Glass & Out

We've got a very special edition of the Glass and Out podcast for you this week. To celebrate our announcement of TCS Live, our return to an in-person hockey coaches conference taking place June 15-17 at the University of Michigan, we're taking a look back one of our favourite presentations from our 2012 Hockey Coaches Conference.   Mike Keenan is a man who truly needs no introduction. The Stanley Cup, Calder Cup and Canada Cup champion is one of the most iconic figures in hockey. While it’s fair to say that a lot of Iron Mike’s methods wouldn’t fly today, what stood out most during his talk on "Having a Sense of Mission" was his ability to own the room. He clearly has that "it" factor that you can't teach and every great leader has.   During the talk, he shares stories from his personal coaching journey and stresses the importance of creating expectations for your team and reinforcing those expectations on a daily basis.   You won't want to miss this one!

For episode #167 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Pete Lenes, Co-Founder of Eleva802 hockey training company/media company. You might know him better on social media as "Swaggy P," the stick handling sensation who was recently invited to be a special guest of the NHL at the All-Star game festivities in Las Vegas. In addition, Lenes will be presenting at next month's Global Skills Showcase, along with nine other of the top skills coaches in hockey. The Burlington, Vermont native played for his hometown University of Vermont Catamonts, before embarking on a 10 year pro career that included stops in the ECHL, AHL and Austrian League. After retirement he, along with friend and former NHLer Torrey Mitchell, decided to open a training centre called Elev802. The company includes their former college coach Dave Sneddon, who manages their business operations, and Stanley Cup Champion Scott Gomez as a silent partner. Thanks in large part to an emphasis on social media promotion from Swaggy P himself, Elev802

In episode #166 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we’re joined by former NHLer Andy Sutton, whose company Verbero is partnering with The Coaches Site in showcasing 10 of hockey’s top skills coaches at our upcoming Global Skills Showcase. After a career that had him play 687 NHL games as an undrafted player, Sutton saw the need for a change in the hockey equipment and apparel industry. Recognizing the cost of outfitting a young player in gear was a major deterrent for parents allowing their kids to participate in the sport, he embarked on a mission, to make safe, quality equipment available at a reasonable cost. With Verbero, he’s developed a direct to consumer model that makes it easy for anyone to go online, or work directly with their local Verbero representative, and order quality, custom equipment and apparel at an affordable cost. As a player, Sutton's journey to a long NHL career is definitely one you'll want to hear. After going undrafted, he made a name for himself at Michigan Tech, leading to 14 co

In episode #165 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Theresa Feaster, who is the Director of Hockey Operations for the Providence College men's hockey team; she also represented Team USA as a video coach for the past two World Junior Championships.   Feaster grew up in a hockey household, as her dad Jay was the former General Manager of the Tampa Bay Lightning and Calgary Flames, which included a Stanley Cup in 2004 with the Bolts. Despite the connection and no playing background, it was while attending Providence College as a student that she got her first chance at a role in hockey. After volunteering under head coach Nate Leaman for four seasons by taking on various roles, such as breaking down video and stat tracking, she was promoted to a full-time role as a player coordinator in 2016. After two seasons, she would take on the role of Director of Hockey Operations, which includes providing video and statistical support and analysis for the coaching staff.   During her time on Leaman’s staf

We're joined by Brock Sheahan, head coach of the defending USHL Clark Cup Champions Chicago Steel, for episode #164 of the Glass and Out Podcast. Sheahan is currently in his fourth season with the franchise and third as head coach, a role he took over part-way through the 2019-2020 season when Greg Moore was hired by the Toronto Maple Leafs to coach their AHL affiliate, the Toronto Marlies. Under Sheahan's guidance, Chicago has enjoyed incredible success and continues the development of a winning culture. The team has finished first overall in back-to-back seasons, capturing the 2021 Clark Cup, and was siting atop the standings at the time of this podcast airing. At the 2021 NHL Draft, eight current or former members of the Steel heard their names called, including three in the 1st round, highlighted by first overall pick Owen Power. Sheahan hails from Lethbridge, Alberta, played four seasons at the University of Notre Dame and following his pro career, returned to South Bend as a volunteer coach. Prior to jo

We’re going outside the box for episode #163 of the Glass and Out Podcast. We're joined by Scott O’Neil, the former President Madison Square Gardens and CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, whose portfolio includes the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers. He is also the author of the book Be Where Your Feet Are: 7 Steps to Keep You Present, Grounded and Thriving, the main focus of today's interview. In the book, O'Neil provides a humbling and vulnerable peek behind the curtain as well as a framework, anecdotes, and exercises to guide the reader towards self-discovery. It's must read for anyone looking to improve every aspect of their life. O'Neil earned his Bachelor’s Degree in Marketing from Villanova University and his Master’s in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. At 38-years-old, he was named the President of Madison Square Gardens and prior to that was the Senior Vice President of Team Marketing and Business Operations for the NBA. In July of last year, he steppe

We welcome University of Michigan assistant coach Brandon Naurato for episode #162 of the Glass and Out Podcast. As a former player development coach who worked primarily on-ice, Naurato is currently in his first season behind the bench. With a loaded line-up that features seven first round picks, plus getting a chance to work for his alma mater, there aren't many better settings to coach in early in a career. Prior to joining Michigan, Naurato established himself as one of the go-to player development coaches in the Detroit area, working with the likes of Zach Werenski and the Hughes brothers. That led to his role with the Detroit Red Wings as a player development consultant, where he worked for three seasons with the players on the big club, prospects in Grand Rapids, along with the team’s draft picks at development camp. Naurato presented at last year's Global Skills Showcase on connecting the missing links in a development plan, a must-watch for anyone looking to grow their player development knowledge.

