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

If you've been with me since the very beginning, then you already know how special this episode is because my very first guest is back, and I truly cannot think of a more perfect full circle moment than this one! Krystie Letang joined me when I hit record for the first time, and here we are again with a story so wild, so perfectly woven together, that I got goosebumps more times than I can count.

Since that first episode with Krystie, the hockey world has done what it does best and pulled people back together in the most unexpected ways. Her husband Alan Letang has just been named head coach of EC Red Bull Salzburg in the ICEHL, and if that isn't enough of a full circle moment for you, Jay has been brought on as his assistant coach! 25 years after Alan and Jay were teammates on the Saint John Flames of the AHL, they are now sharing a bench again. You truly cannot make this stuff up.

As you'll hear, Krystie and I still have never met in person, but that is all about to change soon, and if this conversation is any indication, Salzburg doesn't stand a chance.

Did something in this conversation I had with Krystie 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 my very first podcast guest has come back with a story so full of full circle moments that I lost count of my goosebumps

• Why I slid into Krystie's DMs the second I saw the Salzburg announcement, and before I even told Jay I was going to do it

• How Alan and Jay went from AHL teammates on the Saint John Flames 25 years ago to sharing a bench again in one of Europe's top leagues

• The way signs kept showing up everywhere before the contract was even signed

• What the side of this life that nobody sees actually looks like, from the job loss to the panic to the "what if this never comes together" conversations happening behind closed doors

• How we went from a 37-degree apartment full of moving boxes to building a fence, flying to a wedding, and signing visas all in the same week

• What stepping into the coach's wife role at the highest level yet means to Krystie, and why she refuses to sit in a separate section from anyone

• A look at the guilt of being genuinely excited for a brand new chapter and how it sits with you when your kids aren't coming along for this one

• What both Krystie and I are each hoping to gain from this season and why "be epic" might just be our unofficial four-person family motto going forward
  
  

LINKS:

Alan's Hockey Profile

Krystie's Instagram

My First Episode with Krystie

19: How Bryce Reddick Forged His Own Path Beyond His NHL Father's Legacy

14: The Midlife Unraveling: Petra Boumedienne on Health, Hormones, and Finding Yourself Beyond the Rink

If there is one guest who could rival the hockey world's frequent flyer record, it might just be today's! Dominique Wishart has spent over a decade navigating life as the partner of Ty Wishart, a professional hockey player who spent 17 years suiting up across North America and Europe before the family packed their bags one final time for the ultimate destination: Melbourne, Australia. From a chance meeting at a co-ed softball tournament in the Okanagan to raising three kids across Germany, the Czech Republic, and now the Land of Oz, Dom's story is one of the most layered, honest, and beautifully chaotic journeys I've ever had the pleasure of hearing.

Through every cross-continental move, missed championship, and bare-naked dash across a Czech gynecologist's office, Dom proves that home isn't a place. Rather, it's the life you build with the people you love, wherever in the world you happen to land.

Did something in this conversation I had with Dominique 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:

• The co-ed softball tournament that brought Dom and Ty together and why she was absolutely, definitely not interested in him at the time

• How the long distance between them ended up being the unexpected secret to building a stronger foundation early on

• The story behind naming their daughter Scotland and why a Czech hospital full of nurses quietly decided otherwise

• What it's actually like to have your first baby overseas when almost nobody in the building speaks your language

• The COVID baby plot twist that turned a dropped Expedia call into a sign from the Universe

• Why they drove to Italy anyway with a newborn, no passport AND the world's biggest stroller

• The wives and girlfriends hierarchy in European hockey and what Dom's dream first year in Germany set her up completely unprepared for

• Ty's retirement and the unexpected way Australia gave him the perfect bridge to it

• The role reversal moment when her husband walked into the same career she'd spent a decade building

• Why the hardest stretch of their marriage had nothing to do with distance

• The honest conversation about raising kids without family close by and what their youngest's personality might be telling them

• Rapid fire questions for Dom, including the very first thing she Googles in a new city
  
  

LINKS:

Ty's Hockey Profile

We often hear from women who have spent a decade or two navigating the hockey world, and I've introduced you to many already on this podcast but today I am thrilled to bring you a completely fresh perspective from someone brand new to the game! Kaylee Steele has been by her fiance (soon-to-be husband) goalie Rico DiMatteo's side through a winding NCAA journey across three universities before he made the jump to the pros last season with Pensacola and Rapid City. From navigating a long distance relationship to managing a remote social media career, Kaylee is getting a crash course in what it truly means to build a life on the move.

In this episode, we get incredibly real about the unedited, unglamorous side of this industry, especially when you are a self-proclaimed control freak dealing with the unpredictable minor leagues. We dive into Rico's medical miracle of a comeback after two major hip surgeries, the mystery of why goalies take 45 minutes to leave the locker room when they didn't even play, and a terrifying freak accident with their puppy that showed them the beautiful rallying power of the hockey community.

Through every chaotic, mid-season trade and canceled flight, Kaylee is proving that when it is just the two of you against the world, the bond you build can survive ANY curveball!

