Glass & Out

In episode 139 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Stanley Cup champ and NHL coach Kirk Muller. Ask anyone who has had a chance to meet or be coached by Muller, and they'd likely tell you that he fits the profile of a "modern coach" to a tee. With the shift from a dictatorship style of leadership, to one where the leader seeks to connect with their team, he has made relationship building a priority in every stop he's made throughout his career. Muller had a remarkable NHL playing career of 19 seasons and nearly 1500 games, highlighted by scoring the Stanley Cup clinching goal for Montreal in Game 5 of the 1993 Final. Following retirement, he would get his first shot at coaching with Queen's University in 2005. After just one season, he'd make the jump to the NHL and join his former club in Montreal as an assistant coach. In total, Muller has spent 10 of 15 seasons behind an NHL bench as an assistant with the Canadiens. His lone head coaching gig came with the Carolina Hurricanes for three seasons (2011-2

As a country of just 5.5 million people, Finland’s success in hockey at the global and professional level has been impressive to say the least. Just how have they been able to do it while competing with larger countries? We welcome today’s guest, Finnish National Men’s Team head coach Jukka Jalonen to shed some light on the topic. Few coaches have been more instrumental in the growth of Finnish hockey. A big shift can be traced back to 2009, when Jalonen and the Finnish Ice Hockey Association held a summit, recognizing that they were not putting enough of an emphasis on skill development at the grassroots levels. Specifically, they recognized the value of having all clubs following the same program and hired coaches to oversee and deliver it on a regional basis. The key to doing it was to provide all young players an equal development opportunity and to take the focus away from wins and losses. With over three decades of coaching experience, Jalonen’s resume includes two World Championship gold medals (2011,

Fresh off his appearance at last month’s Global Skills Showcase, Philadelphia Flyers Player development coach John Riley joins us this week for a new episode. Riley presented on the topic of creating options, where he broke down how to teach the mechanics of deception. It was definitely a highlight of the week. If you didn’t get a chance to watch it, the full presentation will be available to members of The Coaches Site later this spring. Now in his 13th season with the Flyers, Riley has been able to work his way up the coaching ladder without the pedigree of a professional playing career. Through a true dedication to his craft and studying what goes into creating an elite player, he’s been able to ensure that he brings the most value to each organization he’s worked for, and most importantly, the players he’s helped develop. Riley got his coaching career started at some of the most prestigious prep schools in the United States, including Kingswood Oxford School in Connecticut. After eight seasons, he would t

This week, we welcome to the podcast HC Lokomotiv Director of Player Development Ted Suihkonen, who will be one of the presenters at the Global Skills Showcase. Suihkonen, who is one of the most well-respected leaders in our game when it comes to player development, will be presenting on the importance of cognition and variability in hockey. The Duluth, Minnesota native has seen his career in hockey provide him the opportunity to travel the globe. Following a professional playing career that saw him spend time in the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, and Germany, he would settle in Halden, Norway. There, he would climb the ladder from head coach of the program's U17 team, to the head coach of the pro team. He'd also get the opportunity to serve as an assistant coach with Norway’s U20 National Team in 2015. During this time, Suihkonen began to gain notoriety on social media, which allowed him to the chance to travel to work with other clubs and run skills camps in many different countries. This eventually led to his

As we continue to celebrate Black History Month, we welcome Paul Jerrard, an assistant coach with the University of Nebraska Omaha Mavericks, to the podcast. One of the few minority coaches to ever stand behind an NHL bench, Jerrard is hoping to help change that moving forward. Through the programs like the NHLCA’s BIPOC coaching program, Jerrard has taken a leadership role in trying to create more opportunity for people for colour in hockey. With people like him leading the charge, we should expect more coaches of colour to be represented in the NHL in the not too distant future. The Winnipeg, Manitoba native has a total of 24 years of coaching experience, which includes five seasons as an assistant in the NHL. The most recent stint saw him spend two seasons on Glen Gulutzan’s staff with the Calgary Flames between 2016 and 2018. Prior to that, Jerrard spent two seasons with the Dallas Stars and one with the Colorado Avalanche. Jerrard got his coaching career started with his alma mater at Lake Superior State

