Our Kids Play Hockey | Hockey Stories & Teamwork Tips

🧠 Can hockey IQ actually be trained—or are some players simply born with it?

In this edition of Hockey IQ Talk with Albe, Lee Elias and Andrew “Albe” Alberts go beyond individual hockey IQ concepts and tackle the bigger question: How do players actually train their brains to see the ice, recognize options, and make better decisions?

The answer starts with three foundational skills: scanning, reading the play, and identifying cues.

Albe takes us behind the scenes of NHL Sense Arena’s Playmaker Mode, a new training experience designed to place skaters and goalies inside realistic hockey scenarios, pause the action at critical moments, and challenge them to identify teammates, pressure, open ice, threats, support options, and the best available play.

Instead of simply telling players what to do, the training asks them to see it for themselves.

🎧 In this episode:

🧠 Why hockey IQ can be taught and developed
👀 How scanning and pre-scanning change what players see
🏒 Why identifying teammates, pressure, space, and support matters
⚡ How players can learn to make faster decisions before receiving the puck
🎮 How Playmaker Mode creates game-like decision-making reps
🔄 Why hockey IQ training requires repetition just like skating or shooting
📈 How scenarios can be adjusted for different ages and skill levels
🥅 How goalies can train scanning, threats, depth, angles, and backdoor awareness
🧩 Why traditional practice cannot always recreate every five-on-five decision
🚨 How feedback after a wrong decision can become part of the learning process
💭 Why “muscle memory of the mind” matters as players get older
🏎️ How speeding up decision-making can prepare players for faster levels of hockey

One of the biggest takeaways is that the puck will always move faster than the players.

As the level rises, players skate faster and plays develop quicker—but the players who can process information earlier have an enormous advantage.

If you can scan before you receive the puck, recognize your options, identify pressure, and already have several possible decisions in your head, you are playing one step ahead.

And that is what hockey IQ development is all about.

The goal is not to tell players the answer.

It is to teach them what to look for, when to look for it, and how to make the decision themselves.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #HockeyIQ #HockeyIQTalk #AndrewAlberts #SenseArena #PlaymakerMode #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyTraining #HockeySkills #HockeyDecisionMaking

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🏒 What does it actually mean to be “elite” in hockey?

Is it the team you play for?

The logo on your jersey?

The level next to your name?

Or is it something you build over time?

In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by athlete-development expert Duncan Fletcher to speak directly to young players about what being elite really means.

Duncan explains that truly elite young players are incredibly rare—and that there is absolutely nothing wrong with still working toward that level.

The important part is what you do along the way.

🎧 In this episode:

🏒 What “elite” really means in youth hockey
⛸️ Why skating and puck skills still matter so much
💪 How pushing into uncomfortable situations helps you improve
📈 Why getting a little better every day is more important than rushing to the next level
🧠 Why persistence and mental toughness matter
🎸 How hobbies, school, music, and other sports can actually make you a better hockey player
🎯 Why elite behavior matters before elite status
❤️ Why your hockey journey does not need to happen overnight

One of Duncan’s most surprising lessons is that if you want to become a better hockey player, you should have something meaningful in your life away from hockey too.

That could be another sport.

Music.

School.

A hobby.

Anything that excites you and challenges you in a different way.

The best players are not always the ones doing hockey every second of every day.

They are curious.

They keep learning.

They keep pushing themselves.

And they understand that becoming elite is not one moment.

It is a long process built through small improvements.

So do not rush.

Keep working.

Keep learning.

Keep enjoying the game.

And focus on becoming a little better than you were yesterday.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Elite Is a Journey: What Young Hockey Players Should Really Focus On

#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #EliteHockey #HockeyDevelopment #DuncanFletcher #HockeyMindset #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyKids #HockeySkills #YouthAthletes #HockeyConfidence

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🏒 What actually separates the players who reach the next level from the ones who don’t?

Is it talent?

Work ethic?

Mindset?

AAA hockey?

More tournaments?

Or are we focusing on the wrong things entirely?

In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by Duncan Fletcher, Executive Director of Game Change, former Division I hockey coach, and longtime athlete-development professional who has worked with hundreds of professional athletes.

The conversation challenges some of the biggest assumptions in youth hockey—especially the obsession with being “elite,” playing more games, traveling farther, and chasing higher-level labels before young players have built the foundation they actually need.

Duncan’s message is direct: if a young player wants to get better, start with the basics.

Skating.

Puck handling.

Practice.

Persistence.

Self-awareness.

And above all, enjoying the game enough to stay in it.

🎧 In this episode:

🏒 What “elite” actually means—and why the label is wildly overused
⛸️ Why skating and puck skills are still the foundation of everything
📈 Why players improve in practice more than they do in games
🚫 Why more tournaments and more travel do not automatically create better players
🧠 How persistence and what happens “between the ears” separate players at higher levels
🎯 Why coaches should prioritize development over youth hockey wins
⚾ Why multi-sport athletes can build skills that transfer back to hockey
💪 Why getting comfortable being uncomfortable matters
🗣️ How youth sports can develop communication, courage, leadership, and resilience
🔍 Why self-awareness becomes critical for athletes as they grow
🌎 Why players need interests and experiences outside their primary sport
📱 Why parents should stop obsessing over labels, rankings, and what everyone else is doing
🔥 Why mistakes are necessary if players are going to learn how to actually play the game

One of the most important ideas in this conversation is that young players should be developed for who they can become at 16, 17, or 18—not optimized to win at 9 or 10.

