The Rink Live

Joe O'Donnell has paid some dues before the Minnesota Wild hired him as a radio play-by-play announcer. O'Donnell, who grew up in Havertown, Pa., started his broadcasting career at the University of Delaware as a color commentator for its club hockey team. After graduating from college, O'Donnell worked for the Reading Royals (2003-05) and Idaho Steelheads (2005-08) in the ECHL and then in the AHL for the Wild's affiliates (Houston Aeros, 2008-13; and Iowa Wild, 2013-21). He discusses his career, this season's Wild team, some Wild prospects and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.

Early in this season, Mike Hastings has coached the top-ranked team in NCAA Division I men's hockey at Minnesota State University-Mankato. The Mavericks (4-2) are ranked No. 2/3 this weekend and begin CCHA play against Northern Michigan this weekend. Hastings talks about his current team, playing for Herb Brooks, coaching with Dean Blais, how the United States Hockey League has changed over the years and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.

Joel Johnson has some busy days this fall. The USA women's national hockey team has set up base in Blaine and Johnson is the head coach for the Americans. Oh by the way, his day job is being the head coach of the University of St. Thomas women's team, which is in its first season as an NCAA Division I program. Johnson discusses his juggling act and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.

Bob Motzko will have a bit of a homecoming this weekend. He will be behind the bench for a game at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center for the first time since he left St. Cloud State to become the head coach at the University of Minnesota. in 2018. Motzko talks about his time at St. Cloud State, discusses the Gophers' opening weekend, tells stories about growing up in Austin, shares a good Herb Brooks story, discusses hockey in Sioux Falls and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.

Joe Micheletti grew up in a family with nine kids in Hibbing and his family name has been synonymous with hockey in Minnesota for decades. In 1973, Micheletti helped Hibbing win a state title and he went on to help the University of Minnesota win national titles in 1974 and 1976. He went on to play in the WHA and NHL as a defenseman. He talks about all of this, previews the NHL season and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.

The Rink Live reporters Jess Myers, Mick Hatten, Brad Schlossman and Matt Wellens discuss the opening of the WCHA season, St. Thomas hockey, the CCHA, Gophers men, Big Ten hockey and more in this episode.

Phil Fox grew up in Stillwater and played junior hockey in the United States Hockey League and North American Hockey League before playing four seasons (2007-11) at Northern Michigan. As he begins his third season as the head coach and general manager of the NAHL's New Mexico Wolves, Fox discusses what has changed in the league since he played in it, playing for Wildcats head coach Walt Kyle, becoming a dad for the second time and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.

University of St. Thomas men's hockey assistant coach Leon Hayward's hockey career has taken him from the East Coast to Texas to Colorado before ending up in St. Paul for the first season of NCAA Division I hockey with the Tommies. But it all started in ... Seattle. Hayward talks about growing up and playing hockey on the West Coast, playing and coaching prep hockey on the East Coast, playing pro hockey, coaching at Colorado College and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.

On July 28, Ashley Chase was named the director of operations, media relations and play-by-play broadcaster for the St. Cloud Norsemen in the North American Hockey League. She is the first female team play-by-play broadcaster across junior hockey in the United States. She discusses her new job, how she became a hockey fan growing up in a small town in Pennsylvania, breaks news on Eric Schlie and former St. Cloud State defenseman Clark Kuster being named assistant coaches for the Norsemen and more with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers. Schlie spent the last five seasons as an assistant coach at Valor Christian High School in Highlands Ranch, Colo., as a boys hockey assistant coach under head coach George Gwozdecky.

Last week, Cory Laylin was named a new assistant men's hockey coach for the University of St. Thomas after spending the last seven seasons as the head coach at Hamline University. He fills the position vacated by Stu Bickel, who took a job as an assistant coach in the AHL. Laylin was a star for St. Cloud Apollo High School, then played for the University of Minnesota (1988-92) and played professionally in the United States, Germany, Denmark, Italy, Slovenia and Austria before retiring in 2008. He shares memories from his playing days and talks coaching with The Rink Live's Mick Hatten and Jess Myers.