Our Kids Play Hockey Episodes

These episodes are our flagship show meant for all youth hockey parents, coaches, and athletes regardless of position, age, or gender!
Jan. 14, 2026

Mental Edge Hockey Founder Sandy Cohan on Confidence, Belief, and You…

🧠 What if the most important skill your hockey player needs isn’t taught on the ice? In this powerful episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli are joined by Sandy Cohan, founder of Mental Edge Hockey and author of the 99 Rules book series, for a deep, ho…

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Jan. 7, 2026

Are We Developing Stars or Teams? With Matt Dumouchelle

🏒 Are we building great hockey teams… or just chasing superstars way too early? In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined once again by hockey development consultant and writer Matt Dumouchelle for a deep, thoughtful, and at times uncomfortable conversation spar…

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Dec. 31, 2025

Happy New Year & What’s Next for Our Kids Play Hockey in 2026

Happy New Year, hockey friends and families! 🎉 We’re kicking off 2026 by reflecting on how far Our Kids Play Hockey has come, thanking the incredible community that made it all possible, and sharing a few important updates as we head into our sixth year of the show. In this special New Year’s episo…

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Dec. 29, 2025

Giveaway Last Call: 24 Hours Left to Enter Our Biggest Hockey Giveawa…

⏰ This is it. The final reminder. In this short but important episode, we’re officially in the last 24 hours of our massive year-end Wraparound Roundtable Grand Prize Giveaway—and we don’t want a single hockey family to miss their chance. 🎁 One lucky family will take home an unreal prize pack, incl…

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Dec. 26, 2025

Reset, Refocus, Rekindle: How to Save the Second Half of Your Youth H…

🟦 Feeling tired, burned out, or just plain stuck halfway through the hockey season? You’re not alone. This episode lands right in that in-between space — after the early-season excitement fades and before playoff hockey really begins. The skates might be hanging in the garage, the coffee intake is …

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Dec. 23, 2025

GIVEAWAY: One Week Left! The Ultimate Youth Hockey Holiday Giveaway (…

⏰ One week left… and this might be the biggest youth hockey giveaway we’ve ever done. Every year, we look for a way to say thank you to the hockey families who make this community so special — and this year’s Holiday End-of-Year Giveaway is next level. In this short but important episode, we break …

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Dec. 19, 2025

Inside PlayWellMinds: How Henrik Cronebäck and Johan Fallby Are Chang…

🧠 Mental fitness isn’t a buzzword anymore — it’s a skill. And like any hockey skill, it has to be trained. Mental fitness is one of the most requested topics in the Our Kids Play Hockey community, and for good reason. Parents, coaches, and players all know it matters — but far fewer know how to act…

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Dec. 12, 2025

Working in Hockey with Nick Bowins: A Mission to Help People Find Job…

🔥 Ever wondered how people really get jobs in hockey? Today’s episode pulls back the curtain on an industry filled with far more opportunities — and far more good people — than most families ever realize. Nick Bowins, founder...

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Dec. 5, 2025

Cognitive Training for Youth Hockey: Engineering the Modern Player wi…

🧠 What if the biggest advantage your young hockey player could gain… wasn’t on their stick, but in their mind? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey , we dive deep into one of the most misunderstood and under-trained parts of the...

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Nov. 28, 2025

Too Many Coaches on the Bench? Youth Hockey’s Loudest Problem.

🎙️ Ever felt like there are too many voices on your child’s hockey bench? This mailbag episode might hit close to home. Lee, Christie, and Mike dive into a letter from a parent-coach navigating a situation many families know ...

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Nov. 21, 2025

The Car Ride is STILL Not For Coaching

🚗 Every hockey parent has been there. The game ends, emotions run high, and before you know it — the “coaching” starts before the gear’s even off. In one of our most revisited and requested topics, Lee, Mike, and Christie ret...

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Nov. 14, 2025

The Hidden Stress of Being a Hockey Parent

💭 Feeling the weight of being a hockey parent? You’re not alone. In this heartfelt and honest episode, Lee Elias , Christie Casciano-Burns , and Mike Bonelli open up about the mental and emotional load that comes with youth h...