That means giving them room to fail.

Giving them time to build skills.

Giving them other sports and interests.

And finding coaches who care more about development than the scoreboard.

Because the real return on youth hockey is bigger than a roster spot.

It’s learning how to do hard things.

How to respond to adversity.

How to work.

How to lead.

How to communicate.

And how to keep improving—even when progress doesn’t always feel like success.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What “Elite” Really Means in Youth Hockey—and Why Development Matters More

#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #DuncanFletcher #PlayerDevelopment #YouthSports #HockeyParents #HockeyCoaching #MultiSportAthlete #HockeySkills #AAA Hockey #YouthAthleteDevelopment

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🏒 How do you follow up a year that included an Olympic gold medal and a Walter Cup championship?

For Hayley Scamurra, the answer isn’t about trying to “top” it.

It’s about continuing the journey.

In the first installment of Our Girls Play Hockey: Day in the Life 2026–27, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli reconnect with Hayley as she closes one unforgettable chapter and steps directly into another—Team USA camp, World Championship preparation, a cross-country move, and the launch of a brand-new PWHL team in Las Vegas.

Hayley reflects on the gratitude she feels for the year behind her while staying focused on what comes next. She shares what it was like to bring the Walter Cup home, celebrate with family, say goodbye to Montreal, and navigate the chaos of packing and moving across the country while still training at an elite level.

🎧 In this episode:

🥇 How Hayley responds to the question, “How do you top last year?”
🏆 What it meant to bring the Walter Cup home to family and young players
❤️ Why gratitude and forward momentum can exist at the same time
🇺🇸 How she is preparing for Team USA camp and the World Championships
🔥 Why winning again can be even harder than winning the first time
🎯 How elite athletes handle the pressure of having a target on their back
🚗 Inside Hayley’s cross-country move from Maryland to Las Vegas
🐶 The road-trip plans with her husband Nick and their dog, Lexi
📸 Why she is flying right back across the country for a PWHL photo shoot
🏒 What excites her about helping build the culture of a new PWHL franchise
🌟 How her role is changing as a veteran leader on a young team
🎟️ Why Las Vegas could become one of the most exciting new hockey markets in the league

One of the biggest themes in this episode is simple:

The journey is the goal.

A gold medal is a moment.

A championship is a moment.

But the work, the relationships, the next challenge, and the opportunity to keep growing—that’s the real story.

Hayley is entering a season filled with change, leadership, travel, pressure, and possibility.

And once again, she’s bringing us along for the ride.

📖Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: From Gold Medal to Las Vegas: Hayley Scamurra’s Next Chapter

#OurGirlsPlayHockey #HayleyScamurra #PWHL #WomensHockey #TeamUSA #LasVegasHockey #WalterCup #GirlsHockey #OlympicGold #HockeyJourney #FemaleAthletes #PWHLVegas

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🥅 What separates a goalie who keeps growing from one who gets discouraged?

Sometimes it’s not size.

It’s not skill.

It’s not even the result of the game.

Sometimes it’s belief.

In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli break down some of the biggest lessons from their conversation with former NHL goaltender Andrew “Razor” Raycroft.

The focus is simple: what can young goalies—and young hockey players in general—learn from someone who made it all the way to the NHL?

One of the biggest lessons is that goalies need to develop the ability to bounce back.

You are going to have bad games.

You might even have a bad stretch.

That does not mean you are a bad goalie.

🎧 In this episode:

🥅 Why mental toughness matters so much in the goalie position
🧠 How to self-assess without beating yourself up
📱 Why highlight reels are a terrible way to measure your development
👀 Why watching full hockey games can build your hockey IQ
💪 How belief can become a real separator as players develop
📈 Why getting a little better matters more than comparing yourself to someone else
🎯 How to identify what you did well and what you can improve
📚 Why being a lifelong learner can make you a stronger player
❤️ Why your hockey path does not need to look like anyone else’s

Andrew Raycroft’s journey was not built around being the best player at every age.

He simply kept moving forward.

He kept learning.

He kept believing that he was on his own path.

That is the message for young players:

Do not let someone else’s highlight reel become the standard for your game.

Learn from what you see.

Study the game.

Ask questions.

Evaluate yourself honestly.

Then get back to work.

Wherever you are in your hockey journey, keep learning—and keep believing in yourself.

#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #GoalieMindset #YouthHockeyGoalie #AndrewRaycroft #HockeyIQ #GoalieDevelopment #HockeyConfidence #MentalToughness #HockeyKids #PlayerDevelopment

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🥅 What really separates a great young goalie from everyone else?

According to former NHL goaltender, Calder Trophy winner, coach, and analyst Andrew Raycroft, it is not just size, technique, or flashy saves.

It is perseverance.

It is skating.

It is belief.

It is learning how to handle failure.

And sometimes, it is being just a little bit delusional.

In this episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Andrew Raycroft dive into what young goalies and their parents should actually focus on as they develop.

Andrew shares lessons from his own journey from minor hockey to more than 100 NHL wins, explains why he worries that youth hockey sometimes prioritizes size over skill, and talks about why smaller, athletic goalies still deserve real opportunities.

The conversation also goes deep into the mental side of the position: how goalies respond after bad goals, why resilience matters, what parents should do during tough stretches, and how social media can quietly destroy confidence by making every other goalie look perfect.

