USA Hockey introduces its new Development League (DL) on this episode of the USA Hockey Next Gen Podcast. Host Dave Fischer is joined by Scott Paluch, who will serve as DL Commissioner, and Bob Mancini, Assistant Executive Director of Hockey Development, to discuss why the league was created, how programs were selected, and what its launch means for American hockey.

#usahockey #developmentleague #teamusa

Episode Description:

Lyndsey Fry and Drew Shore sit down with Rod Braceful,senior director of the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, to breakdown how the NTDP develops players, evaluates talent, and prepares teenagersfor hockey and life. The conversation also digs into how the changing collegehockey landscape is affecting recruiting, and why the program still emphasizescharacter, drive, and versatility over pure skill.

Key Points From This Episode:

00:00 - Welcome to the podcast and Rod’s role with the NTDP

05:10 - How NCAA changes are making recruiting morecompetitive

17:22 - How to choose between a better player today and abetter player later

24:00 - What a full NTDP day looks like and the life skillsplayers learn

29:19 - What parents and players should start, stop, andcontinue doing

34:10 - Why late bloomers and overlooked players still havea real path

37:30 - Rapid-fire questions and Rod’s bestplayer-development advice

38:57 - How NHL teams should rethink player developmentafter drafting

41:14 - Closing thoughts on camaraderie, development, andprogram success

Links:

USA Hockey - ⁠⁠https://www.usahockey.com⁠⁠

USA Hockey National Development Team Program: https://www.usahockeyntdp.com/

Drew Shore - ⁠https://www.drewshore.com⁠⁠

Lyndsey Fry - ⁠⁠https://fryhockey.com/⁠

Episode Description:
In this episode, Drew Shore and Lyndsey Fry sit down with Mike Garman, Associate Head Hockey Coach at Notre Dame and former head coach and general manager of the Chicago Steel, to discuss recruiting, player development, and the mental side of hockey success. They explore how young players can continue to improve, why versatility is such a valuable asset, and how parents can best support their kids throughout their hockey journey.
Key Points From This Episode:

00:00 - Season 2 begins: what listeners can expect from thepodcast

01:36 - Why college recruiting and NIL make Mike’sperspective timely

02:39 - Lindsay’s recruiting path and the importance ofeducation

04:43 - Drew’s path through the national development programand University of Denver

05:31 - Why academics can narrow college hockeyopportunities

06:20 - Introducing Mike from Notre Dame

07:09 - How a temporary goalie-coach role became a coachingcareer

10:03 - What set elite USHL players apart beyond talent

11:32 - Balancing strengths with weakness development

13:22 - Teaching players to think the game and make the nextplay

17:34 - Recruiting timelines and why grades matter so much

19:30 - Late bloomers and why 16 is not the whole story

20:29 - What college coaches look for in a recruit

22:44 - Work ethic, attitude, and competing through mistakes

23:50 - How parents should think about development foryounger players

26:39 - Where families should invest limited resources

29:47 - Do 3-on-3 and small-area games create bad habits?

32:02 - Shooting habits that create better goal-scoringchances

37:30 - Training game-like situations and using incentivesin practice

39:22 - Why versatility at multiple positions increasesopportunity

41:41 - Notre Dame freshman Sammy Nelson and rapid firebegins

42:36 - Why trying to fool college coaches is a bad idea

46:01 - Post-interview reflections from Lindsay and Drew

48:00 - Why recovery after mistakes matters more thanperfection

51:13 - Top takeaways for parents and players

Links:

USA Hockey - ⁠⁠https://www.usahockey.com⁠⁠

Drew Shore - ⁠https://www.drewshore.com⁠⁠

Lindsey Fry - ⁠⁠https://fryhockey.com/⁠