Our Girls Play Hockey: Hayley Scamurra’s New PWHL Chapter in Las Vegas (A Day in the Life Series)

SPEAKER_02 0:07

Hello, hockey friends and families around the world, and welcome back to another edition of our girls play hockey. This is going to be surprisingly the first edition of the 26-27 seasons. Feels weird even saying that edition of Day in the Life with Haley Skomora, who obviously is joining us again for another season. Mike Benelli joins us today. Just want to give context to the audience of where we're at right now. We recorded an episode with Haley about a week ago, uh, talking about kind of the post-parade in Montreal, winning the PWHL championship, the Walter Cup, everything that went into that. And we close that episode by saying we'll be back with you eventually with the first episode of the next day in the life. Well, today's date is June 15th. The episode I just referenced hasn't even aired yet. Last night, the Carolina Hurricanes won the Stanley Cup. I'm trying to give you all context of where we're at. Haley, in that time period of I think five days, is now with a new team facing it offseason, lots of decisions to make. So instead of waiting and letting the dust settle, which is not true journalism, Haley, I said, let's get on the air. You want to get on the air, let's talk about where we're at. So let's just start with the obvious, okay? Which is a congratulations. You signed a three-year deal with the Las Vegas to be determined PWHL team. Congratulations on that.

SPEAKER_00 1:34

Thank you. Thank you.

SPEAKER_02 1:36

Okay. So let's let's let's ask this. Why don't you walk us through the last week of your life? How this came up. Again, you know what? Before the show, I should say this too, but we were talking about this isn't really free agency because it's a pretty large expansion. We'll just call it expansion agency because all the contracts that existed kind of went up and you know they went poof uh in the air. So walk us through this project uh process of how you are now part of the Las Vegas PWHL team.

SPEAKER_00 2:05

Yeah, so uh basically there's like six phases to this expansion process. So like it's still ongoing at the moment. Um, so after phase one, all of the existing teams had to protect three people. Other than that, everyone was up for grabs for expansion teams. Like they could offer you contracts, they could um, and then if they didn't fill their five people by the end of phase two, there was a selection process that would have ensued.

SPEAKER_03 2:31

Right.

SPEAKER_00 2:31

Uh so basically each expansion team made a list of 20 players that they wanted to negotiate with. And let's say they didn't reach their five players by the end of that phase, they had to pick from that negotiation list. Um, and I um and I think that might have only been contracted players, but again, you guys, there was a lot of nuances. It was very complicated. Uh, it was complicated to be a part of. Um, and so basically Las Vegas was pursuing me pretty heavily and they really wanted me there. And I I know the GM. She was my agent actually. And the head coach, which is officially announced now, is Kim Weiss. And she, I actually met her right after the 2022 Olympics. She coached for the junior black bears, which is like the NAHL team in the Maryland area. And I would train with them for to train for my season because we didn't have a pro team then. And so she was a great resource to kind of have. And she also ran skill skates and stuff like that. And all the guys would come do her skill skates, and I joined in on them and they were incredible. Like you could just tell, like, there was a huge mutual respect there with all the players. Um, so I'm super excited to be working with her. And um, you know, we had good conversations and stuff, but obviously at the time we were talking, I wasn't planning on leaving Montreal. I loved my time in Montreal, um, loved the organization. Um, but it's expansion. There's four new teams. And so I, you know, decided to sign with Vegas. And uh I think it'll be a great opportunity for me. Um like a leader on the team, someone with a lot of experience. Um, I've also been on a lot of teams, so I feel like I've learned a lot from all of the teams I've been a part of on like what's good for the culture and um how to kind of like keep the team connected and um and how to, you know, ultimately win games. And I feel that I can bring a lot of that experience to the table. And uh they also saw that in me, which was really exciting. And so I'm really excited for the opportunity. I think it'll be incredible, but that also didn't come with sadness about leaving Montreal. So it was really like, it's uh when I describe it to people, I just let them know it's like all of the emotions at once. Yeah. It's like sadness, heartbreak for leaving the organization that I loved that helped me grow so much as a player in one year. Um, it's excitement for starting a new organization from the ground up and being, you know, more of a leadership role, an active leadership role. I also call myself like a behind the scenes leader on other teams where it's like I'm a little more quiet, uh, just kind of there for the support and you know, help mentoring players on teams. But this would be more probably active on this team. Um and I think that takes a different level of confidence. And I'm ready for that next step, I think, in my career in general. So that's where we're at.

SPEAKER_01 5:27

Yeah, it it looks like, you know, obviously from our point of view and and from the perspective of like a fan and somebody looking into the league, there's a lot of there's a lot of growth and a a lot of uh, you know, obviously the expansion is huge. And I'm just wondering, you know, from your perspective as as a professional in this league, outside of the actual nitty-gritty of the contract, you know, the the actual written paper, how much do you how much input do you have in exploring like all the teams? Obviously, you don't just say, oh, that team, yeah, got it. Like do did you really have to sit back and not a lot of time, right? But is there is there some pros and cons that you go through when you make a decision like this?