For episode #161 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we’re joined by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who previews the upcoming World Junior Championship. Wheeler, who covers the NHL Draft and prospects nationally for The Athletic, is widely considered one of the top authorities in the hockey prospect community. Who better to help us get set for one of the biggest tournaments in hockey, featuring the best young players in the game! Listen as he shares an in depth review of each team in the tournament, the top prospects to watch out for, and potential breakout stars. He'll also share how he sees the groups and round robin portion of the tournament playing out, his keys to winning in a short term tournament, and of course, medal predictions.

We're joined by a coaching legend and one of the true gentlemen in hockey for episode #160 of the Glass and Out Podcast. Andy Murray's coaching career has spanned four decades, multiple countries and leagues, and every major international tournament. The Souris, Manitoba native includes representing Canada on multiple occasions, capturing six Gold Medals in six appearances at the Spengler Cup, three Gold Medals at the World Championships, and he was also an assistant coach during the 1998 Olympics. Murray spent 16 seasons in the NHL, highlighted by a 1991 cinderella run Stanley Cup Final with the Minnesota North Stars, coming just short to Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Following his dismissal from St Louis in 2010, he was announced as the head coach of Western Michigan University in 2011, a program he would oversee for 10 seasons. The topic of old school versus new school coaching tactics has long been debated. And if you look at Murray’s bio, it would be easy to assume he’s on the old school sid

In episode #159 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Tomas Montén, head coach of the Swedish National U20 Team. It’s the holiday season, and that means the start of the World Juniors is fast approaching. Now heading into his eighth tournament with Team Sweden (and sixth as head coach), Montén makes the perfect candidate to discuss what the tournament experience looks like through the lens of a coach. In total, he’s helped Sweden capture two silver medals, one bronze, and was a part of Sweden’s incredible 54-game unbeaten streak during the round robin portion of the tournament, a streak that was halted by Russia during last year’s event. During his tenure, he’s had the opportunity to work with some of the top young talent in the game, such as Elias Pettersson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Lucas Raymond, to name a few. At our inaugural Virtual Hockey Summit in 2020, Tomas gave an outstanding presentation on how he prepares Team Sweden for the World Juniors. It offers a ton of strategies in terms of how teach efficie

We've got a big one for you this week on the Glass and Out Podcast, as we were able to connect with Mike Babcock in person for episode #158. Babcock of course needs no introduction as one of the most decorated hockey coaches of all-time. He is the only coach to have the honour of being in the Triple Gold Club, which he’s earned by winning a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, leading Team Canada to the 2004 World Hockey Championship title and capturing gold at both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. In total, Babcock has won six distinct national and international championships throughout his career. More recently, he joined the University of Saskatchewan on a one-year term to assist his alma matter with making the transition to a new head coach. This comes after he was relieved of his duties with the Toronto Maple Leafs in November of 2019, amid controversy. It’s no secret that Mike has faced some criticism from former players for coaching decisions he's made, something he has been an open book o

In episode #157 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Digit Murphy, President of the Toronto Six, members of the Premiere Hockey Federation (formerly the National Women’s Hockey League). Murphy has a diverse and decorated background in hockey and is one the leading advocates for women's sports. She spent 22 seasons as the head coach of the Brown University women’s program, capturing six ECAC Hockey titles and five Ivy League titles, and was the first female coach to reach 200 wins. She made the jump to the Canadian Women’s Hockey League in 2012, joining the Boston Blades. The Blades won the Clarkson Cup in two out of her three seasons at the helm and she was also the recipient of the league’s Coach of the Year award in 2014. Follow her time in Boston, Murphy was recruited by the Kunlun Red Star, the KHL team located in China, to establish a team to participate in the CWHL and assist in developing their Olympic women’s team in preparation for the 2022 games. In her lone season with the Red Star, Murphy

In episode #156 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome one of the most revered coaches in the history of hockey: Dave King. King began his coaching career in 1972 at his alma mater, the University of Saskatchewan. From there, he went on to coach at every level of hockey, including time in the NHL, Europe, Junior Hockey and Internationally with Team Canada. The list of King's career achievements are extensive to say the least and almost too long to list. They include a Canadian University National Championship, a WJC Gold Medal, and multiple Olympic appearances with Team Canada. On top of that, you can add being a made a member of the Order of Canada, and inductions into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Simply put, there are few coaches in hockey with his experience and knowledge of the game. Don't miss out on this must-listen from one of the legends of the game!