🎧 In this episode:

🥅 Why perseverance may be the most important goalie trait
⛸️ Why skating ability stands out immediately in young goalies
📏 Why coaches should not automatically choose the biggest goalie
🧠 Why some goalies naturally handle failure better than others
💪 How to build resilience after rough games and difficult stretches
🚫 Why parents should avoid overanalyzing the car ride home
📱 How social media creates unrealistic comparisons for young goalies
🔥 Why belief and even a little “delusion” can be powerful
🎯 How to judge your performance beyond just the final score
👀 Why hockey IQ becomes a major separator as goalies get older
📺 How actually watching full hockey games can improve goalie instincts
❤️ Why parents should focus less on outcomes and more on whether their child still loves coming to the rink

One of Andrew’s most important messages is simple: you cannot force the path.

One kid may develop faster.

Another may be smaller.

Another may struggle for a month and then take a huge step forward.

The goal is not to compare your child to every highlight clip online.

The goal is to help them keep showing up, keep learning, keep believing, and keep enjoying the position.

Because the lessons a goalie learns in the crease—resetting after failure, owning mistakes, competing through adversity, and believing in yourself—go far beyond hockey.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What Really Makes a Great Young Goalie? Lessons from Andrew Raycroft

#OurKidsPlayGoalie #AndrewRaycroft #YouthHockeyGoalie #GoalieDevelopment #HockeyGoalie #GoalieParents #YouthHockey #GoalieTraining #HockeyMindset #GoalieConfidence #HockeyIQ #HockeyParents

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🏒 What happens when a young player still loves hockey—but the schedule is starting to wear her down?

In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra respond to a powerful parent email about a 12U player facing three practices a week, dryland, video sessions, and roughly two hours of driving for every practice.

The player still loves the game.

But she and her parent are exhausted.

So the question becomes: Is more hockey always better?

Hayley reflects on her own youth and high school experience, including long drives, missed practices, school commitments, and the importance of doing what was best for her overall development and well-being. Mike and Lee add the coaching perspective, discussing commitment, communication, age, team expectations, multi-sport participation, and the difference between occasionally needing space and consistently avoiding responsibility.

🎧 In this episode:

🏒 When missing a youth hockey practice can actually be healthy
🚗 Why travel time should count as part of a player’s workload
🔥 The difference between schedule fatigue and true hockey burnout
❤️ Why protecting a player’s love of the game matters more than squeezing in one more practice
🗣️ Why honest communication with the coach is essential
💪 How young female athletes can learn to advocate for themselves
⚖️ Why age and competitive level should change expectations
🏃 Why playing multiple sports can support hockey development
📆 How families can experiment with a lighter schedule without locking into a full-season decision
🎯 Whether doing less means another player will “pass you”
🤝 Why accountability still matters when a player misses practice
🧠 How coaches can create environments players actually want to show up for

One of the strongest messages in this conversation is that a 12-year-old should not feel like an entire hockey season is something she has to “grind out.”

Competing hard in a difficult game is one thing.

Grinding through an exhausting schedule for months at a time is another.

If a player still loves hockey, protect that love.

That might mean taking a night off.

It might mean choosing another activity.

It might mean changing teams.

It might mean having an uncomfortable but necessary conversation with a coach.

And it might simply mean giving a young athlete enough space to miss the rink—and want to come back.

There is no single perfect answer for every family. But communication, health, accountability, and joy should always be part of the decision.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: When Youth Hockey Becomes Too Much: Burnout, Travel, and Protecting the Love of the Game

#OurGirlsPlayHockey #GirlsHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyBurnout #TravelHockey #HayleyScamurra #WomensHockey #HockeyParents #YouthSports #MultiSportAthlete #PlayerDevelopment #HockeyBalance

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🏒 What does being “coachable” actually look like during a hockey game?

In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli speak directly to young players about how to listen, learn, and stay engaged when coaches are talking to them on the bench.

Being coachable is not about blindly agreeing with everything you hear. It’s about being present, being willing to receive information, and looking for something useful that can help you on your next shift.

Mike shares a few simple habits coaches notice right away: sitting with your linemates, encouraging teammates, making eye contact with your coach, listening when someone is trying to teach you, and staying mentally connected to the game instead of drifting into unrelated conversations.

Lee adds an important reminder: coaching is not judging.

When a coach tells you what they want to see differently, that does not automatically mean they think you are a bad player or that you ruined the game. Most of the time, they are simply trying to help you improve.

🎧 In this episode, young players will learn:

🏒 What coaches notice when players come back to the bench
🤝 Why positive communication with teammates matters
👀 Why eye contact and attention show coaches you are ready to learn
🧠 How to pull one useful takeaway from coaching instructions
🎯 Why staying present matters in a fast-moving game
📈 How every mistake can become a learning opportunity
💬 Why coaching feedback is meant to help—not blame
⭐ How being coachable builds trust with coaches and teammates

The goal is simple: every shift, try to learn something.

Maybe it’s finding more open ice.

Maybe it’s making a better pass.

Maybe it’s supporting a teammate.

Maybe it’s just being more aware.

You do not have to become a perfect player in one shift. Just try to become a little better each time you step onto the ice.

Stay engaged. Stay curious. Help your teammates. Listen for the lesson.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Be More Coachable—and Learn More From Every Hockey Shift

And remember: we believe in you—but you should believe in yourself too.

