The Ride To The Rink Episodes

Lessons from Andrew Raycroft on helping young goalies build belief, self-assessment skills, hockey IQ, and resilience.

Want to earn more trust from your coach? Learn the bench habits that help young hockey players become more coachable, focused, and confident.

🥅 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 explain...

🏒 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 ...

🥅 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 straigh...

🏒 What do you do when a teammate won’t pass the puck, you disagree with your coach, or you and your parents aren’t seeing hockey the same way? Conflict is part of every hockey season. The question isn’t whether it will happen—it’s whether you’ll have the courage and communication skills to handle it well. On this episode of The Ride to The Rink, Lee, Christie, Mike, and Bill Taylor of Sports Conflict Lab talk directly to young hockey players about one of the hardest skills to learn in sports: ...

🥅 Want more energy on the ice? Start by looking at what you’re putting into your body. On this episode of The Ride to The Rink, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christie Casciano Burns talk directly to young hockey players about something that can make a real difference in how they feel, focus, and perform: nutrition. Food is fuel, and just like a car can’t run well without the right gas, hockey players need the right fuel to perform at their best. The crew breaks down why healthy eating doesn’t ...

🏒 Dreaming about playing college hockey someday? The work doesn’t start when recruiting begins—it starts with the habits you’re building right now. On this episode of The Ride to The Rink, Lee Elias and Christie Casciano Burns are joined by Kiersten Sires, creator of 2aDays, to help young hockey players understand what they can do today to prepare for the opportunities they hope to have tomorrow. And here’s the good news: you don’t need to be emailing college coaches or worrying about recruitin...

🏒 Made a bad play? Had a rough shift? Feeling nervous, angry, frustrated, or overwhelmed? Former NHL player Kurtis Gabriel has a message for you: those emotions don’t have to control what happens next. On this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by former NHL player Kurtis Gabriel for a practical conversation about one of the most important parts of becoming a hockey player: learning how to manage your mind when the game gets difficult. Kurtis introduces young...

🏒 What happens when a player’s belief is strong enough to take him all the way to the NHL—but his identity becomes so tied to hockey that he has to rediscover who he is when the game ends? Former NHL player Kurtis Gabriel joins Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli for a powerful conversation about chasing impossible dreams, being overlooked, finding your role, handling pressure, and learning that hockey can be an incredible part of your life without becoming your entire sense of worth. Kurtis wasn’t a hi...

🏒 Do you know what your skates are telling you when something just doesn’t feel right on the ice? Your stick gets a lot of attention. Your gloves are fun to pick out. But when it comes to actually moving, stopping, turning, and competing on the ice, everything starts with your skates. On this episode of The Ride To The Rink, Lee Elias and Christie Casciano Burns are joined by Russ Layton, founder and CEO of Sparx Hockey, for a quick, practical lesson every young hockey player should hear: how...

🏒 Your player knows their stick flex, curve, and favorite tape job—but do they know what’s happening underneath their skates? Skate sharpening may be one of the most overlooked parts of youth hockey, yet the condition of a player’s edges can directly affect their confidence, turning, stopping, acceleration, and overall feel on the ice. In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christie Casciano-Burns welcome Russ Layton, Founder & CEO of Sparx Hockey, for a deep dive...

🏒 Ever wonder who makes sure your tournaments are booked, your hotel is ready, your ice time is scheduled, and your team actually knows where it needs to be? There’s a good chance your team manager had something to do with it. On this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee, Mike, Christie, and special guest **Christine—an experienced youth hockey team manager who has managed multiple high-level teams—**take young players behind the scenes of one of the most important jobs on a hockey team. And k...

🏒 What is one habit you could commit to today that would make you a better hockey player tomorrow? In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli explain why setting personal standards can change the direction of your hockey journey—both on and off the ice. Standards are the non-negotiable habits and expectations that guide how you prepare, compete, recover, study, and support your teammates. They might include arriving at the rink early, packing your equipment the night ...

