🏒 What does it really mean to be tough in hockey?

In this episode of Our Girls Play Hockey, PWHL Ottawa star Gabbie Hughes joins Hayley and Lee to open up about her journey from Minnesota pond hockey to professional play—and her fight to bring mental health into the conversation through Sophie’s Squad.

Awarded the 2023 Hockey Humanitarian Award, Gabbie proves that leadership goes far beyond the ice. She shares the real story behind Sophie’s Squad, the pressures young athletes face, and how vulnerability can be the strongest skill in your game.

🔥 Highlights Include:

• How Gabbie turned early doubts into a Division I and pro hockey career 🌟

• The powerful story of Sophie’s Squad and its mission to support young athletes 💜

• Rethinking “toughness” in hockey—why emotions are strength, not weakness 🧠

• Practical mental health strategies for players, coaches, and parents 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦

• Life beyond the rink: finding identity outside of being “just a hockey player” 🤔

This is more than another episode—it’s a blueprint for creating healthier teams, stronger athletes, and a more supportive hockey community.

🎧 Listen now and join the movement to end the stigma around mental health in sports.

📚 Learn more about Sophie’s Squad at sophiessquad.org

📖 Want a written version of this episode you can reference anytime?
Check out our companion blog: Beyond the Ice: Gabby Hughes on Hockey, Mental Health, and the Power of Sophie’s Squad

#HockeyMentalHealth #SophiesSquad #AthleteWellness #OurGirlsPlayHockey #PWHLOttawa

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