🏒 What makes a youth hockey tryout feel fair—and what causes the entire process to break down? Tryouts can be one of the most emotional parts of the hockey season. Players are nervous, parents are analyzing every drill, coaches are trying to build balanced teams, and organizations are under pressure…
🏒 What does an NHL scout really notice—and are youth hockey families focusing on the wrong things? Former NHL player, development coach, and current Anaheim Ducks scout Patrick Rissmiller joins Lee, Christie, and Mike for an honest conversation about how hockey players actually develop. Patrick’s path was anything but automatic.…
🏒 What happens when the game you’ve built your identity around is suddenly taken away? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli sit down with Doug Smith, former NHL forward, 1981 second-overall draft pick, Ottawa 67s standout, Bobby Smith Award winner, and one of the…
🏒 What really makes a hockey player better — more ice, a higher-level team, a longer commute, or the right culture? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christie Casciano-Burns sit down with Andrew Trimble, GM and co-owner of the New England Wolves Hockey Club,…
🧠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…
🏒 What if hockey’s greatest lessons have nothing to do with goals, assists, or scholarships? In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli sit down with Zechariah Thomas, founder of Swift Hockey, former high-level Ontario player, major junior athlete, and international player for Team Jamaica.…
🏒 What really separates young hockey players as they get older — talent, pressure, coaching, character, or the ability to keep loving the game through it all? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli welcome back longtime NHL forward Mike Knuble, who played over 1,000…
🏒 What does it really take to coach youth hockey the right way? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christie Casciano-Burns sit down with Coach Tre Berg, a youth hockey coach, hockey dad, police officer, and longtime player who brings a true “in the…
🏒 What happens when hockey creators, roller hockey, youth hockey values, and a great cause all collide in Nashville? You get Team GG at the Wish Cup — and a conversation every hockey family should hear. In this special edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee connects with Team GG…
🏒 Should your young hockey player train all summer… or put the bag away and just be a kid? On this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias welcomes back Andrew “Albie” Alberts — nine-year NHL veteran, Boston College standout, and Hockey Development Director at NHL Sense Arena —…
🧠What if the most important hockey skill your child learns this season has nothing to do with skating, shooting, or scoring? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christie Casciano-Burns welcome Angie Lion, author of Emerge: Rise from the Depths, Realign Your Soul, and…
🏒 What do you do when your child loves hockey, has the skill, makes the higher-level team… but freezes when everything feels new? In this fan mail episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Christie Casciano Burns, and Mike Bonelli respond to a heartfelt letter from a hockey dad…
🏒 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…
🏒 What if not making the “top team” was actually the best thing that could happen to a young hockey player? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee, Christie, and Mike sit down with former pro hockey player and coach Scott Howes for one of the most honest conversations…
🏒 What happens when your kid becomes the best player on the team… and there’s no one left to chase? It sounds like a dream—but for many hockey parents, it quickly turns into a big question: Is my child still developing, or are they stuck in a comfort zone? In…
🏒 What you say before the game matters more than you think… We’ve all been there — the car ride to the rink, the final words before your child heads into the locker room. You want to motivate them, support them, and set them up for success. But what if…
🥅 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,…
🧠Concussions can be one of the most misunderstood injuries in youth hockey — and one of the most important for families to understand. In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee, Mike, and Christie are joined by Dr. Robert Baric, founder of MyConcussionDoctor.com, for a practical, eye-opening conversation…
🔥 What if the most important thing in youth hockey isn’t winning… but noticing when someone isn’t okay? In this powerful and deeply moving episode, we sit down with Rob Thorsen, founder of the Shoulder Check Foundation and HT40 Foundation, to talk about how one simple idea — checking in…
🏒 What if the most important skill in hockey isn’t scoring… but being trusted? This week on Our Kids Play Hockey, we’re joined by former NHL defenseman Karl Alzner—a World Junior captain, Olympic-level competitor, and one of the most dependable players of his era—to unpack what really matters in player…
🏒 What if everything you’ve been told about youth hockey development… is wrong? This week, we’re joined by 1,000+ game NHL veteran Mike Knuble—a Stanley Cup Champion who built his career the hard way: through patience, persistence, and learning how to truly play the game. From growing up in Michigan…
What if the rink isn’t just where kids play… but where they feel safest? In this powerful and deeply personal episode, former NHL star Bobby Ryan joins us to share a perspective every hockey parent and coach needs to hear. From a difficult childhood to a 14-year NHL career—and now…
🔥 What were YOU doing at 14 years old? Because Estela Vazquez was winning GOLD on the international stage. In this inspiring episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, we sit down with Estela Vazquez — a rising star goaltender for the Connecticut Junior Rangers, Greenwich Country Day School, and the…
🏒 What does it really take to make it to the NHL—and what lessons can young players and parents learn from the journey? In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias, Mike Bonelli, and Christy Casciano-Burns are joined by 17-year NHL veteran Scott Hartnell. Known for his grit,…