants to break down the 1-3-1 power play. How to be successful if you’re playing it - how to stop it if you’re killing against it. TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW! We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!

Jul 29, 2024 • 1h 21min
Episode 323 - Jon Francisco
This week Topher and Jeff welcome former UMD captain and eight year pro player, Jon Francisco to the podcast! Following his hockey career, he served as a firefighter for 10 years in California and Wisconsin before leaving the fire service to build Francisco Hockey & 4Check Hockey which make major impacts in hockey, training, skills and safety.In this episode we talk about:— Fostering passion as a parent— Encouraging multi sport athletes and how parents can help navigate the overlap during the season— Teaching players how to give and receive hits in today’s game— His experience parenting a player on their journey to the NTDPAND SO MUCH MORE!Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, CuredNutrition, Helios Hockey, and, our newest sponsor, Crossbar! And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!If you’d like to join our Hockey Think Tank Community, head over to Community.TheHockeyThinkTank.com and check it out!This podcast is sponsored by BetterHelp.

Jul 26, 2024 • 10min
SHORT SHIFTS: SETTING THE TONE WITH YOUR FIRST PRACTICE OF THE SEASON
On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Vechs wants to talk about what coaches should be doing with their first practice of the season. TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW! We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating and share on your social sites!