Glass & Out

In episode #229 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Dave Barr, who at the time of this recording was days away from opening training camp with the Chicago Wolves, where he begins his first season as the club’s Assistant Coach. After turning pro in 1981, Barr has spent every single season since then as a coach or General Manager in professional hockey, with the exception of 5 seasons, between 2003 and 2008 that he was with Guelph of the Ontario Hockey League. Listen as shares methods for improving a player's scanning, why even elite players need feedback, and his experience coaching a 15 year-old Connor Bedard.

In episode #228 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Manny Viveiros, who’s beginning his first season as the Head Coach of the WHL’s Vancouver Giants. Viveiros has had an incredible journey of ups and downs, including a battle with two types of cancer during his season coaching the AHL's Henderson Silver Knights. Thankfully, just prior to last season, he was deemed cancer free. Listen as shares how an emphasis on mental health helped him in his battle with cancer, lessons learned during his season playing for the legendary Herb Brooks, and how to implement pace into your team's play.

For episode #227 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we were fortunate to attend the Minnesota Hockey Directors Conference and be joined by newly named Head Coach of the Minnesota State Mavericks, Luke Strand. Strand is a friend of The Coaches Site, and needless to say our team is pumped for him and the Mavericks program. He’s earned this opportunity and has put together an amazing staff that knows how to prepare players for the rigours of professional hockey. Listen as shares the importance of getting players out of their comfort zone, why simple is best, and handling player mistakes.

Welcome back for season 7 of the Glass and Out Podcast! For epsiode #226, we're joined by friend of the pod and Edmonton Oilers Head Coach, Jay Woodcroft. He is entering his third season as the Head Coach of the Oilers with the best winning percentage of any coach in franchise history.  Last season, the Oilers were eliminated by the eventual Stanley Cup Champions, the Vegas Golden Knights in round 2. This season, well, fair to say there is only one goal in the City of Champions. Listen as shares his philosophy of repurposing disappointment, why it's important to "walk the talk" when it comes to building culture, and how a similar path in coaching led to a friendship with Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra.

Happy hockey season everyone! Host and TCS Founder Aaron Wilbur tees up what you can expect for season 7, including an exciting new partnership with State and Liberty and who we've got lined up for the season opener.   Don't forget to rate, comment, and subscribe!

In episode #225, we welcome two-time presenter at TCS Live, Paul Boutilier.  He has worn a lot of hats during his career, but currently works as a Defenceman Specialist, consulting with approximately 40 defenceman, several of whom are current NHL super stars through his company, the 44 Second group. As you'll find out in this episode, you'll be hard-pressed to find someone who has thought as much about playing defence as Paul has. Listen as shares his methods for improving a Dman's posture, why the funnel approach to defending should be flipped, and the importance of helping players understand concepts by writing it down.

In episode #224, we're joined by good friend of The Coaches Site  and upcoming TCS Live presenter Glen Gulutzan. When he steps on stage at TCS Live later this month at the University of Michigan, it will mark the 5th time he has presented at one of our events, and in the process he will hold the pole position when it comes to the most presentations all-time at a TCS event. But while there is a ton tactical knowledge he’s shared at the conference, the insights you can gleam from his coaching journey  in today's interview are equally as valuable. Listen as he discusses constraints, or lack of them on the power play, cutting your teeth as a coach in Las Vegas, and how he’s learned from all the coaches he’s worked with throughout his career.

In episode #223, we welcome The Coaches Site Contributor and upcoming TCS Live presenter Greg Revak. Revak is also the writer of the Hockey IQ newsletter and host of the Hockey IQ podcast. Best known for his deep dives into the X’s & O’s or tactical side of the game, his work often goes outside the game, and in some cases sport, to find inspiration and to reinforce his thinking when it comes to teaching the hockey and specifically, developing the cognitive ability of players. Listen as he discusses the evolution of the weak side D, why point shots suck and the traits required by a successful coach in today’s game.

In episode #222, we're pleased to be joined by John O’Sullivan, best selling author, Ted Talk speaker and the Founder & CEO of the Changing the Game Project. O'Sullivan's work and mission are to give Youth Sports back to our kids. He has made it is life’s work to provide a blueprint to providing kids a more holistic sporting experience, in which success is not predicated on kid’s eventually earning a paycheck or a college scholarship. Listen as he discusses the optimal mindset for a coach, how both youth and professional coaches need to focused on relationship building, and the impact of a positive sports experience for young people.

In episode #221, we're joined by friend of the show, Calgary Flames Assistant Coach Ryan Huska. He recently wrapped up his 5th season with the Flames and will be joining us at TCS Live, hockey’s premiere coaching conference, next June at the University of Michigan. Huska will be presenting on the penalty kill and as you’ll hear in this episode, has a lot to offer on the subject. Listen as he discusses the special teams chess match that takes during a playoff series, being intentional about finding time to build relationships with players and the coaches he admires outside of hockey.