SPEAKER_00 6:04

Um, for me, it was honestly only Vegas. The other teams were pursuing other players and in that phase, because again, only five players were signed in that phase for each team. So it was a very small kind of group. Um, and so for me, it was pretty much Vegas was the only team communicating with me at that point. Um but if it did come to that, I would have shopped around. A lot of those teams had said, like, oh, maybe in like a later phase, like phase four, which is happening now. Uh so it really just depended on who they were interested in, what they kind of saw for the vision of their team and things like that. But um yeah.

SPEAKER_01 6:42

Now, could you have could you have waited till phase four? Like, could you as the athlete declump like like not not been a part of phase one and just say, listen, I'll I'll I'll I'll punt this and take my chances?

SPEAKER_00 6:54

So I so what could have happened, so I could have said I'm gonna wait. However, if Vegas or any of the other teams, if they didn't reach their five players by the end of that phase, it would have been an expansion draft at the end for the five players. So I could I could have been picked up by anyone.

SPEAKER_01 7:11

Like it could have So then you really have no choice, yeah.

SPEAKER_00 7:14

Exactly. So this gives you the agency in a sense. Yeah.

SPEAKER_02 7:18

Yeah, I'm writing down so many notes. I'm gonna go with this one. I'm just gonna try and go back in the conversation. You know, um, in the in the NHL, we have that term journeyman, right? And that's usually a player that is traded a lot or signs a lot. Um, in the trailblazing nature of women's hockey, of you, right, and the journey woman, uh which is hopefully a phrase I'm kind of coining right now. Um, it it's amazing the differences, right? Because when you think of a journeyman, it's usually someone who's like, it's it's maybe not the most top-rated player on the team. And they're you know, they fill a role. That's not you. Like you're a very important player, uh, you're a very determined player. And it's this is not a fair comparison, but it reminds me of like when Gretzky left Edmonton to go to Los Angeles to kind of throw the game, right? And it's like that's what all of you are choosing to do, right? So, you know, you've played for a few PWHL teams, like you've said, but I love how you mentioned that like that's experience. It's not this is a new world, right? Uh so I just thought that was an interesting delineation of like the PWHL journey woman, which really so many of you are. Speaking of that, um, you know, with the roster, right? You came over with one of your teammates, Aaron Ambrose, uh assistant captain Victoire. So I have to ask, do do did any conversations take place? Is this you found out together? Um, uh, because I imagine that's happening all over the league right now.

SPEAKER_00 8:43

I would imagine too. Honestly, we did not talk about it. I only found out like once I signed and once she had signed. The process itself was so fluid and like ever-changing that like I didn't really talk to anyone about it because things just kept shifting. Yeah. And I pretty much just talked to my agent about everything. Um, and it was like, okay, let's wait on this to happen or this to happen. And there was just so many like uh outside factors going on and and and different moving pieces that were really complicated. So honestly, I did not talk to anyone about the like uh who was signing where and things like that, because it was just changing all the time.

SPEAKER_02 9:21

Yeah, it's crazy. Like when you look at this, I mean, you talked about all the emotions coming down to it at one moment. I'm trying to think of a metaphor for the someone sitting at home of like I guess it would be like if you have a job and four new opportunities came up out of nowhere, and everyone that works with you except for three people could go anywhere they want. I mean, and across the country, by the way. It's not like you're just going across the block to the next job and like it's a new city. Yeah. Um, I I can't, I I honestly can't comprehend that. I mean, I don't know how you had to compartmentalize that, but at the same time, yeah, it's it's decision time, right? And the thing is, is that one thing that you are really pro at is these decisions, right? So taking a step back, you know, we talked about how last year was a career year for you. I mean, it was it was unbelievable, right? From the obviously not just the the championships, but your stats, your roles, right? Um, I saw, you know, I don't know if you know this, you're the only player on Vegas right now with a three-year deal. Um, everybody else is two or one year deals. So that's a pretty large investment in you as a person. Can you talk a little bit about, and I'm gonna compare this to last year, when we started this series with you last year, a lot of unknowns. You had your goals, you had your team, you knew what you wanted to accomplish. I'm hearing complete confidence from you now. Not that you weren't confident last year, but I'm saying it's this is who I am and this is what I do. Did that play into these conversations? Is that what Vegas sees in you? And you know, I'm trying to find the right language here with what you've accomplished, and I'll say this like generally. I'm not saying you're saying this. Your value is way up, right? And as it should be, you have won and now at the highest levels. That all plays into this decision from Vegas and you together, correct?

SPEAKER_00 11:06

Absolutely. I think um that was definitely something they had seen in me. They they loved like the confidence I was playing with, like the value that I brought defensively, offensively. And they also had mentioned this like the things I do off the ice that they feel will have like work really well in the Vegas community in terms of like the mentorship community that I have, the podcast I do with you guys, and and how much I love being involved in whatever community I'm a part of. And they saw that and they saw that value, and they saw that it would be um, it would be a good fit in the Vegas community, um, especially with like the girls' program and how much it's been growing there. And yeah, they don't have any female hockey players to really look to directly, and now they have this whole team there, and then they'll have more direct access to me and to the team and to the mentorship community that Nick and I run. And um, we're really excited to kind of uh show that to them and get them to be a part of it. And that's how we've gotten a lot of people in our community with was just teams I was on and fans of the game, and they see it on our Instagram and they want to be a part of it. And so now we'll get to kind of expand that to Vegas too. And that was something that interested them, and it also made me more inclined to go there too, because they saw that value.