In honour of Black History Month, we're revisiting one of our favourite episodes in Glass and Out history, featuring the legendary Willie O'Ree. Back in 2018, host Aaron Wilbur and former co-host Kelvin Cech were lucky enough to be joined by O'Ree for an in-person interview as he shared some incredible stories about his journey to the NHL, the many challenges he faced along the way, how he feels about the current state of hockey, and what can be done to create a more diverse game. Along with being the first Black player in NHL history, O'Ree was inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2018 in the builder category for all the work he's done on creating a more inclusive game. Also in 2018, the NHL instituted the annual Willie O’Ree Community Hero Award in his honour, to "recognize the individual who has worked to make a positive impact on his or her community, culture or society to make people better through hockey." In addition, we were joined by the first woman President of the NHL Coaches' Association, Lind

Like the old saying goes, “coaches are hired to be fired.” Take a look at any career coach’s Elite Prospects page and you’ll likely find a long list of different teams from various leagues. And then there’s Mark Carlson. Carlson has the rare honour of being the only head coach in the history of the USHL’s Cedar Rapids RoughRiders since their inception in 1999. That’s 22 consecutive years in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. In addition, Carlson has also served as GM and President of the RoughRiders since 2014. While many are looking to make that next step towards reaching the pros, Carlson has found his calling by committing to helping young men become good people first, and players second, as they prepare for the next level. His long list of accomplishments includes over 600 wins, three USHL Coach of the Year awards, a Clark Cup championship, and three Anderson Cup titles as the USHL regular season champions. More importantly, over 500 of his players have received Division I scholarships, and 38 have been selected in the

Fresh off a championship run at a World Juniors tournament like no other, Nate Leaman joins us for this week's Glass and Out podcast. Led by Leaman, the Americans dominated their way to gold, going 6-1 while scoring 38 goals and allowing just 10. The championship game would see them surprise an equally dominant Team Canada with a 2-0 win. Leaman is currently in his 10th season at Providence College. He led the program to its first NCAA Championship in 2015 and currently has the Friars on a streak of six consecutive berths in the NCAA tournament. During his tenure, he’s produced a total of 28 NHL draft picks. On a personal level, he was awarded the 2011 Spencer Penrose Award, presented to the top coach in college hockey by the American Hockey Coaches Association, and was also named the top coach in the NCAA in 2015 by USCollegeHockey.com. He got his coaching career started at the age of 26, volunteering at the University of Maine as they went on to win the 1999 National Championship team. After four seasons as

At The Coaches Site and Glass & Out podcast, from the pros to the grassroots level, we're all about tackling the important issues facing our game. This week, we welcome Senior National Writer for The Athletic, Sean Fitz-Gerald to the podcast. He is the author of Before the Lights Go Out: A Season Inside a Game on the Brink, a book that details the many issues facing minor hockey in Canada. According to Fitz-Gerald, rising costs, exclusivity, and a decline in enrolment across the country have the game heading towards a state of crisis. A season following the OHL's Peterborough Petes provides the back drop of the book, as Fitz-Gerald attempts to get to the root of the problem by explores the motivations and expectations of the players, coaches, front office staff and hockey fans in the city. While Before the Lights Go Out focuses on some of the systemic issues that exist in hockey, it also sheds light on what is good about it and what steps can be taken towards creating a better sport. Fitz-Gerald is one of

A head coaching job in the NHL is the ultimate goal for just about every aspiring bench boss. With only 31 positions currently available (soon to be 32), the journey get there is no doubt a difficult one based on hard work, dedication, smarts, networking, and a little good luck. At just 35 years old, Paul McFarland already has three seasons of NHL experience under his belt. He spent last year as an assistant coach with the Toronto Maple Leafs in what can be described as a tumultuous season, that included a head coach firing, a season pause due to COVID-19, and a return to play inside the Toronto bubble. Prior to that, McFarland spent two seasons as an assistant on Bob Boughner’s staff with the Florida Panthers. This past spring, McFarland decided to make the difficult decision to step back from the NHL and rejoin his former OHL team, the Kingston Frontenacs, as the GM and head coach. With an eye on one of those NHL head coaching positions, he decided it was the best course of action to further his career. McF

