🏒 What does being “coachable” actually look like during a hockey game?

In this episode of The Ride to the Rink, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli speak directly to young players about how to listen, learn, and stay engaged when coaches are talking to them on the bench.

Being coachable is not about blindly agreeing with everything you hear. It’s about being present, being willing to receive information, and looking for something useful that can help you on your next shift.

Mike shares a few simple habits coaches notice right away: sitting with your linemates, encouraging teammates, making eye contact with your coach, listening when someone is trying to teach you, and staying mentally connected to the game instead of drifting into unrelated conversations.

Lee adds an important reminder: coaching is not judging.

When a coach tells you what they want to see differently, that does not automatically mean they think you are a bad player or that you ruined the game. Most of the time, they are simply trying to help you improve.

🎧 In this episode, young players will learn:

🏒 What coaches notice when players come back to the bench
🤝 Why positive communication with teammates matters
👀 Why eye contact and attention show coaches you are ready to learn
🧠 How to pull one useful takeaway from coaching instructions
🎯 Why staying present matters in a fast-moving game
📈 How every mistake can become a learning opportunity
💬 Why coaching feedback is meant to help—not blame
⭐ How being coachable builds trust with coaches and teammates

The goal is simple: every shift, try to learn something.

Maybe it’s finding more open ice.

Maybe it’s making a better pass.

Maybe it’s supporting a teammate.

Maybe it’s just being more aware.

You do not have to become a perfect player in one shift. Just try to become a little better each time you step onto the ice.

Stay engaged. Stay curious. Help your teammates. Listen for the lesson.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Be More Coachable—and Learn More From Every Hockey Shift

And remember: we believe in you—but you should believe in yourself too.

#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyKids #BeCoachable #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyMindset #YouthHockeyPlayers #HockeyCoaching #HockeyTeammates #PlayerDevelopment

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🏒 Looking for hockey gifts that players will actually use—and that can help protect expensive gear, create more training opportunities, and make life a little easier for hockey families? This episode is for you.

On this special edition of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias kicks off the Hockey Family Holiday Deals series with the story behind Hockey Wraparound—and a limited-time offer designed to help hockey families save while picking up practical products built specifically for the game.

Hockey Wraparound started with a simple problem: how do you let players train outside with the stick they actually use without destroying the blade?

That problem led to the creation of the Hockey Wraparound blade protector, designed to help players use their hockey sticks on rough off-ice surfaces while protecting the blade from unnecessary wear. With high-end sticks now costing hundreds of dollars, it’s a simple way to help extend the life of an expensive piece of equipment while giving players more freedom to practice at home.

And that was only the beginning.

In this episode, Lee shares the story behind Hockey Wraparound, how the original product evolved through years of testing and customer feedback, and how the company continues building products aimed at making hockey training and travel easier for families.

🎁 Products featured in this episode include:

• Hockey Wraparound Blade Protector — helps protect your stick blade so players can shoot, stickhandle, and train on rough off-ice surfaces without sacrificing their primary stick.
• Puck Around Pro Training Puck — designed to give players a more natural off-ice shooting and puckhandling feel, helping reps away from the rink translate more effectively back to the ice.
• Dry Stick Equipment Dryer — a portable solution that uses your hockey stick to help hang and air out wet gear, especially useful for tournaments, travel, and busy hockey weekends.
• Limited-Edition “Puck Around and Find Out” Shirts — returning in yellow and black for a short two-week release.

You’ll also hear how Hockey Wraparound began with Lee creating homemade training aids as a kid, why the first version of the product had to overcome major growing pains, and how listening to hockey families helped turn one idea into a global hockey brand.

🔥 And for a limited time, listeners can save 26% during Hockey Wraparound’s Yellow & Black Friday Sale.

The promotion runs Friday through Monday on eligible Hockey Wraparound products, including featured training gear and the limited-edition apparel release.

Whether you’re shopping for a hockey player, looking for practical stocking stuffers, trying to protect a costly stick, or searching for ways to help your player get more meaningful reps away from the rink, this episode highlights products created by hockey people to solve real hockey-family problems.

Lee also explains why the Hockey Family Holiday Deals series exists and why transparency matters. Our Kids Play Hockey is being completely upfront about its connection to Hockey Wraparound so listeners can hear the story, understand the products, see the value, and decide what makes sense for their own family.