SPEAKER_01 12:14

You know, go going back to the reason why you chose or were chosen to go to Vegas, um, you know, it reminds me of, you know, just that the need, and I think for our listeners and and the people that respect you and watch you you do your job uh to understand like how at all times in your life you're being, you know, judged and viewed and and the discussions about you, right? So I can think about like when I I remember before I got my my first head coaching job in college, I was working out a bunch of college guys uh at a rank in the summer as and I was an assistant coach. I wasn't really making decisions on anyone, and you know, I saw the guys that were working out and how what their work ethic was and what they ate and how much they drank and you know what their attitude was. And all of a sudden, like on one of these teams, I got the head coaching job, and three of those players had had been working out with me over the summer, and it was a really hard decision for me to have to cut uh two of those players because I saw what they did. Like I'm like, well, you you you had no interest in in being a better player for this organization, you know, when you when you didn't know somebody was watching. And I think that's the point. Like, I think what you working out with uh, you know, with Kim is the same kind of idea, right? That like if you didn't make a great impression with her at the time, you know, maybe your name doesn't come up, even even if you had a great year this year. And even if, you know, because that that's like like meeting those people and seeing, you know, what you did as an athlete and the work ethic you have. Obviously, that's somebody now that can say, no, I have firsthand experience of what this woman's gonna do in our locker room and for us on the ice.

SPEAKER_00 13:46

Yeah, that's so true. And I think that also just shows the power of like the connections you make and you never know like who's gonna come back in your life and circle back through. And uh that has been a really cool kind of full circle moment coming to Vegas now. It's like I actually got my agent because of the coach of Vegas, Kim Weiss. So she they were friends from college, and I was training with them right after the 2022 Olympics, and Kim was like, if you need an agent, like my my friend Dommy starting this agent, like starting the women's side of things at CAA, and she would love to have you. And I was like, okay, cool. And I, you know, now I got an agent, and then I remember like Dommy was always talking about making her a coach someday. Like she's like, she should totally coach in the PWHL. I'm like, oh my gosh, she'd be amazing. Like, we would love to have a girl, like a female coach like her. And um now here we are, Dami's bringing her in as the GM to coach this Vegas team. And who would have thought that then I get roped in, you know, connected to it? And um, it's such a it's such an incredible, like full circle moment. You just never know what connections you're gonna make and how they're gonna impact your life later on.

SPEAKER_01 14:48

Yeah, and I think those experiences are there, right? When you go to national camp and you go to maybe uh your 15 camp or you go to your regional uh camp with your kids, you know, like everybody's everybody's climbing a ladder, right? Every every coach, every evaluator, everybody that's on the ice is trying to climb that ladder. And then all of a sudden, like the ladder is is is really full at the top, right? Like, oh, we're all here, you know, we're all here together. Uh and and I think it's it's a lot of it is is just a testament of you know what you did on those rungs. And it sounds like you made the right connections and and showed the right work ethic and and did the did the did the things the right way uh to be considered a a leader in a in a professional locker room. So you know, congratulations to that. But also just a you know, just a point of of reference for players that are listening to this, you know, that that all those different times in your life mean something, even if you have to be out there with a bunch of boys uh training and and you have to go look like you're you're you know you want this as much as anybody else on the ice and not take it as uh you know a positive or a negative, right?

SPEAKER_02 15:51

Yep. I'll say this too, Haley. When we think of the words consummate pro, I mean you come up pretty high on the list here, all right? I mean, you just you're just professional at everything that you do. You know, I also love that you talk about that even at the pro level, the hockey community is a very small, well-knit community. Everybody knows each other. Um, it just shows you how far that can go. Um, I want to keep talking about a couple things here. So um here's an interesting one, right? As of recording of this episode, Hillary Knight is listed as a player on your team, but it is uh kind of been reported that she's been traded or in lieu to be traded to Detroit for a draft pick in true kind of Vegas fashion with expansion teams finding anything they can do to boost their team. So my question's not so much about Hillary. That's an amazing situation. My question's about the draft. I'm not sure what's happening with the PWHL draft because for those of you again who don't know or haven't listened to the show, uh at the end of the season, when you're out of the playoffs, you are vying for draft positioning with your play. You earn points towards the draft positioning. I imagine, I don't know. I imagine the PWHL will honor that because of the expansion of its ability to sign people. But have you received any word on how the actual PWHL draft will operate this year? I have not. Yeah, it's interesting when you think about it, right? Because especially this year, the draft class is extremely strong, right? If if I won that draft, it's not a lottery, that draft, uh, I forgot what they call it, the sprint or whatever. Um thank you. Yeah, uh, I want my first pick. Okay, because it's a big I want my second pick this year, no matter who it is, because they're both Olympians. I mean, I mean, I'm getting a little ahead of myself with that, but I imagine uh uh those players are gonna be going first in the draft. So uh that's gonna be an interesting thing because no matter how you slice it, uh these expansion teams are probably gonna have a lot of draft picks on them, right? So you're gonna be mixing not just the expansion and the rosters expanding with that, but you're gonna have a lot of new young players on the team. Have you given any thought on that? Is that part of your leadership role? Has that been discussed?

