Today I am sitting down with someone who I can only describe as the true trifecta of the hockey world. Carlin McCrimmon-Phillips grew up as a hockey daughter, became a hockey wife, and now navigates life as a hockey coach's wife. She is the daughter of the late Brad McCrimmon, an 18-year NHL veteran, Stanley Cup champion, and beloved coach whose name is forever etched into the fabric of this game.

This episode is one that I have been looking forward to for a long time, and I want to say upfront that Carlin approached this conversation with such grace, such warmth, and such incredible honesty that I truly had no words at times. We start at the very beginning, September 7, 2011, the date when everything in her life changed, and Carlin walks us through that unimaginable morning in a way that is raw, real, and at times even surprisingly beautiful.

This conversation is one I will never forget, so Carlin, thank you for trusting me with your story. This one is truly special.

For listeners, we'd love to hear your thoughts on this episode, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and you don't want to miss the conclusion of my talk with this incredible guest, and human being, next time on the podcast!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• How Carlin found out about the plane crash on the morning of September 7, 2011 and what that first day looked like for her family

• Why her dad's goodbye the morning he left for Russia felt different from any other goodbye their family had ever had

• How Hockey Canada, the Canadian Consulate, and the people around them made it possible to bring him home and what this meant to her

• The way Carlin's family leaned on the Probert family, who understood their loss in a way few others could

• How they honoured Brad at their first year in Calgary, and why hearing his voice for the first time on that tribute video hit differently for everyone in the room

• What Carlin did at her wedding just three weeks ago to make sure her dad was there without making it sad

• What it was really like growing up as Brad McCrimmon's daughter, from playing laser tag in the basement in Saskatoon to culture shock in Atlanta where nobody really knew what hockey was

• Why Atlanta turned out to be one of her favourite chapters despite being the hardest move

• The culture of giving back that was woven into their family from day one, and why Carlin was the kid asking her mom if she could skip school to go to Children's Hospital of Atlanta

LINKS:

Brad McCrimmon's Hockey Profile

Plane crash kills KHL team in hockey's 'darkest day'

Today I am sitting down with Natalie Weyers, all the way from Calgary (and yes, we did have to navigate quite the time difference to make this one happen)! Natalie is the fiancée of Calgary Flames goalie Devin Cooley, and from the very first minute of our conversation I just absolutely loved her energy and everything she is doing both on and off the ice.

Natalie's story is one that so many of us in this life will relate to: giving up career opportunities, navigating long distance, moving across borders with a remote job, and just figuring it out as you go. But what really drew me to Natalie is the way she has carved out something truly meaningful for herself here in Calgary through her work with Parachutes for Pets and the absolutely adorable Tito's Treasures program, which came to life because of her very famous seven year old mini lop bunny, Tito, who I have to say might just be the most well known bunny in the NHL right now.

This one had me smiling from start to finish and I think it will do the same for you!

Did something in this conversation I had with Natalie resonate with you? I'd love to hear about it, so let us know over on Instagram, @wereinonepod, and we'll see you back soon for another hard-hitting episode!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• How Natalie ended up as a wing woman at a bar in Milwaukee and walked away with a whole new life she never saw coming

• What it really felt like to pass up stable career opportunities in Wisconsin to follow this life, and why she has zero regrets at all

• The drive to Calgary that involved a drunk driver, a semi truck full of exploding whipped cream cans, two flat tires, and Tito in the back of a police car in Canmore

• What Tito's Treasures is, how it came to life, and why small animals like rabbits are so often misunderstood as starter pets

• How Devin's now viral quote turned into a fundraiser that raised around $70,000 for Parachutes for Pets

• The career challenge nobody talks about when you are with a pro athlete, and why identity and purpose matter so much more than people on the outside realize

• What Devin's pregame routine actually looks like and why Natalie takes the dog to the park and disappears for a few hours on game days

• How Natalie handles reading comments about her fiancé online and why being a goalie's partner comes with its own very specific brand of fan opinions

• The question people ask her constantly that she would love to never hear again

• Why Natalie and Devin are waiting until 2028 to get married, and the Michigan estate venue that might just be the one
  
  

LINKS:

Natalie's Instagram & TikTok

Devin's Hockey Profile

Parachute for Pets Website & Instagram

Tito's Treasures

Tito's Instagram

Calgary Flames Foundation

Calgary Humane Society

AARCS Calgary

Welcome back to another solo, and I will be the first to admit I am just as nervous as I was the first time! If you caught my last solo episode, you know I got a lot of questions about relocation, and I tucked them away because I knew this topic deserved its very own episode.

The timing felt right because we literally just made a move ourselves, so everything I am about to share is as fresh as it gets. From tracking down a new groomer for a dog that looks absolutely homeless right now, to closing bank accounts across multiple countries, to the very real grief of saying goodbye to places and people you have grown to love. There is so much that happens behind the scenes of this lifestyle that nobody ever talks about and there's stories of salami, pigeons and even a lost phone and the stress that came with that in this one.

This is the episode I could not wait to make, and I promise you, I have only scratched the surface.

And if these stories have you wanting more, I have been working on something really special; my book is almost at the finish line and I cannot wait for you to read it. There is an entire chapter or two dedicated to our time in Romania alone, and trust me, you are not going to want to miss it. Stay tuned, and as always, I'd love for you to reach out to me on Instagram, @wereinonepod with any questions or feedback you may have!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• What I affectionately refer to this lifestyle we live as, and why that is genuinely the most accurate way to describe everything that comes with starting over in a brand new city

• The checklist nobody prepares you for, including closing bank accounts across three different countries at the same time

• How I finally had to surrender to the idea that stability is something I will always chase in a life that will never actually give it to me

• The grief that hits about ten days after every move and why I have learned to say my goodbyes a certain way just to protect my own heart

• What it really costs to move every year and three apartment hunting stories from Hungary that I still cannot believe actually happened

• The road trip to Romania that I am convinced I nearly did not survive, and how I felt when I genuinely did not know where in the world I was

• How Romania went from the place I cried the entire way to, to one of the most meaningful chapters of my life and a whole section of the book I am writing

• What it was like to wake up to 250 heads of cattle parading past our front gate on our very first morning in Romania and the day I was left without a phone and in Scotland with not a single phone number memorized

• Why I am saying yes to everything this season, what that decision means to me, and the episode that inspired it
  
  

LINKS:

11: Unsupervised : No Game Plan

12: Vibes, Vision & Living Fully: How Catie McDonald Built a Life Through Hockey

17: How Tina Tuzzolino Navigated the Identity Shift from Player's Wife to Coach's Spouse