Our Girls Play Hockey Episodes

Hayley Scamurra, Lee Elias, and Mike Bonelli discuss youth hockey burnout, travel fatigue, missed practices, balance, and protecting a player’s love of the game.

Olympic gold medalist Hayley Scamurra shares advice for girls on teammates, leadership, new teams, confidence, nerves, and thriving in hockey.

🏒 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...

🏒 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...

🏒 What started as a simple “Day in the Life” became a front-row seat to hockey history. At the beginning of the season, Hayley Scamurra was facing uncertainty. She was balancing Team USA evaluation camps with a new chapter for the Montreal Victoire, competing for an Olympic roster spot while navigating the demands of a full professional season. By the end of it, she had accomplished something no woman had ever done before: win an Olympic gold medal and the PWHL Walter Cup in the same year. In...

🏒 What does it really mean to “grow the game” of hockey? Is it getting more kids to pick up a stick? Building more elite teams? Selling out professional arenas? Or is the real work making sure that once a young player discovers hockey, they feel like they belong enough to stay? On this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Olympic gold medalist and PWHL Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra dig into what growing hockey actually looks like—from grassroots programs and co...

🏒 What if confidence isn’t something a coach, parent, teammate, or scoreboard can give you—or take away from you? Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra joins the conversation for a powerful look at one of the most important—and misunderstood—parts of being an athlete: building confidence from within. Even at the highest levels of hockey, doubt doesn’t disappear. Hayley opens up about seeking approval from coaches and parents as a young player, struggling with public speak...

🏒 What if one of the best things a young hockey player can do for her game is… step away from it? In a sport where players constantly hear messages about working harder, training more, and never taking a day off, knowing when to rest, reset, and simply be a kid can feel almost counterintuitive. In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra explore the best things they’ve done away from the rink—and why thos...

🏒 What separates a practice that simply fills an hour from one that actually makes players better? Great practices don’t happen by accident. They’re intentional, connected to the game, and designed around what players truly need to improve. On this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Olympic gold medalist Hayley Scamurra are joined by Chris Howard of Ice Hockey Systems for a deep dive into what makes hockey practices effective—from youth hockey all the way to the pr...

🏒 Not getting enough ice time? Before blaming the coach, it may be time to ask a better question: What can I do to earn more trust? In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra tackle one of the most emotional—and often misunderstood—topics in youth hockey: ICE TIME. Players naturally want to be on the ice. Parents want to see their children get opportunities. Coaches want to put their teams in the best position to succeed...

🏒 What does it look like when women athletes are not simply recognized—but truly celebrated? This episode is powered by NHL Sense Arena. Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra joins Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli for a behind-the-scenes recap of She Weekend in Las Vegas, an unforgettable celebration organized by Flavor Flav with support from Paris Hilton, MGM, major sponsors, entertainers, and fans of women’s sports. With no script and no formal rundown, Hayley takes listen...

🧠 What separates a talented hockey player from one a coach trusts in every situation? Skills may create highlight-reel moments, but hockey IQ influences nearly every second of the game—with or without the puck. In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Team USA gold medalist and PWHL Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra joins Lee Elias for an important conversation about hockey IQ, skill development, anticipation, timing, and learning to see the game before the play unfolds. Hayley explains wh...

🏒 Is your player attending hockey camp—or simply spending more time on the ice? Hockey camps can be an incredible opportunity for girls to improve their skills, meet new teammates, build confidence, and rediscover their love for the game. But with so many camps available, how can families tell the difference between a meaningful development experience and an expensive week that offers little lasting value? In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Olympic gold medalist and PWHL ...

🏒 What happens when you win a championship, celebrate the biggest season of your career—and then learn that your entire professional future may be changing? In the first Day in the Life episode of the new season, Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra joins Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli to discuss her next major chapter: signing a three-year agreement with the PWHL’s new Las Vegas expansion team. Hayley takes listeners inside a fast-moving expansion process filled with compl...

🏒 How do young athletes develop the desire to win — without losing their love for the game? In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Olympic gold medalist and PWHL Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra dive into one of the most important conversations in youth sports: how girls hockey players can build competitiveness, resilience, and a healthy will to win. Winning matters. Competing matters. But for young athletes, especially in youth hockey, the scoreboard can’t be the only thi...

