The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

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.