SPEAKER_00 18:10

Hasn't been discussed, but something I've been assuming would happen is like now that we're looking at who our first 10 are uh soon to be. Um, I'm realizing I'm one of the older players on the team than obviously the girls that are being drafted, like a lot of them I've been on the US team with, uh, a lot of them I have helped in the mentorship side of things, uh, bringing them alongside with USA events and making them feel comfortable, making them feel like they can play like themselves. And I kind of assumed that I'd be kind of doing that role for the pro side of things as well, because that's gonna be a new adventure to them. It's gonna be different than their college careers. It's gonna be different than playing on the US team. Like playing pro, it's it's different. Like you feel it your first year. It is a different beast. Um, especially with the physicality side of things. I think that was one of the bigger things I noticed was being a little bit more sore from that. I've got like a lot better. Like this year, I feel fantastic. Like I didn't really feel it from that, but that first year you felt it for sure.

SPEAKER_03 19:06

Yeah, it's not college.

SPEAKER_00 19:08

It is not college. No, it is it is definitely different, it definitely takes more of a toll. And um, but you know, you just also have to get into the routine of that there's not really a routine. It's basically either home games or away games or road trips or home trips. Like there's not like at school, you know, you had games on the weekend and that was it. Now it's like, you know, game, practice, game, game, you know, who knows the schedules. Yeah, it could be anywhere.

SPEAKER_02 19:32

Yeah, like it could be anything.

SPEAKER_00 19:34

You got you gotta be, yeah. It might not be in a city that we play in. We're gonna be in like another random city, who knows, right? And um, there's a lot of different variables with that. So I think it's getting them comfortable with that, getting them used to that, being adaptable, um, and just being that support for them, making them feel as comfortable as they can be in a new pro setting.

SPEAKER_02 19:52

Yeah, you know, you just made me realize this too. We never asked this during the season that when you do those stadium takeovers and you go from 20,000 people and the next night it might just be a few thousand people. That that is a pretty big difference um uh in terms of experience. And like again, you've experienced it. If I'm trying to put the audience in the perspective of what you just said, if you're just in college, I mean this is a whole new world. And then you're you know, look, we hear all professional athletes talk about how to become a pro. You gotta learn how to become a pro. Um, that's I mean, that's actually true in any any line of work, um, especially for younger listeners listening. But yeah, you learn from the people that have done it, you learn from the people that have experienced it. And I'm I'm gonna I'm gonna gush a little bit here, Haley. But I do love the fact that there's gonna be young players in that locker room going, that's Haley Skimora. That's that gold medalist, dude. She won the thing last that that's gonna end up happening. Um uh another thing that happened recently, again, this this is kind of like a news dump questionnaire for you. But the uh I I just want your thoughts on this. You know, um, one of the things that was done recently is they unveiled all salaries within the league. Okay, now uh there's a lot of reasons why leagues do this. One is to to showcase kind of what people are or are not getting paid, it allows the athletes to understand value. Um, again, if you study sports history, this is something that traditionally owners never wanted to happen. And the reason owners never wanted it to happen is because they didn't want to have to end up paying their players more than they already were. But the the the the this is why you have collective bargaining nowadays. What would end up happening is really, really good athletes were getting paid an immense amount less than other athletes, right? So that uh ability to be transparent is actually very important. Um, keeping in mind too that the PWHL kind of owns everything, that's a pretty big step from them as a league. I think that's a really big nod to the athletes. Um, I do understand why they waited to do it three seasons, but I wanted your yeah, I'm gonna say like this. I want I wanted your opinion on your business being out there. You know what I mean?

SPEAKER_00 21:56

I honestly like I'm fine with it. You know, I think a lot of us maybe didn't expect it to just be put on a list in order. I think that's a different vibe to it. Um and I think um I honestly don't mind because I do feel that it's important for it to be transparent for fans, for for agents to be able to negotiate for their players. I think that is a huge that was like the biggest reasoning I think was for that. And that's obviously helped people in this next especially with expansion and things like that. Like you're expecting people to move across the country. It's like, hey, we're seeing this discrepancy. It should be more here like things like that. And so I think it's super important for them to know. And I think for fans to know like what we do and what we're um what we're playing for. Like you know what I mean? It's it's to grow for this next generation and it's to continue building it. And it is, you know, it is increasing each year. And I think that's huge to note and housing stipends increase and things like that. But yeah, we're not making the big bucks, you know, we're doing this for the love of the game. We're doing this to continue growing the league and making sure it's viable for the future and and that's our goal and it has been and that's why we're willing to go through like two different expansions within two years and um moving across the country and doing whatever it takes. But we love it.

SPEAKER_02 23:13

So you know what's what's crazy about it Hilly is if you're just coming into pro women's hockey you look at those numbers and you go oh wow that's uh not as much as I thought and then there's there's two sides to that there's well 20 years ago there was negative money.