🏒 What separates players who simply react from players who always seem to be one step ahead? In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, former professional hockey player and development coach Kevin Clark joins Lee Elias, Christie Casciano-Burns, and Mike Bonelli to share practical advice that young hockey players can use immediately. Kevin explains why players need a short-term memory, how additional development during the season can create long-term growth, and why scanning the ice before rece...

🏒 Feeling nervous before your next hockey tryout? Take a breath—you have already done the work. In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee and Christie are joined by Gabe Malinski of Team Genius, a hockey evaluation expert who helps organizations improve tryouts through better technology and evaluation methods. Gabe reminds young players that tryouts are not the time to become someone different. They are an opportunity to trust their preparation, play the game they love, and show coaches wh...

🏒 What does an NHL scout really want young hockey players to focus on? According to former NHL player and current NHL scout Patrick Rissmiller, the answer is not complicated: have fun, be coachable, become a great teammate, and enjoy being a kid. In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Patrick speaks directly to young athletes about what truly matters during their youth hockey journey. Instead of worrying about statistics, highlight-reel goals, rankings, or constantly doing more, he encourag...

🚗🏒 What kind of hockey player are you becoming — and what kind of person are you becoming along the way? On this episode of The Ride to the Rink, powered by NHL Sense Arena, Lee and Mike are joined by former NHL player Doug Smith — a second overall NHL Draft pick and a member of the legendary Miracle on Manchester, one of the greatest playoff comebacks in NHL history. But today’s message goes far beyond goals, skating, and hockey highlights. Doug speaks directly to young players about identit...

🏒 Want to become a better hockey player? It’s not just about what you do during practice — it’s about the habits you build everywhere else, too. On this episode of The Ride to The Rink, Lee, Mike, and Christie are joined by Coach Andrew, a high-level junior hockey coach and former NCAA player, to talk directly to young skaters and goalies about what really helps players improve. Andrew breaks down the balance between skill development and team systems, why younger players should spend most of t...

🧠 What if you could begin preparing for your best game before you even stepped onto the ice? In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee is joined by goaltending and mindset expert Pete to introduce young athletes to mind mapping—a simple but powerful exercise that can help players visualize success, strengthen their confidence, and prepare mentally for tryouts, big games, and pressure-filled moments. Pete shares how he used this exercise with a goaltender preparing for a championship game. ...

🏒 Does the newest, flashiest hockey stick really make you a better player? Or is the real difference-maker already in your hands? On this episode of The Ride To The Rink, Lee is joined by Zechariah Thomas, founder of Swift Hockey, for a straight-up conversation every young player and hockey family needs to hear: your gear matters, but it does not replace your effort, skill, strength, and commitment to getting better. Zech brings a unique perspective as both a former high-level player and the ...

🏒 Want to get better at hockey? Sometimes the best thing you can do is step away from the rink and go outside. On this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli are joined by longtime NHL forward Mike Knuble for a message every young skater and goalie needs to hear: go play. Not every rep has to come from a coach. Not every skill has to be built in a formal practice. And not every moment of development has to happen on the ice. Mike Knuble shares why getting outside, playing o...

🏒 What should young hockey players actually do in the offseason? In this episode of The Ride To The Rink, Lee is joined by former NHL defenseman Andrew “Albie” Alberts for a motivating conversation every young player should hear before summer training begins. The message is simple but powerful: start with a goal, write it down, believe in it, and then take small steps every day to move toward it. Andrew and Lee talk directly to young skaters and goalies about what it means to dream big, handl...

🏒 Ever feel nervous before a game, unsure of yourself in the locker room, or like your emotions are getting in the way of how you want to play? You’re not alone — and you’re not broken. On this episode of The Ride To The Rink, Lee, Mike, and Christie talk directly to young hockey players about something every athlete faces at some point: nerves, confidence, pressure, and emotional control. Whether you’re heading into a big game, joining a new team, playing in a new rink, or just feeling “off,” ...