Blog Posts

June 20, 2026

Why Your Hockey Stick Doesn’t Make You Better — You Do

Why Your Hockey Stick Doesn’t Make You Better — You Do

Every hockey player knows the feeling.You walk into the pro shop. You see the newest stick on the rack. It has the latest graphics, the big-name player attached to it, and the promise — spoken or unspoken — that this might be the thing…

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June 18, 2026

Built By Hockey: Zechariah Thomas on Resilience, Swift Hockey, and Growing the Game

Built By Hockey: Zechariah Thomas on Resilience, Swift Hockey, and Growing the Game

Hockey has a way of shaping people.Not just as athletes. Not just as competitors. But as thinkers, leaders, builders, and problem-solvers.In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli welcomed Zechariah Thomas, founder of S…

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June 16, 2026

Hayley Scamurra’s Historic Season Finale: Walter Cup Glory, Olympic Gold, and What Comes After Winning It All

Hayley Scamurra’s Historic Season Finale: Walter Cup Glory, Olympic Gold, and What Comes After Winning It All

Some seasons are successful.Some seasons are memorable.And then there are seasons that become part of hockey history.For Hayley Scamurra, the 2025–26 season was exactly that kind of year. Over the course of this special…

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June 13, 2026

Mike Knuble on Why Kids Need to Get Outside and Just Play

Mike Knuble on Why Kids Need to Get Outside and Just Play

🏒 Sometimes the best hockey development does not happen at the rink.It happens in the driveway.It happens on the street.It happens at the park, in the backyard, on a bike, with a baseball glove, around a basketball hoop, or during a made-up ga…

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June 11, 2026

Mike Knuble on Youth Hockey Pressure, Free Play, and What Really Separates Players

Mike Knuble on Youth Hockey Pressure, Free Play, and What Really Separates Players

🏒 Youth hockey has changed. A lot.The rinks are busier. The calendars are fuller. The training is more specialized. The tournaments start earlier. The pressure feels bigger. And for many families, the path can feel more confusing than ever.That …

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June 9, 2026

Hayley Scamurra’s Road to the Walter Cup: What Young Players Can Learn From a Championship Moment

Hayley Scamurra’s Road to the Walter Cup: What Young Players Can Learn From a Championship Moment

There are championship recaps, and then there are championship stories.This episode of Our Girls Play Hockey is the second one.In Part 2 of our Day in the Life with Hayley Scamurra, Hayley takes us behind the scenes of Montreal’s unforgett…

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June 4, 2026

Team GG at Wish Cup: Roller Hockey, Youth Hockey, and Growing the Game

Team GG at Wish Cup: Roller Hockey, Youth Hockey, and Growing the Game

Team GG at Wish Cup: Why Hockey’s Future Might Start Beyond the Ice🏒 Hockey families know tournament weekends can become some of the most unforgettable experiences in a young player’s life.Yes, the games matter. The…

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June 4, 2026

What Youth Hockey Parents Need to Know About Coaching, Culture, and Development

What Youth Hockey Parents Need to Know About Coaching, Culture, and Development

Youth hockey is full of big emotions.There are early mornings, late nights, expensive tournaments, long drives, tryout pressure, hotel weekends, team drama, player development questions, and the constant balancing act of trying to help kids succee…

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June 2, 2026

Hayley Scamurra’s Historic Hockey Season: Olympic Gold, Walter Cup Glory, and the Mindset of a Champion

Hayley Scamurra’s Historic Hockey Season: Olympic Gold, Walter Cup Glory, and the Mindset of a Champion

There are hockey seasons that are memorable.And then there are hockey seasons that become part of history.For Hayley Scamurra, this was one of those years. Olympic gold medalist. Walter Cup champion. Key contributor for the Montreal Victoire. An…

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May 30, 2026

Offseason Hockey Training Starts With a Goal — And a Whole Lot of Belief

Offseason Hockey Training Starts With a Goal — And a Whole Lot of Belief

The offseason can feel different for every hockey player.Some kids cannot wait to get back on the ice. Others need a break. Some are signed up for spring hockey, summer skates, camps, clinics, dryland training, or tournaments. Others are wondering…

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May 28, 2026

Should Youth Hockey Players Train All Summer? Andrew Alberts Says Start With This

Should Youth Hockey Players Train All Summer? Andrew Alberts Says Start With This

Every hockey parent knows the feeling.The season ends, tryouts wrap up, and almost immediately the questions begin:Should we sign up for spring league?Should we do private lessons?Should my child be skating all summer?What is everyone else doing…

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May 26, 2026

Emotional Intelligence in Youth Hockey: The Skill That Lasts Beyond the Game

Emotional Intelligence in Youth Hockey: The Skill That Lasts Beyond the Game

Every hockey parent knows the feeling.Your child comes off the ice upset. Maybe they were pulled off during a shift. Maybe they missed a chance, got yelled at, lost a game, or felt overlooked. As parents and coaches, we often want to f…