#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyKids #BeCoachable #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyMindset #YouthHockeyPlayers #HockeyCoaching #HockeyTeammates #PlayerDevelopment

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🏒 Looking for hockey gifts that players will actually use—and that can help protect expensive gear, create more training opportunities, and make life a little easier for hockey families? This episode is for you.

On this special edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias kicks off the Hockey Family Holiday Deals series with the story behind Hockey Wraparound—and a limited-time offer designed to help hockey families save while picking up practical products built specifically for the game.

Hockey Wraparound started with a simple problem: how do you let players train outside with the stick they actually use without destroying the blade?

That problem led to the creation of the Hockey Wraparound blade protector, designed to help players use their hockey sticks on rough off-ice surfaces while protecting the blade from unnecessary wear. With high-end sticks now costing hundreds of dollars, it’s a simple way to help extend the life of an expensive piece of equipment while giving players more freedom to practice at home.

And that was only the beginning.

In this episode, Lee shares the story behind Hockey Wraparound, how the original product evolved through years of testing and customer feedback, and how the company continues building products aimed at making hockey training and travel easier for families.

🎁 Products featured in this episode include:

• Hockey Wraparound Blade Protector — helps protect your stick blade so players can shoot, stickhandle, and train on rough off-ice surfaces without sacrificing their primary stick.
• Puck Around Pro Training Puck — designed to give players a more natural off-ice shooting and puckhandling feel, helping reps away from the rink translate more effectively back to the ice.
• Dry Stick Equipment Dryer — a portable solution that uses your hockey stick to help hang and air out wet gear, especially useful for tournaments, travel, and busy hockey weekends.
• Limited-Edition “Puck Around and Find Out” Shirts — returning in yellow and black for a short two-week release.

You’ll also hear how Hockey Wraparound began with Lee creating homemade training aids as a kid, why the first version of the product had to overcome major growing pains, and how listening to hockey families helped turn one idea into a global hockey brand.

🔥 And for a limited time, listeners can save 26% during Hockey Wraparound’s Yellow & Black Friday Sale.

The promotion runs Friday through Monday on eligible Hockey Wraparound products, including featured training gear and the limited-edition apparel release.

Whether you’re shopping for a hockey player, looking for practical stocking stuffers, trying to protect a costly stick, or searching for ways to help your player get more meaningful reps away from the rink, this episode highlights products created by hockey people to solve real hockey-family problems.

Lee also explains why the Hockey Family Holiday Deals series exists and why transparency matters. Our Kids Play Hockey is being completely upfront about its connection to Hockey Wraparound so listeners can hear the story, understand the products, see the value, and decide what makes sense for their own family.

🎧 Listen now to hear the full Hockey Wraparound story, learn how these products can help your player train and protect their gear, and take advantage of the 26% Yellow & Black Friday offer while it’s available.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #HockeyWraparound #HockeyGifts #HockeyGiftIdeas #YouthHockey #HockeyParents #HockeyTraining #OffIceHockey #HockeyEquipment #HockeyTrainingAids #HockeyFamily #HolidayHockey

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🏒 Are you coaching the players on your bench—or shouting instructions at the players already flying around the ice?

There’s a big difference.

In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli tackle one of the most common habits they see in youth hockey: coaches trying to control every decision from the bench.

After more than 50 years of combined coaching experience, Lee and Mike admit they’ve both evolved. The younger versions of themselves yelled more, talked more, and believed they could influence every play as it happened.

Today, they see the bench very differently.

The game is where players apply what they’ve learned. The real teaching happens through practices, preparation, video, repetition, and conversations before and after the action.

🎧 In this episode:

🏒 Why shouting constant play-by-play instructions isn’t really coaching
🧠 Why players—especially younger players—struggle to process tactical information during a shift
📋 How to enter every game with just a few clear points of emphasis
🍩 Why simple code words like “donuts,” “butter,” and “go hunting” can communicate more than a long speech
📝 How Lee and Mike use notes, lineup sheets, and game observations to improve future practices
🔄 Why good bench management includes line rotation, fair ice time, substitutions, and situational awareness
👥 How head coaches can better utilize assistant coaches
⏱️ What to say between periods when you only have a few seconds
😤 Why a coach’s emotional state can quickly become the team’s emotional state
📣 Why parents coaching from the stands can make things harder—not easier
🎯 How the definition of success should change depending on the age and developmental level
❤️ Why youth hockey coaching ultimately includes teaching character, empathy, and life lessons

One of the biggest takeaways?

In-game bench management may be the least effective time to teach hockey.

Save the detailed teaching for practice. Save it for video. Save it for the locker room.

On the bench, manage the environment. Communicate simply. Keep players engaged. Control your emotions. Help them compete.

And then let them play.

For coaches trying to become more effective—and parents wondering what good bench coaching should actually look like—this is a conversation worth hearing.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Coach a Youth Hockey Bench Without Overcoaching the Game

#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyCoaching #YouthHockeyCoach #BenchManagement #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyParents #CoachDevelopment #HockeyPractice #PlayerDevelopment #PositiveCoaching

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🏒 What do you do when you don’t get along with a teammate? How do you make friends on a new team? And what separates a good captain from a truly great leader?

Olympic gold medalist and PWHL forward Hayley Scamurra is back for Part 2 of our Our Girls Play Hockey Q&A, answering real questions from young players about some of the hardest—and most relatable—parts of being an athlete.

