Marc Genest introduces Between the Shifts and Stop and Start Hockey’s mission of guiding players through youth, junior, and pro hockey decisions, then welcomes former teammate Mike Fournier, founder of Built Different Hockey (BDH). Fournier shares his non-traditional path from central Massachusetts (no AAA) to the Boston Junior Bruins, the QMJHL (which ended his NCAA eligibility), the USHL and Maritime League, and a cutthroat minor pro career (234 games). He explains why he joined the Air Force, served 20 years as an analyst with deployments to Iraq and Afghanistan, and recently retired. Returning to hockey through coaching his son Zachary, Fournier describes BDH’s small-group, classroom-style sessions focused on game details, off-puck skills, and teaching concepts, and both discuss the importance of coaching quality, long-term development, and choosing teams for true development over a “shiny nickel” pathway.

00:00 Show Intro

00:19 Stop and Start Mission

01:09 Meet Mike Fournier

03:34 Growing Up in Mass

07:21 Jump to the Q

09:32 Built Different Origins

11:18 Minor League Reality

14:04 From Pro to Air Force

16:10 20 Years of Service

18:18 Back to the Rink

20:14 Partners and Sponsors

21:50 Youth Hockey Today

25:21 Teaching Game Details

27:41 Coaching vs Teaching

28:40 Why Skating Matters

29:46 Built Different Model

30:44 Teaching Real Hockey IQ

34:14 Bad Coaching Problem

38:55 Developing Hidden Gems

42:50 Coaches Who Shaped Me

44:20 Lessons From Mentors

51:59 Advice Choosing Teams

54:33 Wrap Up And Links

https://builtdifferenthockey.com/