SPEAKER_00 23:29

Right.

SPEAKER_02 23:30

Exactly and then it's fun to think about you know five 10 years from now what what those numbers you know you might add a zero on all of them the way things are going. Right. Right. Uh you mentioned moving across the country. So you know prior to the season yeah Seattle Vancouver were there right I mean that was the first expansion the the four new teams have created or potentially have created an Eastern conference a western conference if if they decide to do it that way they may not right nobody knows how they're going to do it. But I imagine and I'm projecting here I know you don't know either I'm imagining they're going to have two conferences with more of a traditional hockey style playoffs uh leading to the PWHL final next year. But talk to me about your feelings of moving to the Pacific time zone. We'll talk about Vegas specifically in a minute but that is a big jump right you're moving to the desert um what's that process? Is it excitement is it wonder I mean is it fear I mean what are the what are the what are the maybe not fear but you know what I'm saying.

SPEAKER_00 24:27

Yeah emotions attached to that mainly excitement but I'm not in the thick of things yet for planning how to get all my things there. When I start going too far ahead I'm like oh I have to do I have to ship this do I need to ship this like how many things do I need you know and I get a little ahead of myself so I'm trying to take it like one step at a time first find out where I'm gonna live in that city. What's really cool is I've actually like since finding out about it, I've been like all of these people are coming out of the woodworks like I lived there for this many years and I loved it. I I'm from Buffalo and I live there now and I love it. And like all so many incredible uh experiences I'm hearing from people about Vegas and how it's more than just the main city and Sin City and stuff. Like there's so much outside of that so many amazing suburbs and um and like you know the girls hockey there has grown 600% is what they were saying. Like it's incredible and like how fast they've grown. So I think um overall I'm really excited. I'm excited for some more sunshine. I've missed the sunshine in the winter so I'm not too mad about that. Maybe find a place with a pool we'll see. But yeah I'm excited for I don't think so no everywhere I've looked there's pools. So yeah I'm I'm honestly more excited than anything for the experience. I think like we were I was talking talking about this with someone you know it's like when do you get to do this? Like I just get to pick up and move across the country to Vegas and do what I love for a living. Like that's amazing. I can't wait. I think it's gonna be uh I'm excited to see how I feel about it. Uh I've never lived in a climate like that. So it'll definitely be a new experience but one I'm really looking forward to honestly.

SPEAKER_02 26:07

Yeah well I'll I'll confirm a few things for you that one is you're absolutely right that Vegas is a lot more than just the strip. You know I think that's a common misconception. I mean towns like Henderson um with the AHL affiliate are really beautiful. I was out there last year with my women's national team and we went and and uh skated with a women a girls team right just same same idea and it it's a healthy environment there for hockey. The other thing about Vegas that I'm not sure a lot of people realize Vegas is a hockey town. All right know that they're growing sports right I we you know obviously they have the Raiders there sounds like the athletics are going to be there soon they're they're growing that infrastructure but in all of the people I've spoken about in Voken to in Vegas it's a hockey town. They love the Golden Knights they love the fact that there's a women's team coming there. They would not have put one there if they didn't feel that was going to be successful. I I think it's amazing uh the way Vegas is growing um I wanted to get your thoughts on Vegas sports now we talked about Vegas as an area and the climate and between those teams and between the way sports are going there talk to me about Vegas sports and the you know the people of Vegas and how excited you are to represent them.

SPEAKER_00 27:19

I'm beyond excited I've I've received so many messages from different Vegas sports like um there was a Vegas Warriors group that reached out like for veterans and they're super they want us to like come out to a practice and things like that.

SPEAKER_02 27:32

There's a lot of Vegas drills I forgot to mention the aces.

SPEAKER_00 27:34

Yes didn't mean to leave that out yes no that's okay the WMBA team with Asia Wilson like would love to go to a game after my experience with the Mystics I'm like I'm ready for more WNBA for sure.

SPEAKER_02 27:44

So I'm excited yeah I hope so too and I think I should look into this I wonder if we're the only two women's teams that are there now but yeah we need to fact check that you we should look around I'm I you know what I can do it while you're talking I'm not sure how many WMBA teams are in another city too um so yeah so I think it might just be us two for women's sports which would be really cool to kind of like build that partnership up a little bit. It would be the Liberty obviously would be one of them right uh the New York the New York Liberty oh I meant like if there's other women's sports in Vegas oh I understand okay gotcha 100% you know to my knowledge it is just the two uh professional women's teams that's i i was look I'm just looking at like where are there WNBA and PWHL teams oh Toronto now yeah Toronto New York Vegas um Minnesota I think and Seattle I think Seattle has the storm yes Seattle yeah but that's that's an interesting thing to look at at the market too because now you know there's proof markets. Sorry I wasn't clear on that that's my fault.

SPEAKER_00 28:46

No that's okay I was just curious. I've been meaning to look that up um but then like you know for Vegas Golden Knights game that's been a rink I've wanted to go to it's like entertainment there. Like you can tell by the opener like they don't mess around it's for the it's for the fans for sure. And I think it'll be really cool to see how they incorporate that with our team when we play games there. You know, once we find out the name and stuff like that. And I think that'll really make it a cool experience for the fans that I don't think a lot of other rinks would have.