From navigating difficult teammates and coaches to joining a new locker room, managing pre-game nerves, and learning what elite leadership actually looks like, Hayley shares lessons built from youth hockey, Team USA, the Olympics, and the professional game.

She also takes us inside what makes leaders like Hilary Knight and Marie-Philip Poulin so impactful—not just because of what they do in big moments, but because of how they show up for teammates when nobody is watching.

🎧 In this episode:

🤝 How to handle teammates you don’t naturally connect with
⚡ Why protecting your energy matters in a team environment
👋 How shy players can make friends on a new hockey team
🏒 Why small locker-room conversations can build big connections
⭐ What Hayley looks for in a great captain and leader
🇺🇸 What Hilary Knight’s intensity brought to Team USA’s gold-medal run
🍁 How Marie-Philip Poulin leads through consistency, sacrifice, and genuine care
🧠 How elite athletes separate nervous thoughts from real confidence
🥇 Why Hayley believed she would make Team USA—and win Olympic gold
🌎 Her favorite memories from competing at the Olympics
🥦 And, in perhaps the most important question of all… does Hayley eat her vegetables?

One of the biggest messages in this episode is simple: you do not have to be best friends with everyone on your team to be a great teammate.

Find your people. Make an effort. Be respectful. Support the players beside you. And remember that the way you respond to difficult situations is one of the few things you can always control.

For every girl navigating a new team, dealing with locker-room dynamics, learning to lead, or wondering whether nerves mean she isn’t ready—this episode is for you.

Keep showing up, keep connecting, and keep believing that you belong in the room.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Finding Your People, Leading with Confidence, and Handling Pressure in Hockey

#OurGirlsPlayHockey #HayleyScamurra #GirlsHockey #WomensHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyLeadership #TeamUSA #HilaryKnight #MariePhilipPoulin #PWHL #HockeyConfidence #HockeyTeamwork #OlympicHockey

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🥅 What separates great hockey players and goalies from everyone else? According to former NHL goalie coach and current NCAA Division I goalie coach Steve Briere, it starts long before the puck drops—with preparation, confidence, repetition, and the ability to move on from mistakes.

In this episode of The Ride to The Rink, Steve joins Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli to share lessons young hockey players can use right now, whether they play between the pipes or anywhere else on the ice.

Steve explains why having a plan for every practice can accelerate development, how small competitions can make training more fun, and why elite athletes develop a deep belief in their own abilities.

🔥 In this episode, young players will learn:

• Why “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”
• How to create a simple plan before practices and games
• Easy ways to improve reflexes, footwork, flexibility, and hand-eye coordination
• Why making practice competitive can improve both your game and your teammates
• How repetition creates real, lasting confidence
• Why confidence and arrogance are not the same thing
• How one mistake can become several if emotions take control
• Why learning to reset after a missed shot or bad goal is such an important hockey skill
• How gratitude can help players appreciate every opportunity to step on the ice

Steve also shares the advice he wishes he could give his 12-year-old self: learn how to separate your emotions from your performance. A missed opportunity, bad goal, or tough shift does not have to determine what happens next.

And through it all, Steve reminds young players that the love of the game matters. Prepare with purpose. Compete hard. Believe in yourself. And don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

🎧 Listen now and take one lesson from Steve into your next practice or game.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime?Check out our companion blog:Prepare, Believe, Reset: Steve Briere’s Lessons for Young Hockey Players

For more information about Steve Briere’s goalie training programs, mentorship opportunities, and Path to the Crease nonprofit, check the resources linked in the episode show notes.

Wherever you are on your hockey journey, keep putting in the work—and keep believing you belong on the ice.

#YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieTraining #HockeyConfidence #HockeyMindset #MentalPerformance #YouthSports #HockeyDevelopment #GoalieDevelopment #TheRideToTheRink #OurKidsPlayHockey #SteveBriere

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🥅 What does an NHL goalie coach see that youth goalies, parents, and coaches often miss?

According to longtime NHL goalie coach Steve Briere, the answer isn’t just better technique, more private lessons, or perfect positioning.

It starts with focus. Athleticism. Joy. Compete. Ownership. And a genuine desire to stop the puck.

In this episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli sit down with Briere, whose coaching career includes seven seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, three with the Seattle Kraken, and his current role with the Wisconsin Badgers. After working with goaltenders at the highest levels of the game, Steve shares what truly separates developing goalies — and why some of the most important lessons have little to do with butterfly technique.

🔥 Inside this episode:

🥅 Why “just stop the puck” is more meaningful than it sounds — and how technical perfection can sometimes get in the way of the actual job.

🧠 Why focus, athleticism, passion, and having fun are some of the first qualities Steve notices in a young goalie.

💪 How the meaning of “fun” evolves as players get older — from simply enjoying the crease to loving competition, improvement, and the work itself.

🚗 Why some of the most valuable hockey lessons happen during conversations between parents and kids — and why those conversations should often be about life, not X’s and O’s.

🌱 Why parents can cultivate a young athlete’s drive, but they cannot create it for them.

💡 How innovation, technology, video, vision training, and tools like NHL Sense Arena can help goalies find new ways to improve — without replacing the need for athletes to think for themselves.

🏒 Why goalie development must become increasingly player-driven: instead of constantly being told what to work on, young goalies eventually need to ask, “How can I get better?”