🎧 Listen now to hear the full Hockey Wraparound story, learn how these products can help your player train and protect their gear, and take advantage of the 26% Yellow & Black Friday offer while it’s available.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #HockeyWraparound #HockeyGifts #HockeyGiftIdeas #YouthHockey #HockeyParents #HockeyTraining #OffIceHockey #HockeyEquipment #HockeyTrainingAids #HockeyFamily #HolidayHockey

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🏒 Are you coaching the players on your bench—or shouting instructions at the players already flying around the ice?

There’s a big difference.

In this episode of Our Kids Play Hockey, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli tackle one of the most common habits they see in youth hockey: coaches trying to control every decision from the bench.

After more than 50 years of combined coaching experience, Lee and Mike admit they’ve both evolved. The younger versions of themselves yelled more, talked more, and believed they could influence every play as it happened.

Today, they see the bench very differently.

The game is where players apply what they’ve learned. The real teaching happens through practices, preparation, video, repetition, and conversations before and after the action.

🎧 In this episode:

🏒 Why shouting constant play-by-play instructions isn’t really coaching
🧠 Why players—especially younger players—struggle to process tactical information during a shift
📋 How to enter every game with just a few clear points of emphasis
🍩 Why simple code words like “donuts,” “butter,” and “go hunting” can communicate more than a long speech
📝 How Lee and Mike use notes, lineup sheets, and game observations to improve future practices
🔄 Why good bench management includes line rotation, fair ice time, substitutions, and situational awareness
👥 How head coaches can better utilize assistant coaches
⏱️ What to say between periods when you only have a few seconds
😤 Why a coach’s emotional state can quickly become the team’s emotional state
📣 Why parents coaching from the stands can make things harder—not easier
🎯 How the definition of success should change depending on the age and developmental level
❤️ Why youth hockey coaching ultimately includes teaching character, empathy, and life lessons

One of the biggest takeaways?

In-game bench management may be the least effective time to teach hockey.

Save the detailed teaching for practice. Save it for video. Save it for the locker room.

On the bench, manage the environment. Communicate simply. Keep players engaged. Control your emotions. Help them compete.

And then let them play.

For coaches trying to become more effective—and parents wondering what good bench coaching should actually look like—this is a conversation worth hearing.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: How to Coach a Youth Hockey Bench Without Overcoaching the Game

#OurKidsPlayHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyCoaching #YouthHockeyCoach #BenchManagement #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyParents #CoachDevelopment #HockeyPractice #PlayerDevelopment #PositiveCoaching

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🏒 What do you do when you don’t get along with a teammate? How do you make friends on a new team? And what separates a good captain from a truly great leader?

Olympic gold medalist and PWHL forward Hayley Scamurra is back for Part 2 of our Our Girls Play Hockey Q&A, answering real questions from young players about some of the hardest—and most relatable—parts of being an athlete.

From navigating difficult teammates and coaches to joining a new locker room, managing pre-game nerves, and learning what elite leadership actually looks like, Hayley shares lessons built from youth hockey, Team USA, the Olympics, and the professional game.

She also takes us inside what makes leaders like Hilary Knight and Marie-Philip Poulin so impactful—not just because of what they do in big moments, but because of how they show up for teammates when nobody is watching.

🎧 In this episode:

🤝 How to handle teammates you don’t naturally connect with
⚡ Why protecting your energy matters in a team environment
👋 How shy players can make friends on a new hockey team
🏒 Why small locker-room conversations can build big connections
⭐ What Hayley looks for in a great captain and leader
🇺🇸 What Hilary Knight’s intensity brought to Team USA’s gold-medal run
🍁 How Marie-Philip Poulin leads through consistency, sacrifice, and genuine care
🧠 How elite athletes separate nervous thoughts from real confidence
🥇 Why Hayley believed she would make Team USA—and win Olympic gold
🌎 Her favorite memories from competing at the Olympics
🥦 And, in perhaps the most important question of all… does Hayley eat her vegetables?

One of the biggest messages in this episode is simple: you do not have to be best friends with everyone on your team to be a great teammate.

Find your people. Make an effort. Be respectful. Support the players beside you. And remember that the way you respond to difficult situations is one of the few things you can always control.

For every girl navigating a new team, dealing with locker-room dynamics, learning to lead, or wondering whether nerves mean she isn’t ready—this episode is for you.