Did something in this conversation I had with Kaylee 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:

• The hockey world coincidence that proved to us right away just how incredibly small and interconnected this community really is

• How Kaylee's original plan to be a wingwoman at a college party completely backfired, in the best way possible, for both her and Rico

• The long-distance hustle she navigated balancing a full-time job and online school while living with her future in-laws

• Rico's grueling injury journey through two separate hip labrum surgeries, and how it altered the trajectory of his career before it even started

• The untraditional training method and mindset shift that truly gave Rico his hockey career back and inspired his new mentoring business

• Welcome to pro hockey: the emotional rollercoaster of getting engaged, getting a call-up, and having a flight canceled while the car was packed for the airport

• The way Kaylee is balancing a grueling 40-hour work week with pregame meals, dog walks, and arriving at the rink by 5:15 PM

• Busting the "glamorous lifestyle" myth and shedding a light on the unedited reality of being a hockey partner

• Kaylee's thoughts on adjusting to the heavy ECHL game load, weekday matchups, and the loneliness of surviving 11-day road trips as a rookie partner

• The terrifying night their adopted puppy broke his leg at the rink, and the miracle of a season ticket holder opening her vet clinic at midnight to save the day

• The great dressing room mystery: why it takes goalies 45 minutes to exit the locker room on nights they sat on the bench

• We dive into the financial and logistical gap of team-sponsored moves before you are officially married

• How the threat of sudden mid-season trades builds an unbreakable, "us-against-the-world" bond early in a relationship
  
  

LINKS:

Kaylee's Instagram & TikTok

Rico's Hockey Profile

Today's guest didn't plan on reaching out to a stranger on the internet. But after her husband's team missed the playoffs by just one point, she found herself up late, looking for something, and anyone, who actually got it. That search led her to my podcast, and I couldn't be happier to bring our conversation to you.

Carrie Martin has been alongside Joel Martin for 22 years, through the CHL, ECHL, AHL, a season in Denmark with two bikes and no car, and eventually back to Kalamazoo, where Joel finished his playing career and walked organically into coaching with the same organization he'd called home. She's seen every version of this life: the uncertainty of one-year contracts, the chaos of moving, the particular loneliness of being a goalie's wife when the crowd decides it's someone's fault. The best part? Carrie is still standing, still laughing about most of it.

I absolutely love hearing how after turning 40, walking away from grad school, and borrowing a patch of land from a grumpy vegetable farmer named Rick, Carrie built a flower farming business that's become completely her own. She's now breeding her own dahlia line, growing out of a field behind her son's gym, operating on pure instinct and the belief that the right people will find you if you just keep going.

I want to thank Carrie again for reaching out to me and coming on to the show, and I'm excited for you to meet this incredible woman so you can hear about her experiences in this crazy hockey life!

Did something in this conversation I had with Carrie 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:

• Why the loneliness felt as a player or coach's wife is harder to name than people think

• What it was like for Carrie and Joel to pack into an Impala with a goalie's gear and just go, city after city, figuring it out as they went

• The Denmark Chapter: showing up with suitcases, no car, no language, and a bike that kept getting flat tires in the snow

• The unspoken weight of being a goalie's wife, including the playoff hives, the chirping fans, and the pregnant exit from a green ice game she'd rather forget

• How moving from player's wife to coach's wife quietly complicated friendships, seating arrangements, and the question Carrie asks of where exactly she belongs now

• Why both Joel (and my husband Jason) build rosters around character first, and how Carrie carries that same instinct into how she shows up for the people around her

• The night she decided grad school wasn't for her, and how a friend's flower field changed everything for Carrie

• What breeding dahlias has taught her about patience, uncertainty, and the strange joy of not knowing what you're going to get

• The one thing hockey has given her that Carrie never could have planned for, and why she's learned to feel it fully before the final whistle blows
  
  

LINKS:

Carrie's Website & Instagram

Joel's Hockey Profile

What does it mean to grow up as the son of an NHL Stanley Cup champion and then carve out your own 13-year professional hockey career across two continents? For today's special guest, Bryce Reddick (son of former NHL goalie Eldon "Pokey" Reddick), it meant navigating the constant pressure of living up to a legendary name while building his own identity one contract at a time!

Bryce takes us behind the scenes of a journeyman's reality: the constant uncertainty of one-year contracts, learning to enter new locker rooms without fear, and the mental challenge of never quite knowing where "home" is. He shares candid insights about the pressure of being "Pokey's son" everywhere he went, the decision to forge his own path without relying on his father's NHL connections, and why the relationships matter more than the stats.

Now transitioning into coaching with the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers, Bryce reveals why he walked away from playing at 35, the shocking difference between coaching and playing hours, and what he's learned about the mental side of the game. From early morning summer skates with his dad to finding "home" after years of constant movement, this is a story about adaptability, self-awareness, and knowing when to shift gears.

Did something in this conversation I had with Bryce 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!

(Before you hit play on this one, if you missed last week's episode with Bryce's mom, Melissa, be sure to go back and hear her side of the Reddick family's hockey journey)!

Just some of the highlights you'll hear:

• The challenge Bryce faced being the son of NHL Stanley Cup winner Eldon "Pokey" Reddick and forging his own identity in professional hockey

• How growing up in a hockey family across multiple cities taught him the social skills and adaptability that shaped his adult life and coaching career

• What made Bryce walk away from playing at 35 to pursue coaching and why he felt the pressure to start immediately despite still being able to play

• The brutal honesty about how long-distance relationships destroyed two meaningful partnerships and the mental toll it took on his playing career

• A fascinating look at the father-son dynamic between Bryce and his dad, including early morning summer skates and the decision to let Bryce forge his own path without NHL connections

• How winning three championships in Cardiff created lifelong bonds and why those relationships remain some of the most important ones in Bryce's life

• The shocking reality of coaching hours compared to playing and why he now understands what players never see behind the scenes

• What Bryce learned about the mental side of hockey being 90 percent of the game and why he says that confidence comes from what you do when no one is watching

• The struggle to call anywhere "home" after 13 years of constant movement and how he's learning to be present for the first time in his coaching career
  
  

LINKS:

Bryce's Hockey Profile

Pokey's Hockey Profile

18: How Melissa Rach Built a Legacy of a Connected Family After the NHL