Glass and Out

For episode 316 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome CEO of Sports Innovation Lab Angela Ruggiero. She is best known as a 4x Olympian and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. She was a senior in high school when she played for Team USA and won gold at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano. In 2004 she won the Patty Kaizmeir Award as the top player in college hockey. She was also the first woman to play in a regular season professional hockey game in North America at a position other than goalie when she suited up for the Tulsa Oilers in a Central Hockey League game. However, her list of achievements extend well beyond her career as an athlete. That includes time as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2010 to 2018. She served as a member of the Executive Board of the IOC after being elected Chairperson of the IOC Athletes' Commission, the body that represents all Olympic athletes worldwide, a post which she held from 2016 to 2018. She also has an MBA from Harvard and was a senior management associate with Bridgewater Associates, the largest hedge fund in the world. Listen as she shares why learning to love adversity is key to success in life, why utilizing data in sports has to be built on trust, and why athletes are the best opportunity for corporations in the world.

Ryan Huska, head coach of the Calgary Flames, shares insights from his extensive NHL experience. He discusses the lost art of passing and why it's essential for modern players. Huska also emphasizes the importance of team chemistry during road trips and prioritizing focused drills during limited practice time. He showcases valuable breakout drills and the necessity of celebrating both small and large wins to maintain player morale. Additionally, he reveals how elite players like Sidney Crosby hone their skills and the significance of mental resilience in young athletes.

In episode 314 of the Glass and Out Podcast we chat with Hockey Hall of Famer Jayna Hefford, who currently works as the Executive Vice-President of Hockey Operations for the PWHL. As the person who has largely been the face of the league since it's inception in August of 2023, she has played a key role in the growth of female hockey. Her unique background prior to becoming a sports executive includes a playing career as a star on Canada's National Team, playing in five Olympics, capturing four gold medals, and 12 World Championships, where she collected another seven gold medals. Throughout her career she has gravitated towards leadership roles and demonstrated a knack for bringing people together to achieve a common goal. Nowhere has that skill-set been more valuable than her time with the PWHL. Listen as she shares the origins of the PWHL, why female hockey is rooted in passion and why the league's upwards trajectory has created an exciting time for women's sports.

In episode 313 of the Glass and Out Podcast we visited the University of St. Thomas campus in Minnesota to chat with Tommies Head Coach Rico Blasi. Blasi's coaching career dates back to 1994 with the Wexford Raiders. He would take over the University of Miami (Ohio) program, his alma matter, at the ripe old age of 27 - and would eventually turn them into a perennial contender. Now in his fifth season at St. Thomas, he has the Tommies on a similar track to success in the brand new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. As you'll hear, Blasi's story is a reminder that while we're all on our respective coaching journeys, life is happening all around us. Listen as he shares his approach to getting players to play free, why the human need for connection is a vital part of coaching, and why his favourite day of the week is "Battle Tuesdays."

For episode 312 of the Glass and Out Podcast we had the chance to sit down with Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin at September's TCS Live Minnesota. Bill is of course a two-time Stanley Cup winner as a player and represented the United States at three Olympics. Following his playing career, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins organziation, eventually landing in the Assistant GM role. He would then be named GM of the Wild in 2019 and would add President of Hockey Operations to his resume in 2023. In addition to his role with the Wild, he led Team USA at the Four Nations Faceoff and will also be the General Manager for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan. Needles to say, he's got a lot on his plate and he was extremly generous with his time to join us on the show. Listen as he shares his philosphy behind team building, why winning is the standard for Team USA, and the importance of preserving the Minnesota community hockey model.

For episode 311 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome Meghan Duggan, Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Devils. While most fans may know her best as the Captain of Team USA, you may soon know her as a possible candidate to become the first woman General Manager in NHL history. Duggan attended the University of Wisconsin, where she would help the Badgers capture three National titles and captain the program in her senior season. In total, she represented the United States at three Olympics and eight World Championships, capturing eight Gold Medals. Following retirement, she joined the Devils as their Manager of Player Development in 2021 before being promoted to her current role a year later. Listen as she shares how she approaches developing hockey sense, the power of being a vulnerable leader and her aspirations to advance as an executive in hockey.

For episode 310 of the Glass and Out Podcast we were down in St. Paul for TCS Live Minnesota and had the chance to sit down with Wild Head Coach John Hynes. The coaching conference was in support of the Minnesota Wild Foundation's Skate It Forward initiative. The Wild have a goal to cover the registration fee for every first year player in the state and provide families who benefit from the program the opportunity to pay it forward by making a donation that in turn gets another youngster on the ice. Click here for more information and to donate. Hynes is entering his third season in Minnesota and will also serve as an Assistant Coach for the U.S. Men's Team at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He started out his coaching career as an Assistant Coach at his alma mater, Boston University, and has rounded all the bases in his nearly 30 year coaching journey to eventually lead three National Hockey League teams. Listen as he shares tips on designing and executing a practice plan, why performance starts with relationship building, and the importance of betting on yourself.

In episode 309 of the Glass and Out Podcast we have the pleasure of being joined by Penn State University Head Coach Guy Gadowsky. One could argue that outside of the NHL, no hockey team in the world will receive as much attention as the Nittany Lions this upcoming season. Led by Gadowsky since 2011, the program is coming off its first trip to the Frozen Four and this offseason, recruited a ton of talent to an already loaded roster, including the consensus #1 pick in the upcoming NHL draft, Gavin McKenna. Ranked in the top 5 preseason college polls, Gadowsky had Penn State primed to make a lot of noise this season. Listen as he shares the importance of a well defined team structure, the keys to finding chemistry with high-end talent, and overcoming adversity on the way to a Frozen Four appearance.

In episode 308 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome Alan Letang, the Head Coach of the OHL's Sarnia Sting. Letang is still in the front 9 of his coaching career, and as you'll hear, when he decided that coaching was his chosen career post retirement, he immersed himself in all facets of the job. And it's paid off. After 2.5 seasons as an Assistant Coach in Owen Sound, he was promoted to the role of Head Coach. This would eventually lead him home to Sarnia, where he is getting set to lead the Sting for a 5th season, and one in which the expectations are high. Internationally, he has represented Canada multiple times, beginning as an Assistant Coach at the 2020 and 2023 World Junior Championships, as the Head Coach of Canada's entry at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and finally as the Head Coach of Team Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championships. Listen as he shares his philosophy on setting players up for success after a mistake, finding the fine line between physicality and discipline, and how he's approaching the changing landscape of junior hockey.

In episode 307 of the Glass and Out Podcast we're joined by Head Coach of the Henderson Silver Knights Ryan Craig. Craig has had a great run with the Golden Knights organization, including being a member of the coaching staff during their inaugural season that saw them go on a Cinderella run and reach the Stanley Cup Finals. He remained on the staff for six seasons, culminating in the organization capturing the Stanley Cup in 2023. During that time he received what can only be described as a Masters Degree in Coaching as he had the opportunity to work under Gerrard Gallant, Pete DeBoer, and most recently, Bruce Cassidy. Now heading into his third season with the Silver Knights he joins us to offer a fresh and modern perspective on leading today's player and creating winning culture. Listen as he shares why players see everything that happens with a coaching staff, how to maxmize your practice time, and why competition drives performance.