While 2020 was a year that many would like to forget, one silver lining came in the form of a number of talented and accomplished women breaking down sporting world barriers like we've never seen before. The Miami Marlins hired Kim Ng as the first female general manager in Major League Baseball, San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Becky Hammon was the first female to act as a head coach in the NBA, and Kendall Coyne Schofield was hired by the Chicago Blackhawks as a player development coach. Just to name a few. You can also add this week's guest to that list: Emily Engel-Natzke. At just 29 years old, she was hired to be the video coach of the Hershey Bears, the Washington Capitals America League affiliate, and in the process became the first female coach hired in the AHL. Engel-Natzke got her coaching career started in 2014 with the University of Wisconsin as video coach for the women's basketball team. With hockey always being her end goal, she eventually took on the role as video coach for both the men and wo

Welcome everyone to a new year of Glass and Out podcasts! We hope you had a safe and happy holidays. To kick off 2021, we welcome Anaheim Ducks head coach Dallas Eakins. Eakins was gracious enough to join us on the eve of the start of Anaheim’s training camp (December 31), as the Ducks and the rest of the NHL prepare for what is sure to be a season like no other. With the many challenges and increased stress that is sure to come with the upcoming season, it has never been more important for everyone involved to keep a monitor on their mental health. As Eakins heads into his 16th season as a professional coach and second as head coach of the Ducks, he’s learned a few keys to making sure he and his team are on top of their mental game. For Eakins, creating a positive team culture is the first step to creating resiliency. You can check out his 2020 NHLCA Online Global Coaches’ Clinic presentation on the topic here. Another key? Taking good care of your physical health. Eakins is well-known for his commitment to

Happy holidays everyone and welcome to a very special edition of the Glass and Out podcast! For many hockey fans, the holidays mean one thing: the start of the World Junior Championships. To celebrate this year's tournament, we decided to bring on two former gold medal winning coaches to discuss their processes to leading their respective teams and countries to a World Junior Championship. Brent Sutter led Canada to back-to-back gold medals in 2005 and 2006, going an incredible 12-0 in the process. The 2005 team is of course widely considered the best Canadian team of all-time, featuring a star-studded lineup of NHL All-Stars and future Hall of Famers. He would also return to coach in the 2014 tournament, where Canada finished fourth. Phil Housley was twice an assistant coach with Team USA in 2007 and 2011, capturing bronze medals both years. He would then return as the program's head coach in 2013, leading them to the fourth gold medal in the country's history. Sutter has been owner and president of the WHL'

Search up “hockey skills coach” on Instagram and you’ll be sure to find a long list of user names. It’s become a great platform for coaches to display short videos with drills that anyone can then take and attempt to replicate on the ice or add to their game. Daniel Broberg, AKA @db_hockey_factory is right at the top of the list when is comes to skills coaches leaving impact on and off social media. Broberg is a Swedish skills coach with over 30 years of experience and has built a reputation for breaking down very complex skills and transferring them to players of all ages, including some of the game’s best. His list of clients includes NHLers William Nylander, Carl Haglin, Jesper Bratt, Marcus Krugger, and Oliver Kyllington. Most recently, Broberg spent time as a skills coach for the SHL’s Vaxjo Lakers. Prior to that, he spent six seasons as a head/assistant coach in the HockeyAllsvenskan league in Sweden. He’s also spent time helping out at the Detroit Red Wings’ prospects summer camps. If you follow Daniel

When you think of top NCAA hockey programs, schools like Minnesota, Boston College, Michigan State, and North Dakota are usually some of the names that come to mind. While American International College is not quite yet in that conversation, head coach Eric Lang has helped the small school quickly gain notoriety during his short tenure. Lang has helped turn the Yellow Jackets program from a bottom feeder to one of the rising programs in college hockey. After only winning a combined 11 games the previous two seasons, Lang was named head coach of his alma mater in 2016. Within four seasons, he helped AIC to its first two Atlantic Hockey Conference playoff championships and its first ever birth in the NCAA Championship in the 2018-19 season. It was there that they completed one of the biggest upsets in College Hockey history, taking down #1 ranked St. Cloud State in the first round. The success resulted in Lang being named Atlantic Hockey’s Coach of the Year twice and College Hockey News Coach of the Year once.