SPEAKER_01 29:16

Yeah it's it sounds like a pretty exciting uh you know opportunity to you know like you said earlier you know you're kind of building from the ground up and and your you know I think your veteran leadership and and where you've been in other other places you know are going to lead to you know like like you like you're just talking about like what kind of events do you have what kind of partnerships are there? What kind of ways have I seen it being successful? You know I'm just wondering from a from a player's perspective when you move across the country and you're used to your you know your regular routine you know your your your routine as a trainer and where you eat and the type of food and the your favorite restaurant like how much are you going to be able to influence like the new players coming in to acclimate themselves to these like like all the different amenities and how much research do you do as an athlete to say oh boy I got this is like this is my training round now and I gotta I gotta find this person to work out with and I gotta find you know this area where you know this is going to help me for my preseason and in season you know workouts. I mean is that a lot of that stuff do you do that on your own or do you your your team or you know how does that process work?

SPEAKER_00 30:20

You know what I haven't really had to do that because I most people go back to like their homes for offseason stuff. Like you're not normally staying in your market unless you're like from there obviously and obviously different markets have a different amount of people who live in that area. But like I remember with Ottawa there was really only one rink to go to or one workout place to go to like it wasn't too spread out. Where Toronto, it was all over the place. There was the like rinks were so spread out workouts were all spread out like no one really went to one location. So it was really your choice you kind of had to just decide what was closest to you honestly with Toronto traffic that was the way to go in Montreal there was only one spot to work out and skate in which was nice. I I got to go there for a little bit last offseason. I was planning on being there this offseason but things change. And then for Vegas I honestly have no idea haven't looked into it at all that will be a step I probably take next month maybe like once I continue kind of nailing down where I might live because I think my goal is to maybe be there in October and start training there. Luckily for me I have Nick who helps me with my offseason training wherever I am so that helps me for ease of workouts. I think the skates would be the different story and luckily there's so many connections once you're in that hockey community for like people to kind of take you under their wing and have you skate with them whether it's like with junior guys or pro guys or college guys or if there are any girls in that area training but I would assume it's mainly guys in that area training.

SPEAKER_02 31:48

No they may they may surprise you Haley I'm not gonna lie to you there's there's a lot going on out there. I know Vegas does like to take care of their people in terms of facilities um I I also think you're right Vegas does not do anything quietly so no I'm very interested I I think we're all very interested to see how they go with the name and how they go with the game day performance and and the hockey as well I mean we're excited that I'm again not many names on the Vegas roster yet but the ones that they do have are known names and and they're building a good foundation there.

SPEAKER_00 32:18

You know one of the other things I noticed about you is obviously we follow you here at our girls play hockey quite a bit is uh your offseason workouts you're you're already moving like we're we're seeing you out at the bus we're seeing you do lots of different things um how how long did you not take off but like how long did you relax before you really started training again because you're already out there moving I honestly I my break was kind of like our celebration in Montreal like I didn't work out at all during that time. Most of my fun and I was packing and things like that. But I would say then I got home took the weekend off and then I started working out that next week like I was excited to go work out. And it's not like we've been doing we've been working out like hard but not like super hockey specific workouts or anything like that. Actually I have been shooting a little bit so that's kind of a lie. But um it's it's just been really fun to get back into it. I I was telling Nick I was like I really am excited to like work out again like and I think that's when it's good to go back. Like you don't want to like force yourself to go back too early. And I think that's when I knew that I was physically ready was because I was so excited to go work out again. So it's been really nice to kind of get back into that routine and be home, see family and then also get my workouts in and feel accomplished in that sense and uh feel like I'm getting that like muscle going again. Because once the season had ramped up like our workouts were kind of less and less like as they should be uh so I've I've missed uh working out a lot.

SPEAKER_01 33:49

Yeah it's funny a lot a lot of players should take a cue from that right like know what their body's telling them and say like it doesn't it does there's no like like hard and fast like when you are ready you'll know you're ready and I think the fact that you want to work out um just shows like your body says okay let's go this is what I do like this is part of who I am and I think that's really maybe for an athlete that doesn't feel that that's probably a good indication that well maybe you know maybe this isn't the right path for you right I mean if you don't feel the need you know to put yourself in a in in motion um and you're and you're very happy with the the the sitting around on the couch then then then then then you know that just says a lot about the the about the particular athlete right so I think it's a really great cue for a for a young player to say well I probably need a little middle maybe a little longer time than Haley because I'm not getting paid to play but at the same time don't take too much time off because you know that will affect you. And if you feel like oh I want the time off then then that's you know something to really reflect on I think.