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Nov. 7, 2025

Why Your Kid Should Talk to the Coach (Not You!) - With Communication…

💬 “If your kid’s frustrated about ice time, this episode is your playbook for turning conflict into connection.” Today, Lee and Mike sit down with Jen Fry — a sports educator, inclusion consultant, and communication strategis...

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Oct. 31, 2025

Tournament Turmoil: The Real Cost of Youth Hockey Tournaments

💸 Ever felt like youth hockey tournaments are taking you for a ride? You’re not alone. This week, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli go full “60 Minutes” mode to uncover the real cost of tournaments — from m...

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Oct. 24, 2025

How NHL Pros Develop (And What That Means for Youth Players) with Fly…

🎙️ Ever wonder what “player development” really means — beyond the buzzword? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, we sit down with Riley Armstrong, the Director of Player Development for the Philadelphia Flyers, to talk about how great players are truly made — from youth hockey to the pros. Riley’s j…

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Oct. 17, 2025

How TeamSnap Is Impacting Youth Hockey with CEO Peter Frintzilas

🚨 The App Every Hockey Parent Knows (and Needs!) — Inside TeamSnap with CEO Peter Frintzilas Ever wonder what it’s like to run the app that runs youth sports? In this week’s episode, the OKPH crew sits down with Peter Frintzilas, CEO of TeamSnap — hockey dad, tech leader, and the man helping 25+ mi…

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Oct. 10, 2025

From the NHL to Youth Rinks: Jack Han on the Future of Player Develop…

🎧 What really separates players who make it to the next level from those who don’t? This week, we welcome back Jack Han — former Toronto Maple Leafs staff member, player development consultant, and author of the Hockey Tactic...

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Sept. 26, 2025

The Power of Proper Fueling in Youth Hockey with Enduraphin Founders …

🏒 Are you fueling your young hockey star for success or setting them up for a nutritional penalty? In this game-changing episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee, Mike, and Christy team up with nutrition powerhouses Danny Drake and Mike Dalberth from Enduraphin to crack the code on youth hockey nutriti…

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Sept. 19, 2025

PWHL Star Taylor Heise on Leadership, Legacy & Giving Back

Ready to discover how champions are made—even when the path isn’t perfect? 🏒🔥 Taylor Heise, PWHL star and Team USA forward, joins Our Kids Play Hockey to share her incredible origin story—from picking up hockey at age 8 in a small Minnesota town to becoming the first-ever #1 overall pick in the PWH…

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Sept. 12, 2025

Power Skating Expert Christian Grunnah on Breaking Bad Habits Transfo…

🎙️ Is Your Child's Skating Holding Them Back on the Ice? 🏒 In this game-changing episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, power skating expert Christian Grunnah joins Lee and Christie to unlock the secrets of elite skating skills. From when to start training to debunking myths about NHL superstars, Christi…

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Sept. 5, 2025

Mastering the Student-Athlete Life: Balancing School and Hockey

Can your child be a star on the ice and in the classroom? 🏒📚 In this game-changing episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, hosts Lee MJ Elias and Mike Bonelli tackle the ultimate challenge faced by young hockey players and their parents: balancing academic excellence with athletic ambition. From managing …

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Aug. 29, 2025

Starting the Season Strong: Setting Your Hockey Family Up for Success

🏒 Are you ready to dominate the ice this season? In this game-changing episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, hosts Lee MJ Elias and Mike Bonelli reveal the secrets to starting the hockey season with unstoppable momentum. From mindset hacks to practical preparation tips, they're serving up a power play o…

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Aug. 22, 2025

They Were Ready To Quit Hockey...Until This Changed Everything!

Is your child's love for hockey fading? 🏒💔 In this eye-opening episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee, Christie, and Mike tackle the crucial issue of burnout in youth hockey. Through a heartwarming listener story and expert insights, they explore how to reignite the passion for the game and create a …

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Aug. 20, 2025

The Ultimate Team Bond: 20 Years of Lessons Packed into One Course

Every great hockey season starts with one thing: team chemistry. But how do you actually build it? After two decades of leading team-building sessions for coaches, athletes, and organizations worldwide, Lee has distilled his ...

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