In episode #220, we had the honor of being joined by John Paris Jr., the first black coach in professional hockey. During the 1993-94 season, he was hired by the Atlanta Knights of the now defunct, International Hockey League, marking the first time a person of colour had been appointed the Head Coach of a pro hockey team. The move paid off as the Knights would capture the Turner Cup and an IHL Championship that same season. Listen as he discusses how he overcame the adversity of being a black hockey player and coach, the story of being scouted by Scotty Bowman, and the drive to get him inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

In episode #219, we're joined by Lee MJ Elias, who can be best described as a bit of a Swiss Army Knife in that he has accomplished a lot in our game, albeit in a number of different roles. Elias is an award-winning author and currently the Co-Chair of the Hockey Operations Committee and Assistant Coach of the Puerto Rico Men’s National Team. He is also the co-host of the Our Kids Play Hockey Podcast, which was awarded the top hockey podcast by the Sports Podcast Awards in 2022. Listen as he shares how to best manage your time to ensure you get the right stuff accomplished, strategies for growing the game, and why sports is a vehicle to bring people together.

In episode #218, we welcome two friends to the show: Newly named Head Coach of the AHL's San Diego Gulls, Matt McIlvane, and his former Assistant Coach with EC Red Bull Salzburg, Ben Cooper. Fresh off a second consecutive win2day ICE Hockey League championship with Red Bull, the two joined to give us a behind the scenes look on their road to a repeat.  Listen as they the incredible story behind their final series comeback victory, why composure was a key element to overcoming adversity, and why championship teams need to get the locker room right.

Head Coach of St. Cloud State women's hockey team, Brian Idalski, joins us for episode #217. Idalski is coming off his first season leading the Huskies' program and was named the US College Hockey Online National Coach of the Year, as his team made significant strides in virtually every defensive and offensive area of the game. Listen as he shares why pattern recognition is key to helping players process the game, coaching Team China in the Olympics, and how to get your team to buy into blocking shots.

In episode #216, we welcome Performance Coach and Founder of Deviate, Ryan Blanck. To date, Blanck has worked with over half of the team’s in the NFL, including the league itself, the iconic entertainment industry agency, the William Morris Endeavor, professional athletes, leading universities such as Penn State, Clemson, Vanderbilt and Stanford, along with executives from major corporations to start-ups. He will also be presenting at TCS Live, taking place June 22-24 at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. Hear him discuss why empathy is the number one skill needed by leaders, what erodes culture and what it takes to be a leader worth following.

In episode #215, we we're joined by Detroit Red Wings Assistant Coach Jay Varady. Varady has had a remarkable trajectory since his early coaching days with the WHL's expansion Everett Silvertips, and yet there is much more to be written in his story. Today, we discuss the origin of analytics in hockey, implementing process & structure into a program, and how to navigate when to make the jump in one’s coaching career.

In episode #214, we welcome former NHLer and current Cognitive Performance Coach Aaron Volpatti. He is also the author of the book FIGHTER: Defying the NHL Odds, an autobiography on how he turned tragedy into triumph on his unlikely journey to playing in the National Hockey League. Listen as we discuss how he learned to leverage his mind to make an unlikely return to the ice following his severe burns that almost took his life, how that experience became a skill later in his career, and how coaches can offer support in their athletes visualizing their own peak performance.

In episode #213, USA Hockey's National Coach-in-Chief Mike MacMillan joins the show. MacMillan's role, along with the regional coach-in-chiefs, is to make decisions on how to best educate hockey coaches, and ultimately have a direct influence on the development opportunity afforded to young players in the US. Listen as he discusses the pageantry that is the Minnesota High School Championships, how tech is evolving coach education, and the positive role the game plays in supporting the overall development young boys and girls.

In episode #212, Erie Otters Head Coach Stan Butler stops by. Butler recently returned behind the bench after a two year break and is currently in his 26th season coaching in the CHL. He’s coached in over 1,600 OHL games and won 742 of them, ranking him in the top 5 in league history in both categories. Hear him discuss the influence his teaching career has had on his coaching career, the decision to stay in Junior hockey, and why he still has the juice to chase that elusive OHL crown with the Erie Otters.

In episode #211, we welcome Skating Coach Katy Jo West to the show. She is the founder of Katy Jo Power Skating, based just outside of Denver, Colorado, where she works with everyone from two and three year-old’s stepping onto the ice for the first time, right up to NHL players. West is also a presenter at this year's Global Skills Showcase, hosted by The Coaches Site. Listen as she discusses the fundamentals of becoming a great skater, getting comfortable with being unconventional, and hacks to running a business that requires you to be on the ice 40+ hours per week.