SPEAKER_02 34:52

Yeah none of these youth athletes are getting a three-year standard player agreement from experience between you know I'll say too Haley just on that one more time I should say the the three year agreement is a real testament to you you know that they want you there the fact it's a long-term contract that long-term contracts are not normal in that league and that would be a very long-term contract by by the standards I'm looking at you know same thing back to training and taking breaks for the audience listening especially the kids you know it's amazing when you look at life 15 minute breaks during the day are encouraged one week breaks after the offseason are encouraged you know like breaks are encouraged you know uh I I guess I'll say in moderation right like like it's important to do my own kids recently like we gave them off for a little bit of time uh we got them back on the ice recently they were so excited and you could see it in their eyes and then we played a little tournament recently and you know you could see the the whatever the energy the the refreshness I made that up is there right they're refreshed and you can tell they're ready to kind of move into the next phase of the summer here.

SPEAKER_00 35:55

You mentioned uh Nick a few times I should do this you know we we gained a lot of new listeners this year uh through your journey Nick Stoop is is Haley's boyfriend that's who she keeps referring to we we usually do like an annual episode with him we're probably doing that pretty soon here yeah right incredible motivator um tell the audience listening that uh at some point next year when you're watching PWHL Vegas you will see a bearded man uh slightly crazy looking screaming in the crowd uh good chance that's Nick okay if you see him uh you could not miss him at the Olympics you could not miss him in the Walter Cup final uh just an incredible motivator you know I I want to ask you about uh his support too because he is an incredible human being uh his energy is limitless his positively although I don't think you would call it that is limitless um talk to me about the support of him and family in general in what has been a turbulent few years I mean it's it's not even just last season like it's it's a few years his support just means the world to me I think you know even before we had started dating he started as my trainer and he was just always there for me always there to help and stay longer for workouts and help with like maybe little ailments I was having or sorenesses or things like that because he a jack of all trades, you know um and and then now that we're obviously together in dating and like that support has obviously increased immensely um he's there physically he's there mentally for me like anything that I need he's able to help me with and help me work through and talk through and any hard times that I'm going for through like he's able to kind of find like like little silver linings in a lot of things. But then he also lets me sit in any sadness that I might be having and there to just like be a listening ear. You know I tell him that sometimes like sometimes you just need to have the person just listen and not actually give any feedback. Like you just need that like support to just be there. And then let alone his energy at the games is palpable. Like you can hear it from the stands like I'll look up and just see him and it just like there's times where maybe I'm like frustrated during a game or or something like that. And I just kind of like look up and I'll see him and I'm like and then he'll like go like this, you know, or something and it just kind of gets me out of my head and I'm like okay like just take a breath like go back to your game. And so just little moments like that just mean the world to me and it's just so incredible to have such a supportive partner like that. And and then we just get to do this life together which is so fun and mentor young athletes in our community too and that's something we share like that uh desire to kind of help the next generation and be that support for them that we never had growing up and that we always wish we had had um I so I think that makes it a little extra special for sure.

SPEAKER_02 38:31

Yeah make sure if you haven't yet done so yet check out Haley well we'll say Haley and Nick's community but if Haleyscomore.com is where you can find information. Yes the newly launched Haley Skimmer make sure if you're if you listen to these episodes a lot make sure you check that out it it doesn't you have to do it. No I I love that you you you delve into that because the truth is Haley on any journey you're never doing it alone and that support group is so important. I always feel like we need to remind young athletes that sometimes I feel like a lot of them feel like I gotta do this by myself. And you don't there's aspects of it you do. When you're climbing the mountain you know you're pushing through when it's you versus you uh some of that is you know you but there's always someone supporting you and and I love that you mentioned in the games like looking up and having that level of relaxation uh palpable is the perfect word to describe because uh he he is uh full of energy but um let me ask you this now too uh obviously off seasons here training will ensue um you're getting to a bit of a routine uh I feel like this is a question we may come come back to last year on that whiteboard the whiteboard's down right you moved you had I am a gold medalist I am a Walter Cup champion I'm not going to ask you what it's going to be yet because I know time has to go into that but I wonder if you could tell us about maybe the process of developing that type of goal messaging because I've been at points in my life where I've accomplished something big right you do want to take a moment right like like you got to take a moment live in that for a little bit but you can't stop because if you stop then what you know what are we doing here right I I always give the the example of like the astronauts that landed on the moon about like there's no higher achievement they could possibly do I guess professionally in their life and they had to continue moving forward after that. So not that you know like there's no Olympics next year right like like easier process now for starting to develop the goals I think this will be part of the the uh the process this year until until you're ready if if you are ready to unveil what may be on the whiteboard in the future honestly great question I think I've been so focused on just kind of being present lately that I haven't really gotten to there if I'm being honest.

SPEAKER_00 40:49

It's been I you know I've been enjoying like celebrating like the championship and the gold medal like with my family and friends like what's funny actually uh so I did that Buffalo Bills thing and my brother was there and he was in Milan as well and I'm showing the medal to everyone and he was like Haley I haven't held the medal yet I go what are you talking about? How have you not held the medal yet he's like he goes Haley it was just such a blur like I I don't think I ever held it and I go that is insane. So I think that was a big moment for me where I'm like wow I haven't really had the time to like actually celebrate this with my family and friends.

SPEAKER_01 41:23

And so he held the medal and he was like oh it's heavy you know so I was like okay you didn't I'm visual I'm visualizing him prying it from your hands right now sibling the sibling rivalry there. But I just it's just so funny.

