Our Top-5 Episodes w/ Expert Voices & What They Taught Us About the Bigger Picture In Youth Hockey

Lee MJ Elias [0:00 - 1:40]: Hello, friends and families around the world. And welcome to another special edition of our Kids Play Hockey. I'm Lee Elias and we are celebrating our 400th episode, hitting that mark with a lot of highlights, right. Some of the most powerful conversations that we've had. And today's all about outside the NHL spotlight. But there's going to be a lot of names on this list that you know. These are the top episodes that hit home for parents and players and coaches alive alike. Excuse me. Offering big life lessons, parenting insight and tools for growth from voices that care deeply about the game, but also deeply about your kids. So today's episode is the five most impactful episodes from non NHL guests who challenged, inspired, and elevated our thinking in the game. Let's jump in because the first name is anybody in hockey is going to know this name. The episode title was John A Deep Dive into Hockey, Parenting and Life Lessons. So he's an ESPN legend. We all know that. He's pretty much Mr. Hockey when it comes to ESPN. And he reflect on youth hockey as a parent because he's done it. Coaching culture and how to support kids with empathy and energy. And his insights blend personal stories, which I love that he went into, and his honest reflections, making this episode a blueprint for every hockey parent. And before I throw in the clip, what I remember about this episode was John had to catch a flight. He had to be somewhere, and we had to get on and do the episode. He ended up staying actually a lot extra time, a lot longer than he wanted to. I believe he did make his flight, but that was a big compliment to us. So look, let's get to the clip. This is John on the moment that made him most proud as a hockey parent. Check it out. 

John Buccigross [1:42 - 2:10]: So it's just that sacrifice that, you know, that selflessness, and then of course, that carries on the ice with block shots and, and being a good teammate. And that's why I always love my. My son Jack. I could still see him as a Mike in a squirt. When somebody else scored a goal, he was more excited than when he scored a goal. And that makes me emotional, just verbalizing it. Like, I just. Oh, I was so proud when he would do that. And so that was just so big for me. And, and so just, just that selfless system, that team and that bonding. 

Lee MJ Elias [2:12 - 3:06]: All right, listen, you should go check this one out. Butcher. Gosh. Really shares what, what really matters in youth hockey from, from the joy and the effort to teaching empathy. It's a must listen for hockey families at any stage. Okay, the next one was a really cool one for me. The episode title is Sean Ellis, respecting officials and owning your game. So I worked with Sean when I worked at the National Hockey League, and Sean is the general inside the Toronto, you know, game box where they look and review everything. So when they say on NHL game, we're going to Toronto, review, and it's Sean's team that's doing it. Right. He is an NHL VP of hockey ops and offers that behind the scenes look at how decisions get made in the situation room and shares also important guidance for youth players on handling emotions, respecting officials, and building a great on ice reputation. A little bit of everything in this. So here's Sean on what it, what it's like to help make the game's biggest calls from inside the NHL situation room. Check it out. 

Sean Ellis [3:08 - 3:58]: How special it is. It's a fantastic group of guys that I'm fortunate to work with and to be a part of that team that ultimately makes decisions on goals, on video reviews, high stick pucks, kick pucks, batted pucks, you know, the coaches challenge for goalie interference, offside plays, missed game, stoppage events. Like, to be part of that group of guys that gets to like, really drill down on the details of those things and then make, ultimately make a decision is pretty special. The technology that we have in the room I think, is a marvel. It's really a lot us to make decisions in, you know, a relatively short amount of time. I know for fans in the arena, it seems like an eternity, and at home you're often just sitting there waiting, like, maybe initially you don't even know what we're looking at, but the technology that we have to get to those decisions pretty quickly is something to see. 

Lee MJ Elias [4:00 - 4:55]: All right, listen. Go back and listen to this one. It was a lot of fun. You can hear our admiration for each other. And the episode teaches young players how their reactions shape your reputation and why owning your response is just as important as the call itself. Something he has to do in the situation room. Also something kids have to do on the ice. All right, the next one. Again, one of the more popular episodes we've ever done. It's titled Dr. Alicia Nassar, and it's emotional endurance and mental fitness for players. Okay, this episode, I don't want to say surprised us, but. But we had her on. She's a sports psychologist and explains how youth players can train their minds as intentionally as their bodies and are practical tools for emotional regulation, focus, and reflection, which help players become consistent and resilient. So. So Alicia Works with a lot of NHL players. So many she can't name them. Right. But here's a clip on why. Showing how. I'm sorry, why? How showing vulnerability as a player can be your strongest move. Check it out. 

Dr. Alicia Nasser [4:57 - 5:26]: Or they're like, hey, so I saw coach so and so kind of yelled at you today when you're on the ice because of X, Y or Z, right? And then your kids, like, yeah, as a parent, you go, that must have really sucked. That probably didn't feel good, you know, and then you. What you do is you tell them a time where the same thing happened to you. You know, one time when I was younger or even just you say, the other day when I was at work, you know, my. My friend that I work with that I told you about. So and so, like, I'm just giving you hypotheticals here. 