🤝 Why coaches who begin with “I don’t know anything about goalies” may unintentionally isolate one of the most important players on their team.

⚡ How coaches can design practices that respect goalie workload, recovery, development, and the enormous number of reps goaltenders receive compared with skaters.

❤️ And why love, belonging, friendships, leadership, and community matter all the way from youth hockey to the NHL.

One of Steve’s biggest reminders applies far beyond the crease: young athletes are going to be people much longer than they are going to be hockey players.

Develop the goalie. Develop the competitor. But most importantly, help develop the person underneath the mask.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog:What NHL Goalie Coaches See That Youth Hockey Often Misses

🎧 Whether you're raising a goalie, coaching one, playing the position yourself, or simply want to better understand the most unique position in hockey, this conversation belongs in your hockey education.

Listen, share it with your goalie community, and keep helping young athletes fall in love with the process of getting better.

#OurKidsPlayGoalie #GoalieDevelopment #YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieTraining #GoalieParents #GoalieCoach #HockeyParents #HockeyCoaching #YouthGoalie #Goaltending #WisconsinHockey #NHLGoalieCoach #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyLife

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🧠🏒 Scanning the ice is important—but seeing what’s around you is only the beginning. The real hockey IQ comes from understanding what those cues are telling you.

On this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey IQ Talk with Albe, Lee Elias is joined by former NHL defenseman and NHL Sense Arena team member Andrew “Albe” Alberts to break down one of the biggest separators in player development: identifying cues.

A defender hesitates.

A teammate changes direction.

A passing lane opens.

Pressure arrives from one side.

A stick blade turns.

Those little details can completely change what the right play is—and great players learn how to recognize and process them in fractions of a second.

Albe explains what players should be looking for before they receive the puck, once they have it, and even when they’re playing without it.

🏒 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What “identifying cues” actually means in hockey
• Why time, space, pressure, and support are foundational reads
• How shoulder checks and pre-scanning help players prepare before the puck arrives
• Why stick position, body position, speed, and direction all provide useful information
• How younger players can begin developing hockey awareness
• Why mistakes are essential to building hockey IQ
• Why coaches should create drills that force players to make decisions
• Why constantly yelling “pass,” “shoot,” or “move it” can actually limit development
• How players without the puck still have important reads and responsibilities
• How NHL Sense Arena’s multi-object tracking drill can help train anticipation and recognition

One of Albe’s most important reminders for coaches:

Every time you give a player the answer, you take away a decision they could have learned to make themselves.

That means development requires patience.

Players need opportunities to look, read, choose, fail, adjust, and try again.

🎧 Listen now for an inside look at how NHL players process the game—and how young athletes can begin building those same habits one decision at a time.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #HockeyIQ #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyCoaching #AndrewAlberts #HockeyAwareness #HockeySkills #DecisionMaking #YouthAthletes #NHLSenseArena #HockeyTraining

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🏒 See an amazing move in an NHL or PWHL game and immediately want to try it in your next game? Go for it—but not before you’ve put in the reps.

On this episode of The Ride to The Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli talk directly to young hockey players about creativity, confidence, repetition, and knowing when it’s the right time to take a risk.

Trying new things is an important part of becoming a better player. But there’s a big difference between taking a calculated hockey risk and attempting a move in a game that you’ve never practiced before.

The goal isn’t to take creativity away.

It’s to prepare your creativity so well that the move becomes automatic when the opportunity appears.

🏒 In this episode, players will learn:

• Why games aren’t always the best place to try a brand-new move
• How repetition builds muscle memory and confidence
• Why practice is where mistakes, experimentation, and creativity belong
• The difference between a calculated hockey risk and an unnecessary gamble
• How skills can be practiced at home, in the driveway, off the ice, or in VR
• Why great players still work relentlessly on skills they’ve already mastered
• How one skill becomes the foundation for the next
• Why coaches should give players room to experiment during practice
• How just 15 extra minutes of focused practice can add up over time
• Why the highlight-reel move you see today may have taken thousands of attempts to master

Lee and Mike also remind players that the stars making incredible plays at the highest levels didn’t simply decide to try those moves in a game.

They practiced.

They failed.

They repeated.

And eventually, the skill became part of their toolbox.

💪 Your challenge: Pick one hockey skill you want to improve and spend 15 focused minutes working on it consistently. Don’t worry about making it perfect immediately. Get the reps in.

Because when the right moment comes in a game, the best skills don’t feel forced.

They just happen.

🎧 Listen now, get your reps in, and keep adding tools to your game.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Prepare, Believe, Reset: Want to Try That Hockey Move in a Game? Put in the Reps First

#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #HockeySkills #HockeyTraining #HockeyPractice #YouthAthletes #HockeyPlayers #SkillDevelopment #HockeyConfidence #HockeyCoaching #HockeyMindset

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🏒 Raffle tickets. Chocolate bars. Coupon books. Car washes. Poinsettias. If you’ve spent enough time around youth hockey, chances are you’ve been asked to sell at least one of them. But does fundraising still have to work that way?

On this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christie Casciano Burns sit down with Ryan and Justin from Hero Picks to explore how technology could reshape fundraising for hockey teams, charities, and communities.

Hero Picks was created around a simple question: What if fundraising felt less like asking people for money—and more like inviting them to be part of something?