SPEAKER_00 41:37

And so I think um you know I have a lot of family here so it's like going to see my nephews and my nieces, you know, and all these people and aunts uncles and so it's a lot of people to like celebrate with and just kind of enjoy that time with and but also get into my routine and make sure I'm working out when I want to work out and getting groceries and making meals. Like there's just so many things you don't really think about. And so I've just been really focusing on like kind of getting into a routine and seeing family and celebrating with that.

SPEAKER_02 42:05

Yeah you know what's interesting about your answer first of all I think being present is a key to this right I'm glad that's your answer. And and here's the thing is that I think that and I'm I'm this is going to kind of become a question. I'm just sharing my experience and want to see if it's similar to yours but when for a new goal we'll we'll just call it a goal call a manifestation whatever you want for now to form you kind of have to let it happen. Right? I find sometimes uh young players even adults are in a rush to find the next thing and they're not present.

SPEAKER_00 42:37

And the truth is that these things they reveal that's the word I'm looking for they reveal themselves in time and it's like when you know you kind of know all right now again with the Olympics coming up it's kind of ordained like okay that's that's that's a clear destination right uh you know but it it I again I just am I right in this like it will reveal itself in time whatever it's going to be right and you have to be patient with that process yeah absolutely and I think it'll also kind of reveal itself as I'm going through the off season more so like once I kind of like kick it into higher gear if you will um and so I think it'll just kind of naturally manifest itself for sure.

SPEAKER_02 43:20

That's funny the manifestation will manifest itself that's a deep thought that see that this is why we need Nick on the air because he could probably explain that better than I than we're than I'm gonna try to but uh the the it's true like there's there's forces at be there that I think are not fully understood by all of us but but you have championed them Haley and like just to our audience listening I will tell you we did promise a QA uh now that Haley is we'll just say a little more settled I think we're in a position we can maybe move forward with that a little bit. Yeah so keep an eye out for that uh question submission post if you will um I know Haley's always excited about that and then throughout the summer we're gonna have episodes we're gonna have information One of the things we're excited to talk to Haley about a bit more is hockey, right? We talk a lot about day in the life. We and we always are love talking about you know girls' hockey, women's hockey. But we want to talk about just hockey too. You know, the whole network is all about that. And I know Haley, you're excited about kind of those aspects of hockey development as well. But any final thoughts on just where you're at today? Again, it's mid-June. We'll just say the championship dust has settled. I hope you're still feeling elated about that every single moment of the day right now. And you're kind of moving into the next phase of the offseason.

SPEAKER_00 44:34

Mm-hmm. I just think, you know, something that kind of helped me a lot during this whole process with the expansion and switching teams and everything is that whatever journey is unfolding is what's meant for you. And there's something about it that will only benefit you if you continue to look for that. And so I think that's been a mantra I've been kind of like living by this are infinitely better. And that's helped me a lot in just different stages of my life when things have been changing a lot. And um, I'm like, okay, it must be for some, for some reason, it must be giving me this opportunity. And so I've been looking at that for with this Vegas change, and um, that's why I think I'm feeling really excited about the opportunity and everything. So just for all those kids out there, if there's something, you know, changing in your life or something, just think about what benefit could come from it, and you'll also help kind of realize that in your journey too.

SPEAKER_02 45:26

You know what's amazing, Haley, too, is how your journey revealed that to you. Because I think if we asked you that, or if you were speaking to yourself a few years ago right now, would have been a very different person you were talking to. And I think the evolution of you as a person, as you just said, is is amazing. So I think I'll always say thank you for sharing all this stuff with us. Mike, any final thoughts before I close this out?

SPEAKER_01 45:49

No, I'm just I'm just wondering if we've signed Haley for the cross-country uh documentary tour. But yeah, but other than that, uh oh yeah, moving companies. Collins brothers, give us the call. I think I think it's uh it'll be uh it'll be it'll it's uh you know, congratulations, by the way. And I think just uh, you know, just again a new chapter and and and and a new market, and us getting to watch a whole new you know, section of of women's hockey grow will be will be a fun a fun thing to look forward to.

SPEAKER_02 46:21

Yeah, we're gonna have to figure out that Pacific time zone thing, but we will we will make it work.

SPEAKER_00 46:26

Was thinking that.

SPEAKER_02 46:27

All right, gang. That's gonna do it for this edition of Our Girls Play Hockey. Uh for Haley Skimora, Mike Benelli, I'm Leah Lias. Again, we'll be with you all summer. Thanks so much for listening. If you've got questions, remember you can always email us, team at our kidsplayhockey.com, or click the link accompanying this episode in the description. It's the fastest way to get to us, and keep an eye out for that QA post coming soon. Take care, everybody. Have fun and enjoy your hockey. We hope you enjoyed this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey. Make sure to like and subscribe right now if you found value wherever you're listening, whether it's a podcast network, a social media network, or our website, our kidsplayhockey.com. Also, make sure to check out our children's book, When Hockey Stops, at When Hockey Stops.com. It's a book that helps children deal with adversity in the game and in life. We're very proud of it. But thanks so much for listening to this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, and we'll see you on the next episode.