For episode #155, we're changing things up and revisiting one of our favourite presentations from this year's Virtual Hockey Summit. Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill shared valuable tips for planning and executing a successful practice. During the conversation, Blashill gets into the preparation and attention to detail that professional coaches need to invest into making a great practice, a great practice. While the drills you select for a practice certainly matter, he explains that it's how you organize them within the structure of your practice, how you communicate the habits and details you want your players to pull out of each drill, and as a staff, how each coach plays a role in teaching and managing the flow of practice. It’s clear the improvement and evolution of his approach has been rooted in being open minded and curious, in terms of what other coaches are doing, taking the time to watch how practices operate in other sports, and looking at how other industries educate their people and op

In episode #154 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Toni Söderholm, head coach of German National Team. The Kauniainen, Finland, native has had a unique, yet quick rise to his current role. After retiring from his playing career in 2016, he joined his former team EHC München in the DEL as a player development coach. Within two seasons, Söderholm became an assistant with the German U20 team and head coach of their entry into the World Championships. Now just six seasons into his coaching career, he's preparing Germany for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, China. Under Söderholm's leadership, Germany qualified for these Olympics by finishing in fourth at the 2020 World Championships. With the recent string of international success and a roster that will no doubt feature the most talent they’ve ever had, Söderholm and the Germans have high hopes for the upcoming tournament. Find out how he overcame a lack of coaching experience, how his well-travelled playing career helped shape him as a leader, and what

In episode #153 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Cam Abbott, head coach of Rögle BK in the Swedish Hockey League. Along with his twin brother Chris, who is currently the GM of Rögle, the pair has been able to revive a franchise on the brink of relegation, to one of the top team's in the SHL - in just four seasons. Cam and his brother have spent majority of their lives navigating careers in hockey together. That includes playing careers at Cornell University, a season spent time in the Central and East Coast Hockey Leagues, and seven seasons in Norway and Sweden. Then, without any prior coaching experience, Cam was hired as head coach of the Vaxjo Lakers U20 squad and in one season, completely turned around the program. The success would result in him and his brother being recruited to Rögle. Listen as Cam shares the incredible story of how he and his brother embarked on their pro hockey career together (which includes getting an offer to work at a canary), how they've been able to turnaround things a

In episode #152 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Cara Morey, head coach of the Princeton University's Women's Hockey team. After a playing career that included a stop at Brown University and time with Canada’s National Team program, the Hensall, Ontario, native joined Princeton, spending six seasons as the program's assistant coach before taking over as coach prior to the 2017-2018 season. Under her leadership, the program has established itself as one of the top programs in the NCAA, which includes a ECAC championship in the 2019-20 season. Find out why she feels humility is critical to team success, her unique experience as a coach at the Philadelphia Flyers Development Camp, and how the hockey community can continue to help support the growth of the women's game.

In episode #151 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Ontario Reign assistant coach Chris Hajt. Hajt is entering his sixth season with the LA Kings AHL affiliate, which includes a Calder Cup championship in 2015 while the team was located in Manchester, New Hampshire. During that time, Hajt has played a key role in the development of many of the Kings' top prospects and has faced the challenge that many AHL coaches deal with: how do you balance the development of young players with team success. Find out how he approaches the challenge, what he learned during his two years as an assistant with the Buffalo Sabres, and why it's critical to be in-tune with your players in terms of listening to them and providing them a voice in their own development.

For this week's episode of the Glass and Out podcast, we've decided to flip the script. Sitting in the guest chair will be none other than Glass and Out host, and The Coaches Site founder, Aaron Wilbur. Taking over hosting duties will be Matt Dumouchelle, a new writer for The Coaches Site and Assistant GM for the GOJHL's Leamington Flyers. Now into its 10th year as a company, the 'why' of The Coaches Site has always been a simple one: to provide the game's top coaches a platform to share their ideas, and ultimately help coaches provide a better development experience for their players. In this week's podcast, find out about the origins of The Coaches Site, Wilbur's own personal coaching journey, and what he sees for the future of the hockey coaching industry.

Welcome back for season four of the Glass and Out Podcast! We have an amazing guest to kick things off, as we welcome Tom Ward, Head Coach of the Shattuck-St. Mary's Boys Prep Team. Shattuck is the prep school hockey powerhouse based out of Faribault, Minnesota, that has produced the likes of Sidney Crosby, Nathan MacKinnon, Jonathan Toews, Zach Parise, Jack Johnson, Drew Stafford, and many more. But while the list of elite talent and number of championships is impressive, what really stands out about the program is a culture grounded in hard work, sweat and a philosophy that every player, regardless of their pedigree or resume, has to earn their spot. In this week's podcast, we find out about Ward's coaching journey, that includes a stop in the NHL, the importance of developing the person before the player, and his role in creating one of the top prep programs in all of hockey.