Ask any longtime coach about their coaching journey and the lessons learned along the way, and they’ll likely have more than a few stories to share. It’s truly a profession all about learning from your mistakes and growing from every situation you encounter. Troy Ward is no exception. With over 30 years of coaching experience at just about every level of hockey, he’s seen it all and probably more importantly, he’s reflected on it all. It’s this incredible wealth of knowledge and experience that let led to the creation of Troy Ward’s Mailbag from the Pond at Deer Lake, one of the newest features here at The Coaches Site. Every other week, Ward will answer your questions on topics such as the tactical side of the game, systems, communication, leadership, drills, and anything else coaching related. He’s an open book when it comes sharing what’s worked, what hasn’t, and what’s he’s learned along the way. Make sure to check out the latest episodes below and send any questions you have to troywardmailbag@thecoaches

Over the past few years, few NHL teams have been able to shock the hockey world they way the Columbus Blue Jackets have. With John Tortorella leading the way, the Jackets have become a team committed to playing a gritty brand of hockey that has helped them stay competitive despite big roster turnover and numerous injuries. Assistant coach Brad Shaw has worked under Tortorella for four of his five years with the team and has played a big role in helping create the Blue Jackets identity. Some of  the Jackets' incredible accomplishments during that time include falling one win short of an NHL record 17 consecutive wins in the 2016-17 season and a first-round upset of one of the best teams in NHL history with a sweep of the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019 playoffs. While they've failed to get past the past the second round of the playoffs during that time, there is no doubt that Columbus will continue to stay competitive for the foreseeable future -- thanks in large part to their strong team identity. Following his r

We'd forgive you if you haven't heard the name Karl Schwarzenbrunner before. He may not be well known within North American hockey circles, but he's quickly gaining notoriety in one of hockey's rising nations -- Germany. Karl has been involved with German hockey since 2016 and is the current Director of Coach Education and Sports Science for the German Ice Hockey Federation. He's been tasked with helping create a successful development program for German players and coaches, and he's doing this without a traditional hockey background -- he's never played or coached the game. But that's what makes his perspective so fresh and intriguing. He doesn't share the typical philosophy of a hockey lifer and is willing to consider anything that will enhance his agenda. Prior to joining the German Federation, Karl was the Athletic Trainer for FC Wacker Innsbruck. He's also a former competitive power lifter and is known for his analytical approach to solving situations. It's this approach that has resulted in him seeking

Over the past few years, the NHL has attempted to take steps towards creating a more diverse, accepting game. That includes the introduction of the Hockey is for Everyone program and the newly formed Hockey Diversity Alliance. But while some progress has definitely been made, anyone who has been in a rink or locker room knows there is still a long way to go for the hockey community. With his recent public announcement of coming out as a gay man, player agent Bayne Pettinger is hoping to continue that progress towards creating a more inclusive game. In a sport where there has never been an active active player to openly come out, the move was a brave and a necessary one. The announcement has been been praised some of hockey's most influential leaders, including public support from superstars Connor McDavid and Sidney Crosby. It shows that progress is being made within the sport. It also shows that, just like in every other industry, there are gay men and women in prominent leadership roles within hockey, and t

When the NHL announced its return-to-play plan back in May, the result was the end of the season for seven teams with the likelihood of an extended offseason. Those seven teams have now gone almost eight months without playing a game. With an anticipated start of season date to be sometime in January, it could be a total of 10 months with no game action. Ottawa Senators assistant coach Davis Payne and the rest of the Sens coaching staff will be now tasked with preparing a young, rebuilding team coming off of one of the longest off-seasons in NHL history. The struggling Senators have finished as a bottom two team in the league in each of the past three years. While times have definitely been tough, a young core of Brady Tkachuk, Thomas Chabot, and 2020 top five picks Tim Stützle and Jake Sanderson provide a core that is giving reason for some hope to Sens fans. Payne will be heading into his 11th consecutive season as an NHL coach and his second as an assistant in Ottawa. The Kamloops, BC native got his coachi