prohockeypod

Finnish Legend Petri Vehanen joined the prohockeypod this week. Petri and I work together with the Adler Mannheim and I have got to know him well. Petri was a late bloomer who’s mindset was simple: work hard everyday. It ended up paying off as he went on to play 20 years professionally, win a KHL Championship, Gold Medal for Finland at the 2011 World Championships and lastly, had his number retired by Lukko Rauma. He had quite the run and now is sharing his knowledge to the goalie’s in Mannheim. It is very inspirational to see everything he achieved. If you like underdog stories then this episode is for you. Hope you enjoy!

Yannick is a young German prospect known for his work ethic and playing for the Adler Mannheim in the DEL. We talked about his minor hockey journey in Germany that eventually led to him signing a DEL contract. Yannick also was drafted to the WHL and talked about his experience in Spokane. He is one of the happiest people i have met who is always smiling and excited to come to the rink everyday to put in the work. He is a great kid with a bright future ahead of him. Hope you enjoy!

Jordan is another Burlington guy who I grew up with and spent a lot of time training together. He is known for his hard work ethic and I have seen that first hand. Jordan went the OHL route, was drafted to the NHL and played 9 seasons of North American Pro in the AHL, which also included 50 games in the NHL. He then headed off to the KHL in Russia before coming to Germany. He is currently in his 3rd season with the Adler Mannheim. We talked about his journey and what he learned from his hard road. Jordan has always stuck to his morales and been the hardest working guy day in and day out. Good lesson for all the young athletes out there. Hope you enjoy!

The Union Dutchmen alumni are back. Happy to have been able to chat with Wayne Simpson this week. Wayne is currently in his 11th pro season and 5th with the ERC Ingolstadt in Germany. We talked about his childhood in Georgia and how he grew up in an athletic family with a passion for doing well in both sports and in the classroom. Wayne talked a lot about the importance of being confident and how it can translate to your game. We dabbled in his college days, the famous workouts and his rise through pro in NA and now in Germany. Hope you enjoy!

It was awesome to sit down with Shea Tiley this week. Shea is a Clarkson Alumni who won 2 National Titles and has represented Canada on multiple occasions internationally with the women’s team. She has been a big part of the growth of the women’s pro league in NA and continues to help promote the brand. Shea educated me on the progress of the new league and everything that goes into it behind the scenes. Very surprising to hear how much goes into it but great to hear all the hard work is paying off. Many great things ahead for women’s hockey. Hope you enjoy!

It was great to sit down with ERC Ingolstadt GM Tim Regan this week. Tim grew up in Massachusetts before earning himself a D1 Scholarship to RPI for hockey. After earning his degree, Tim headed to Germany (for 1 year) and hasn’t returned since. He carved out a long playing career, been a coach on the German National Team and is now a GM. He had some great insight and advice on how he got to where he is and what he believes the foundations are. If you are someone interested in being a player/coach/GM in EU, then this episode is for you. Hope you enjoy!  

This week I wanted to take some time to discuss the importance and remind athletes to Appreciate the Game and Enjoy the Ride. I talked about different levels of a player’s hockey journey and what I feel is important to learn/remember with each step. At the end of the day, be grateful to the game and enjoy the experience. Its YOUR journey, do not compare it to others and take it all in. Hope you enjoy!

Jake is a guy who has shown throughout his career that progression is possible if you are willing to put in the hard work. From the USHL to Clarkson University before signing an NHL contract and now playing in Europe, Jake has always found a way to keep improving his game and being a wanted addition to any team. He shared a lot of good insight on his experiences and lessons he learned along the way. Hope you enjoy!

Robby is a professional hockey player who grew up in California and is currently playing in Slovakia. We talked about what drew him to the sport and how it was for him playing hockey in Cali at a young age. He went on to play 4 years D1 for St. Cloud University and earned himself a degree in broadcasting. Robby is big on reflection and enjoying the moment, which I believe is a good for everyone to learn and helps you mentally rejuvenate . Hope you enjoy!

Mat Bodie joined the prohockeypod this week. He is a long time pro and leader by nature. We took a trip down memory lane from his time at Union College where he ended as a National Champion before embarking on his professional career. We dove a lot into how he is a leader and his belief on the best characteristics to be one. Honestly, i can see why his teammates look up to him and have so much respect. Hard to not run through a wall for this guy. Hope you enjoy!