Keep showing up, keep connecting, and keep believing that you belong in the room.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Finding Your People, Leading with Confidence, and Handling Pressure in Hockey

#OurGirlsPlayHockey #HayleyScamurra #GirlsHockey #WomensHockey #YouthHockey #HockeyLeadership #TeamUSA #HilaryKnight #MariePhilipPoulin #PWHL #HockeyConfidence #HockeyTeamwork #OlympicHockey

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🥅 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 explains why having a plan for every practice can accelerate development, how small competitions can make training more fun, and why elite athletes develop a deep belief in their own abilities.

🔥 In this episode, young players will learn:

• Why “failing to prepare is preparing to fail”
• How to create a simple plan before practices and games
• Easy ways to improve reflexes, footwork, flexibility, and hand-eye coordination
• Why making practice competitive can improve both your game and your teammates
• How repetition creates real, lasting confidence
• Why confidence and arrogance are not the same thing
• How one mistake can become several if emotions take control
• Why learning to reset after a missed shot or bad goal is such an important hockey skill
• How gratitude can help players appreciate every opportunity to step on the ice

Steve also shares the advice he wishes he could give his 12-year-old self: learn how to separate your emotions from your performance. A missed opportunity, bad goal, or tough shift does not have to determine what happens next.

And through it all, Steve reminds young players that the love of the game matters. Prepare with purpose. Compete hard. Believe in yourself. And don’t forget to enjoy the ride.

🎧 Listen now and take one lesson from Steve into your next practice or game.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime?Check out our companion blog: Prepare, Believe, Reset: Steve Briere’s Lessons for Young Hockey Players

For more information about Steve Briere’s goalie training programs, mentorship opportunities, and Path to the Crease nonprofit, check the resources linked in the episode show notes.

Wherever you are on your hockey journey, keep putting in the work—and keep believing you belong on the ice.

#YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieTraining #HockeyConfidence #HockeyMindset #MentalPerformance #YouthSports #HockeyDevelopment #GoalieDevelopment #TheRideToTheRink #OurKidsPlayHockey #SteveBriere

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🥅 What does an NHL goalie coach see that youth goalies, parents, and coaches often miss?

According to longtime NHL goalie coach Steve Briere, the answer isn’t just better technique, more private lessons, or perfect positioning.

It starts with focus. Athleticism. Joy. Compete. Ownership. And a genuine desire to stop the puck.

In this episode of Our Kids Play Goalie, Lee Elias and Mike Bonelli sit down with Briere, whose coaching career includes seven seasons with the Toronto Maple Leafs, three with the Seattle Kraken, and his current role with the Wisconsin Badgers. After working with goaltenders at the highest levels of the game, Steve shares what truly separates developing goalies — and why some of the most important lessons have little to do with butterfly technique.

🔥 Inside this episode:

🥅 Why “just stop the puck” is more meaningful than it sounds — and how technical perfection can sometimes get in the way of the actual job.

🧠 Why focus, athleticism, passion, and having fun are some of the first qualities Steve notices in a young goalie.

💪 How the meaning of “fun” evolves as players get older — from simply enjoying the crease to loving competition, improvement, and the work itself.

🚗 Why some of the most valuable hockey lessons happen during conversations between parents and kids — and why those conversations should often be about life, not X’s and O’s.

🌱 Why parents can cultivate a young athlete’s drive, but they cannot create it for them.

💡 How innovation, technology, video, vision training, and tools like NHL Sense Arena can help goalies find new ways to improve — without replacing the need for athletes to think for themselves.

🏒 Why goalie development must become increasingly player-driven: instead of constantly being told what to work on, young goalies eventually need to ask, “How can I get better?”

🤝 Why coaches who begin with “I don’t know anything about goalies” may unintentionally isolate one of the most important players on their team.

⚡ How coaches can design practices that respect goalie workload, recovery, development, and the enormous number of reps goaltenders receive compared with skaters.

❤️ And why love, belonging, friendships, leadership, and community matter all the way from youth hockey to the NHL.

One of Steve’s biggest reminders applies far beyond the crease: young athletes are going to be people much longer than they are going to be hockey players.

Develop the goalie. Develop the competitor. But most importantly, help develop the person underneath the mask.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: What NHL Goalie Coaches See That Youth Hockey Often Misses

🎧 Whether you're raising a goalie, coaching one, playing the position yourself, or simply want to better understand the most unique position in hockey, this conversation belongs in your hockey education.