Lee MJ Elias [5:27 - 5:27]: They. 

Dr. Alicia Nasser [5:28 - 6:09]: They said something to me that I didn't really like and made me feel really bad about myself. And because what happens is instantly your kid goes like this. And they're sitting in the chair, they're sitting in the car, and they're huddled up and they're like this, like, feeling bad about this. Instantly they go, really? Like, I'm not alone in feeling what I'm feeling. And that not aloneness, the not being in isolation is the most pro profound feeling that a kid can feel. Because now what you just did is you opened up the door to. They feel so much better about themselves because they don't think something is wrong with them, because they know that other people have felt what they're feeling. And remind you this has nothing to do. It has everything but nothing at the same time to do with the coach's behavior because we can't control the coach, like you said. 

Lee MJ Elias [6:10 - 6:58]: All right, again, a lot of people listen to this one. Again, she works with NHL players. That's enough for you to go back and listen. But it really provides a clear mental health strategy that parents, coaches, and players can start using today. Super actionable items in this one. All right, the next one. Another fun one from our Girls Play hockey. Cassie Campbell Pascal on growing the women's game and leading with vision. So she's an Olympic gold medalist. She's a PWHL advisor. She shares her trailblazing journey in this episode and how today's pro women's hockey landscape is finally catching up. It's a good one for everyone to listen to. Her passion and insight really shine through in this episode about leadership and opportunity and also inclusion. These are all important topics for you to listen To. So here she is on, on jumping into that opportunity with no apologies. Check it out. 

Cassie Campbell [6:59 - 7:47]: I know it was a man's world. I felt it, I was told about it. But I, I've never approached life like, oh, it's such a man's world. Like, people ask me how you survived in a man's world. No, like, I'm a woman and I'm just living in my own little world and men are in it. But I've never limited myself thinking, oh, well, I can't do that. I've never seen a woman do that before. I can't do that. Like, I've always just approached life. Jump in. Like just what? Just jump in, you know, and just have fun with it. And you know, the criticism for sure came. It's different hearing a woman's voice on hockey night in Canada. And yeah, I just, that's sort of always been. My approach is just an opportunity comes, I don't think about, oh, has a woman ever done this before? Like, I'm like, no. Is it a good opportunity for me in my life? Yep. Here we go. 

Lee MJ Elias [7:49 - 8:41]: All right. Definitely want you to go back and listen to that one. Whether you have a daughter in hockey or not, if you just want to learn from a world class leader, this is an essential episode on growth and equity in sport. Check this one out. Okay, the next one. Another favorite. You know, if you're doing a show about kids in hockey, you should probably bring on some NHL parents. So this episode was titled Tom and Ellen Atkinson raising an NHL player and building a Hockey Family. Obviously their son Cam Atkinson in the NHL, Tom and Ellen really reflected on their journey in raising five hockey boys and their down to earth advice on keeping hockey fun. You know, avoiding burnout and valuing mentorship as a rare honest look into what it takes to grow with the game from parents who have a kid who've gotten there. So here's Ellen on why fun should be at the center of every youth hockey practice. Check out the Atkinson's fun. 

tom and ellen atkinson [8:42 - 9:31]: And I mean this seriously because I would have some kids that would come off the ice crying and I would go talk to them and they're like, I just want to play. So I think if you can make it fun, we always made we, we would do a lot of skill set, but would do a lot of fun, competitive skill set through cones, racing each other, doing things that they're. If it's not fun, if work isn't fun, I wouldn't be doing this. I'm just telling you. And if, if you can the coaches. They've had, they've seen, they've seen it all. And some coaches are different, but the coaches that got the most out of the kids were the ones that made the development fun. 

Lee MJ Elias [9:32 - 10:26]: All right, look, to go back, you should watch this episode or listen to it because it's just a much must listen episode for any hockey parent looking for balance and structure with joy in the NHL or beyond that. Right? So again, these are two parents who have done it. If you're a youth hockey person, check it out from them. That's going to do it. Wow. That's our top five episodes of non NHL guests. All impactful. I said at the beginning. They're all associated with the NHL somehow, right? Thanks for tuning in to another special episode of Our Kids Play Hockey. If any of these moments struck a chord, go back and listen to the full episode. You will not regret it. And don't forget, we've got a lot more best of episodes coming your way. If you haven't heard the ones we've done before, check those out. Featuring our top picks for players, coaches, parents, NHL guests, goalies and more. So I'm Lee. We'll see you at the rink. Thanks so much for listening to this 400th episode of our Kids Play Hockey. Make sure to have fun, skate hard, and we'll see you next time. Everybody take care.