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May 23, 2026

How Young Hockey Players Can Handle Nerves, Pressure, and Build Confidence

How Young Hockey Players Can Handle Nerves, Pressure, and Build Confidence

Every young hockey player will face it at some point.That feeling in your stomach before a big game.That voice in your head saying, What if I mess up?That pressure to perform.That moment where you know you love hockey, but for some rea…

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May 21, 2026

Confidence Before Compete: Helping Young Hockey Players Handle New Teams, New Coaches, and Big Feelings

Confidence Before Compete: Helping Young Hockey Players Handle New Teams, New Coaches, and Big Feelings

Every hockey parent has seen it in some form.Your child loves the game. They skate hard. They work in drills. They show flashes of real ability. Maybe they even make the higher-level team.But then something changes.A new rink.A new coach.A loc…

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May 16, 2026

How Young Hockey Players Can Build Hockey IQ by Watching the Game

How Young Hockey Players Can Build Hockey IQ by Watching the Game

How Young Hockey Players Can Build Hockey IQ by Watching the GameIn youth hockey, players often think improvement only comes from more ice time, extra lessons, or harder workouts. While skill development absolutely matters, one of the most powerfu…

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May 14, 2026

Why Hockey Development Isn’t About Winning Young | Scott Howes

Why Hockey Development Isn’t About Winning Young | Scott Howes

Why Hockey Development Isn’t About Winning YoungThere’s a moment in every hockey family’s journey when the pressure starts creeping in.Maybe it’s the first AAA tryout.Maybe it’s the first time your child gets cut.Ma…

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May 12, 2026

How Hayley Scamurra’s Historic PWHL Hat Trick Teaches Young Players to Score More Goals

How Hayley Scamurra’s Historic PWHL Hat Trick Teaches Young Players to Score More Goals

How Hayley Scamurra’s Historic Hat Trick Can Help Young Players Score More Goals🏒 Sometimes the biggest hockey lessons come from the smallest areas on the ice.When Hayley Scamurra scored the fastest hat trick in PWHL history — three …

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May 9, 2026

Should Kids Play Up in Hockey? How to Make the Right Development Decision

Should Kids Play Up in Hockey? How to Make the Right Development Decision

🏒 Should You Play Up in Hockey? A Smarter Way to Decide🚨 It’s one of the most common questions in youth hockey—and one of the most misunderstood:“Should I move up to a higher level team?”For many players and families, t…

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May 7, 2026

When Your Child Is the Best Player on the Team: A Youth Hockey Parent’s Guide

When Your Child Is the Best Player on the Team: A Youth Hockey Parent’s Guide

🏒 When Being the Best Isn’t So SimpleEvery hockey parent dreams of seeing their child succeed on the ice. Scoring goals, leading the team, standing out—it’s exciting.But what happens when your child becomes too good for their t…

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May 5, 2026

The Daily Habits That Build Elite Hockey Players (A Day in the Life with Haley Scamurra)

The Daily Habits That Build Elite Hockey Players (A Day in the Life with Haley Scamurra)

🏒 What Does It Actually Take to Be an Elite Hockey Player?When people think about high-level hockey, they picture big moments — goals, championships, and highlights.But what they don’t see?The daily habits.In this…

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May 2, 2026

What Parents Say Before a Game (And How Hockey Players Can Handle It)

What Parents Say Before a Game (And How Hockey Players Can Handle It)

🚗 The Car Ride Matters More Than You ThinkThat short ride to the rink?It can shape everything.For many young hockey players, the final moments before stepping into the locker room are filled with emotions—excitement, nerves…

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April 30, 2026

🏒 What NOT to Say Before a Hockey Game (And What to Say Instead)

🏒 What NOT to Say Before a Hockey Game (And What to Say Instead)

What you say before your child steps on the ice can shape their entire game.As parents, we all want to help. We want to motivate, encourage, and give our kids that extra edge before the puck drops.But here’s the reality…👉 Some of …

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April 28, 2026

🏒 From Setback to Stardom: What We Can Learn from Aerin Frankel

🏒 From Setback to Stardom: What We Can Learn from Aerin Frankel

🥅 What separates great players from elite ones?It’s not size.It’s not the perfect path.And it’s definitely not avoiding failure.In this special crossover episode of Our Girls Play Hockey and Our Kids Play Goalie, Olympic gold m…

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April 25, 2026

Youth Hockey Concussions: What Every Young Player (and Parent) Needs to Know

Youth Hockey Concussions: What Every Young Player (and Parent) Needs to Know

🧠 The Hit That Matters MostNot every hit in hockey shows up on the scoreboard—but some can impact your future far beyond the game.In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, we tackle one of the most important (and often misunderstood) topics…

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