Ryan and Justin explain how their platform combines fundraising with prediction games, friendly competition, leaderboards, prizes, unique experiences, and social engagement. Instead of simply sending another donation link to the same friends and relatives, teams can potentially create an experience that gives supporters a reason to follow along, participate, and stay connected.

🏒 In this episode, you’ll hear about:

• Why traditional youth sports fundraising can create donor fatigue
• 💡 How Hero Picks is trying to make fundraising more interactive
• Why community and connection may be just as important as the money raised
• How individual players and families can participate through personalized fundraising links
• How leaderboards, prizes, and unique experiences can motivate participation
• The difference between sports betting and Hero Picks’ prediction-based fundraising model
• How supporters can potentially engage with a team even when they live across the country
• Why transparency matters when teams are collecting and distributing money
• How technology and AI can reduce administrative work while keeping a human element
• Ways teams can raise money not only for themselves, but for charities and access-to-hockey initiatives
• Why Ryan and Justin believe fundraising could become far more experiential in the years ahead

The conversation also goes beyond hockey. Ryan and Justin share how the same model is being explored with veterans, first responders, nonprofits, combat sports, and other charitable efforts—and why they believe experiences people can’t simply buy may become an increasingly powerful fundraising tool.

And yes, the group also asks the most important question of all:

Can we finally retire the poinsettia fundraiser? 🌺

🎧 Listen now for a conversation about innovation, community, youth sports costs, and what fundraising could look like when the experience becomes part of the reason people participate.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Prepare, Believe, Reset:Is There a Better Way to Fund Youth Hockey?

If your hockey organization is looking for new fundraising ideas, this episode may give you a very different way to think about the possibilities.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyFundraising #YouthSportsFundraising #HeroPicks #HockeyParents #YouthSports #HockeyCommunity #SportsTechnology #HockeyTeams #NonprofitFundraising #FundraisingIdeas

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🏒 What separates a good hockey player from a great one—and what can young players start doing right now to improve?

In this special Q&A edition of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli put Hayley Scamurra in the hot seat with questions submitted by young players, parents, and coaches.

From starting hockey at just three years old on a backyard rink (with a little help from M&Ms!) to competing at the highest levels of the game, Hayley shares the lessons that shaped her development—and many of them have less to do with flashy skills than you might think.

🔥 In this episode, we explore:

• 🏒 Why work ethic and hockey IQ can separate players as much as individual skill
• 💪 What young athletes can do every day to keep improving
• 🧠 What it really means to be a coachable player
• 📈 Why players should develop weaknesses and continue building their greatest strengths
• 👀 How Hayley identifies areas of her own game that still need improvement
• 🎯 How visualization and routines can help athletes prepare mentally for competition
• 🥅 Why goalies may need a different approach to staying focused during games
• ❤️ How injured players can stay connected to their team and continue developing
• 👨‍👩‍👧 What parents can do when their child is sidelined by an injury

One of the biggest lessons from this conversation? Development never really stops. Even at the professional and international levels, players are still identifying areas to improve, learning what makes their game unique, and finding ways to become better teammates and competitors.

Whether you're a young player trying to make the next team, a coach looking to develop the person behind the player, or a parent supporting your daughter through the ups and downs of hockey, this episode is packed with practical perspective you can take straight to the rink.

And this is only Part One of the Q&A with Hayley Scamurra—more listener questions are still to come!

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Prepare, Believe, Reset: What Really Makes a Great Hockey Player? Lessons on Development, Coachability and Mental Toughness with Hayley Scamurra

🎧 Listen, share the episode with a hockey family who could use it, and keep the questions coming for Our Girls Play Hockey.

#OurGirlsPlayHockey #GirlsHockey #WomensHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyIQ #HockeyTraining #HockeyParents #HockeyCoaching #FemaleAthletes #MentalPerformance #HockeySkills #HayleyScamurra

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🥅 Your goalie isn’t playing alone—and keeping the puck out of the net is everyone’s responsibility.

In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli speak directly to young hockey players about something every great teammate needs to understand: your goaltender is one of six players on the ice, not a separate part of the team.

After hearing hundreds of comments from hockey parents about what they wish others understood about goalies, Lee and Mike bring those lessons straight to the players.

For goalies, there’s an important reminder: you’re seen, supported, and appreciated. The pressure of playing in net can sometimes make you feel like you’re on an island, but there are teammates, parents, coaches, and hockey families who understand just how demanding the position can be.

And for the skaters? There’s a responsibility that comes with being a great teammate.

🏒 In this episode, players will learn:

• Why goals against are a shared team responsibility
• How skaters can help limit shots, clear rebounds, and avoid screening their own goalie
• Why communication with your goaltender matters
• How to safely take shots around a goalie during warm-ups
• Why you should never shoot when your goalie’s back is turned
• Why pregame warm-ups aren’t the time for breakaway moves and highlight-reel dekes
• How shooting accurately to the glove, blocker, and pads actually helps your goalie prepare
• Why supporting your goalie can make the entire team stronger

🔥 The big message? Warm your goalie up—don’t try to beat them.

A three-minute youth hockey warm-up isn’t a skills competition. It’s a chance for everyone to get comfortable, feel the puck, get their body moving, and prepare together.

Whether you wear goalie pads or skate in front of the crease, remember: it takes all six players working together to defend the net.

Work hard. Have fun. Be a great teammate. And wherever you are in your hockey journey—believe in yourself.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Be a Better Teammate to Your Hockey Goalie

🎧 Want to hear the full conversation with hockey parents that inspired this episode? Check out the corresponding Our Kids Play Hockey episode for even more insight into what goalie families experience.