Listen, share it with your goalie community, and keep helping young athletes fall in love with the process of getting better.

#OurKidsPlayGoalie #GoalieDevelopment #YouthHockey #HockeyGoalie #GoalieTraining #GoalieParents #GoalieCoach #HockeyParents #HockeyCoaching #YouthGoalie #Goaltending #WisconsinHockey #NHLGoalieCoach #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyLife

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🧠🏒 Scanning the ice is important—but seeing what’s around you is only the beginning. The real hockey IQ comes from understanding what those cues are telling you.

On this edition of Our Kids Play Hockey IQ Talk with Albe, Lee Elias is joined by former NHL defenseman and NHL Sense Arena team member Andrew “Albe” Alberts to break down one of the biggest separators in player development: identifying cues.

A defender hesitates.

A teammate changes direction.

A passing lane opens.

Pressure arrives from one side.

A stick blade turns.

Those little details can completely change what the right play is—and great players learn how to recognize and process them in fractions of a second.

Albe explains what players should be looking for before they receive the puck, once they have it, and even when they’re playing without it.

🏒 In this episode, you’ll learn:

• What “identifying cues” actually means in hockey
• Why time, space, pressure, and support are foundational reads
• How shoulder checks and pre-scanning help players prepare before the puck arrives
• Why stick position, body position, speed, and direction all provide useful information
• How younger players can begin developing hockey awareness
• Why mistakes are essential to building hockey IQ
• Why coaches should create drills that force players to make decisions
• Why constantly yelling “pass,” “shoot,” or “move it” can actually limit development
• How players without the puck still have important reads and responsibilities
• How NHL Sense Arena’s multi-object tracking drill can help train anticipation and recognition

One of Albe’s most important reminders for coaches:

Every time you give a player the answer, you take away a decision they could have learned to make themselves.

That means development requires patience.

Players need opportunities to look, read, choose, fail, adjust, and try again.

🎧 Listen now for an inside look at how NHL players process the game—and how young athletes can begin building those same habits one decision at a time.

#OurKidsPlayHockey #HockeyIQ #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #HockeyCoaching #AndrewAlberts #HockeyAwareness #HockeySkills #DecisionMaking #YouthAthletes #NHLSenseArena #HockeyTraining

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🏒 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 move in a game that you’ve never practiced before.

The goal isn’t to take creativity away.

It’s to prepare your creativity so well that the move becomes automatic when the opportunity appears.

🏒 In this episode, players will learn:

• Why games aren’t always the best place to try a brand-new move
• How repetition builds muscle memory and confidence
• Why practice is where mistakes, experimentation, and creativity belong
• The difference between a calculated hockey risk and an unnecessary gamble
• How skills can be practiced at home, in the driveway, off the ice, or in VR
• Why great players still work relentlessly on skills they’ve already mastered
• How one skill becomes the foundation for the next
• Why coaches should give players room to experiment during practice
• How just 15 extra minutes of focused practice can add up over time
• Why the highlight-reel move you see today may have taken thousands of attempts to master

Lee and Mike also remind players that the stars making incredible plays at the highest levels didn’t simply decide to try those moves in a game.

They practiced.

They failed.

They repeated.

And eventually, the skill became part of their toolbox.

💪 Your challenge: Pick one hockey skill you want to improve and spend 15 focused minutes working on it consistently. Don’t worry about making it perfect immediately. Get the reps in.

Because when the right moment comes in a game, the best skills don’t feel forced.

They just happen.

🎧 Listen now, get your reps in, and keep adding tools to your game.

📖 Want a written version you can reference anytime? Check out our companion blog: Prepare, Believe, Reset: Want to Try That Hockey Move in a Game? Put in the Reps First

#TheRideToTheRink #YouthHockey #HockeyDevelopment #HockeySkills #HockeyTraining #HockeyPractice #YouthAthletes #HockeyPlayers #SkillDevelopment #HockeyConfidence #HockeyCoaching #HockeyMindset

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Hockey IQ: Scanning the ice, recognizing pressure, anticipating what happens next, making the right decision faster. Research shows these perceptual and decision-making skills can actually be trained. With NHL Sense Arena, kids can get extra game-like reps at home, working on hockey IQ, reactions, real stick-handling for skaters, while goalies can train reads and tracking. Save $25 on an annual plan with code OKPH at http://hockey.sensearena.com/okph

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