🏆 What happens after you win the Walter Cup, celebrate in front of a packed Montreal crowd, meet the Buffalo Bills, and cap off one of the most historic years in women’s hockey? In this special season finale of Our Girls Play Hockey, we close out the 2025–26 “Day in the Life” series with Olympic gold medalist, Walter Cup champion, and Montreal Victoire forward Hayley Scamurra. Hayley takes us behind the scenes of Montreal’s unforgettable championship parade — from the double-decker bus and red ...

🏆 What does it really feel like to win the Walter Cup — not from the stands, not from the broadcast booth, but from the ice? In Part 2 of our championship edition Day in the Life with Hayley Scamurra, Hayley takes us inside the PWHL Walter Cup Final as Montreal battles Ottawa in a razor-thin, emotional, and unforgettable championship series. From dramatic overtime wins to heartbreaking momentum swings, from Laura Stacey’s miraculous return to Ann-Renée Desbiens’ shutout brilliance, this episo...

🏆 What does it really take to win when the pressure is at its highest? On this very special Championship Edition of Our Girls Play Hockey, we sit down with Olympic gold medalist and Walter Cup champion Hayley Scamurra for part one of a two-part conversation about the Montreal Victoire’s unforgettable playoff run. And this is not just any championship story. Hayley became the first female hockey player in history to win Olympic gold and a Walter Cup championship in the same season, making this...

🏒 Our Kids Play Hockey is growing — and this micro edition is all about YOU. In this quick community update, Lee shares some exciting new ways hockey families, players, coaches, and listeners around the world can experience, connect with, and support the show. From video episodes now available on Apple Podcasts to a new and improved way to send fan mail, voicemails, hockey questions, team shout-outs, and future episode ideas, this update is all about making Our Kids Play Hockey even more inte...

🏒 Three goals. Two minutes and 44 seconds. One historic night for Hayley Scamurra. In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, the crew breaks down Hayley’s incredible PWHL hat trick — the fastest in league history — and turns it into a masterclass for young hockey players looking to score more goals. But here’s the twist: none of the goals were flashy breakaways or highlight-reel toe drags. Every single one came from the hardest place to play in hockey: right in front of the net. 🎯 Deflections...

🔥 What does it really take to go from Olympic gold medalist… to chasing a pro championship just months later? In this Day in the Life episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, we go inside the world of Haley Scamurra as she prepares for the PWHL playoffs and the pursuit of the Walter Cup. From finishing first in the league to navigating the unique playoff format, Haley shares what life is actually like at the highest level — the grind, the mindset, and the habits that separate good from great. 💡 This...

🥅 What does it take to go from being cut… to standing on top of the Olympic podium? In this special crossover episode of Our Girls Play Hockey and Our Kids Play Goalie, we sit down with Olympic gold medalist and one of the most dominant goaltenders in the world, Aerin Frankel. From growing up playing boys hockey in New York… to leaving home for Shattuck-St. Mary’s… to being cut from the 2022 Olympic team… and ultimately becoming the backbone of Team USA’s gold medal run in 2026 — Aerin’s jo...

🏒 Should your 9-year-old play up… or just play? This week on Our Girls Play Hockey, we tackle a question every hockey parent faces sooner or later—and it’s not as simple as it seems. A parent writes in with a tough decision: ➡️ Stay at 10U close to home ➡️ Play co-ed locally ➡️ Or accept a 12U opportunity that comes with a 2-hour commute multiple nights a week Sounds like a great opportunity… but is it really? Olympian Haley Scamurra joins Lee and Mike to break down what act...

🚨 What if the difference between good and great in hockey… wasn’t just talent—but data? This week on Our Girls Play Hockey, we’re joined by trailblazer Meghan Chayka, co-founder of Stathletes and one of the leading voices in hockey analytics. From working with NHL teams to breaking down the game on major broadcasts, Meghan is helping redefine how hockey is played, evaluated, and understood. In this episode, we dive into how analytics is shaping the future of hockey—from youth development all ...