#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieLife #HockeyKids #HockeyTeamwork #YouthHockeyPlayers #GoalieWarmup #HockeyDevelopment #BeAGoodTeammate #OurKidsPlayHockey

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Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph

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🥅 What do goalie parents wish every skater parent understood? Apparently… a lot.

When we asked that question on social media, we expected a handful of responses. Instead, more than 210 goalie parents jumped into the conversation—and their answers opened the door to a discussion every hockey family should hear.

In this episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli dig into those responses and unpack the things skaters, parents, and coaches may never fully appreciate unless they’ve experienced life between the pipes.

From the right way to warm up a goalie to the emotional pressure that comes with having every mistake potentially show up on the scoreboard, this conversation is about creating more awareness, better teammates, and healthier hockey environments.

🏒 In this episode, Lee and Mike discuss:

• 🥅 Why a goal against is rarely the responsibility of one player
• 🔥 Why warmups should prepare your goalie—not become a breakaway competition
• 🚨 The safety rule every young player needs to learn: if the goalie isn’t looking, don’t shoot
• 👀 Why skaters need to listen when a goalie says, “I can’t see!”
• ❤️ Why some goalie parents are quiet during games—and why it probably isn’t personal
• 🧠 The enormous mental challenge of giving up a goal and immediately preparing for the next shot
• 🤝 Why rebound control is a shared responsibility between goalies and their teammates
• 📊 Why save percentage and goals-against average rarely tell the whole story
• 🗣️ How communication between goalies, defensemen, forwards, and coaches builds stronger teams
• 🏒 Why coaches must deliberately include goalies when designing practices
• 💪 How confidence from teammates can help a young goalie develop confidence in themselves

One of the biggest reminders from this conversation? A skater can make a mistake and the game keeps moving. When a goalie makes one, the horn may sound and the scoreboard changes.

That doesn’t mean goalies should be protected from accountability. It means hockey families need to understand the position, recognize the shared responsibility of a team, and help young goalies learn from mistakes instead of making them feel defined by them.

And for the skaters listening: your goalie wants to be part of the team. Talk to them. Protect them. Listen to them. Clear rebounds. Give them a proper warmup. And remember that when the puck goes in, they probably don’t need anyone reminding them.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What Goalie Parents Wish Every Hockey Family Understood

🎧 Listen now and share this episode with a skater parent, coach, or teammate who wants to better understand the person behind the mask.

This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena. You can also find current offers from NHL Sense Arena, Hockey Wraparound, books from the Our Kids Play Hockey team, and more at ourkidsplayhockey.com/deals.

Keep supporting the goalies who support your team—and keep building better hockey environments together.

#OurKidsPlayGoalie #YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieParents #YouthHockeyParents #GoalieLife #HockeyParents #GoalieTraining #HockeyCoaching #YouthSports #HockeyDevelopment

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Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph

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🏒 What does your player know before they ever touch the puck?

That question is at the heart of hockey IQ — and in this special edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by former NHL defenseman Andrew “Albe” Alberts, who played more than 450 NHL games and now works with the NHL Sense Arena team, to break down one of the simplest and most important habits in the game: shoulder checking.

It may sound basic, but knowing what’s behind you before you get to the puck can completely change what happens next. A good shoulder check helps players recognize pressure, identify open ice, protect themselves, create more time and space, and make a better first play.

And as Albe explains, this isn’t just a skill for defensemen — or even just for older players. It’s a fundamental habit that can help players at every position and every age become faster thinkers and more confident decision-makers.

🔥 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• 👀 Why shoulder checking is one of the foundations of hockey IQ
• 🧠 How scanning the ice helps players create more time and space
• 🏒 The three key steps young players can use when retrieving a puck
• ⚡ Why knowing your next option before touching the puck speeds up your game
• 🛡️ How shoulder checks can help players protect themselves from pressure
• 🎯 Why repeatedly throwing the puck away often starts with a lack of information
• 📈 How coaches can progressively teach puck retrieval and awareness
• 🔁 Why repetition is essential for building good habits — and breaking bad ones
• 🥅 How NHL Sense Arena creates game-like reps for scanning, reading pressure, and making decisions

One of Albe’s biggest messages for young players is also one of the easiest to remember:

Shoulder check more than you think you need to.

The habit of looking before you arrive at the puck gives you information — and information gives you options.

This episode launches a monthly hockey IQ series powered by NHL Sense Arena, designed to give hockey families one practical concept at a time that players can understand, practice, and take directly into their game.

🎧 Listen together with your player, talk about what they see on the ice, and challenge them to start building the habit of looking before the puck arrives.

Learn more about NHL Sense Arena at hockey.sensearena.com/OKPH.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: The Hockey IQ Habit Every Young Player Should Learn: Why Shoulder Checking Changes the Game

If this episode helped your hockey family, make sure to like, subscribe, and share Our Kids Play Hockey with another parent, player, or coach.

#YouthHockey #HockeyIQ #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyParents #HockeyTraining #ShoulderCheck #HockeySkills #SenseArena #NHLSenseArena #HockeyCoaching #PlayerDevelopment #OurKidsPlayHockey

Click To Text The Our Kids Play Hockey Team!

Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph

Have A Topic You Want Us To Cover? Let us know!

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