"Inside the Game" Podcast

We finish with Denis Potvin here on "Inside the Game", brought to you by flexxCOACH. Denis discusses the success on the Islanders team in the Stanley Cup years. There is one word Denis said is important in life and sports. "Courage" you have to have it to be successful. Never back down and always have "Courage" will take you to where you want to go in life. Great advice from a hockey legend.

We continue with Denis Potvin, and he talks about the management of the New York Islanders and how Bill Torrey and Al Arbour built the team for the Stanley Cup runs when they won four in a row. 

We continue with Denis Potvin and this is a great listen to leadership and the Islanders during their Four Stanley Cups. Denis gives great insights to the leadership on the team and why they had such great success. 

We catch up with four time Stanley Cup Champion, Hockey Hall of Famer, and Captain of the New York Islanders. Denis takes us back to his beginnings is Canada a young man and the fun he had growing up with his brother Jean and playing hockey and other sports. As 12 years of age he was asked to play on a travel all star team in Ottawa made up the best 12 year old's in the area. It was the start of his hockey journey. At 14 years of age he made the transition to the Ottawa 67's. Was a jump at 14 years old but he was bigger than most kids. He received great coaching with the 67's, which really was important in his development as a young man and hockey player. One thing he was not when he played in juniors was a "dreamer", he never dreamed of playing in the NHL. He was more about being a good hockey player and winning. Winning was very important to him. Success is what he wanted in his game. His coach Bill Long was old school and great mentor. In his last year of junior which was his 5th year. Leo Bovine entered his life. He was great influence on teaching Denis, patience on the ice and how to execute a "hip check". One thing Leo taught him "there is no out of bounds in hockey due the boards, Denis said he will find you at some point"Denis finishes the first segment with being drafted by the New York Islanders and learning the responsibilities of what it takes to play in the NHL. Ed Westfall was huge help to him and the other young players on the Islanders. He also talks about Al Arbour and how he got the team to play defense and how the beginnings of the Islanders success. Enjoy listening to Denis here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game". 

We finish with John Flaherty from the YES Network here on "Inside the Game". John talks about when it was time to retire and how he transitioned to broadcasting and George Steinbrenner had something to do with John winding up at the YES Network. Jim Kaat also helped John in the being of his career in broadcasting in how to approach a game. We transition to youth sports discussion and John's thoughts on what kids should get out of a sports program. He makes a point to talk about how you should gain more life skills out of playing sports, than more about wins and losses. Great guest and great stories about John's career.

We continue with John Flaherty from the YES Network. John discusses playing catcher and the different things that are needed for success in the position. He breaks down what are things he learned about the position and how important your focus is in being a catcher. We also touch on the different people with his time at the Yankees and how they were important to the success of the team and how they were able to maintain the levels they reached. He talks about Joe Torre, Mel Stottlemeyer, Derek Jeter, and why they were able to compete and win with the Yankees. John also, tells a great story about working with Mike Mussina and getting ready for a game against the Red Sox, and how they prepared to face the line up. It is a great listen to learn about what it is like to play in the "show". 

We continue with John Flaherty of the YES Network. His playing days at George Washington University was going to change. John tells of how he was going to be drafted in the 3 or 6th round of the MLB Draft. He went in the 25th round of the draft and was very upset by where he was drafted. The Red Sox had taken him in the draft and now the climb to the majors was about to begin for him.  It is great to hear the story of how he started his career and the ups and downs that go with trying to make it to the majors or the "show". 

We catch up with John Flaherty of the YES Network. John, talks about his early days of playing sports in New York and going to St. Joseph school in Montvale, NJ and how it changed his life and gave him the foundation for success. He also, talks about his time at George Washington University in Washington DC and how he really learned about what it took to be a baseball player at the division one level. One great part of the segment is when talks about his introduction to the Cape Cod Baseball League and he realized he could play at very high level. Great start to the show. 

We finish with Craig Patrick and talk about him being the Commissioner of the new and exciting 3 ICE Concept which is starting on June 18th 2022. It a great overview of what the new league will be offering this summer for hockey. 

We continue here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game" with Craig Patrick.In this segment we discuss in depth the 1980 Olympic Hockey Team and what went into the success of the team with Herb Brooks. Craig talks of how Herb Brooks coached the team and was very prepared for how he coached the team. There was a mission for Herb, he had a plan from May 1979 when Craig was brought in as an assistant coach for the team and how he put that plan into action. They were prepared mentally and physical for the Pre Olympic tour as well the games themselves. Everything Herb did was part of bigger picture in what was to come. Craig even showed us his gold medal from the games. It is towards the end of the interview. We transition at the end of the interview with his time in the NHL and being the General Manager of the New York Rangers and the Pittsburgh Penguins and winning the Stanley Cup twice in Pittsburgh. It is a great segment on a very historic moment in the sport of hockey and how it changed the fortunes of the game in the United States. 

We continue here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game" with Craig Patrick. His family has been involved in the game of hockey for 100 years with his grandfather, Lester, his dad Lynn, and his uncle, Murray. We talk about growing up in a hockey family and how his dad tried to talk him out of going into the family business. However, he followed him into the family business. When he was 13 years of age he played a game at Boston Garden between periods and Frank Selke with the Montreal Canadiens spotted him and told his dad they had a space for him to play hockey in Canada. His dad said it is a great opportunity for him to play. Craig went to University of Denver and won two national championships. It was according to the best decision he made going to school. Gave him a great base to work with for life. A great first segment with Craig and how his beginnings in hockey set him up for success. 

We continue here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game" with EJ Johnston. In this segment we talk about his 3 ICE concept which is happening this summer. We discuss how the league will work, what are the coaches going to have to do when coaching. It is going to be a different look at the game of hockey. The puck drops on June 18th which is 39 days away. So get ready for a new and exciting look at the game of hockey. 

We catch up with EJ Johnston of the new 3 ICE concept for hockey. It is 53 days to June 18th and the puck drop on the first season of 3 ICE. In this segment we talk to EJ about his love of hockey and how his Dad Eddie Johnston had a great influence on him from the sport of hockey. His dad played in the NHL and was also a coach and GM. EJ discusses with us how being around professional athletes he really saw what it took to be a success at the highest level of play. The time and commitment that players, coaches, and GM's put into the sport for success. He was able to take the skills he was learning growing up and put them into his own success in business and entertainment in his career. Very good listen on how sports and business can help in one's development. 

We finish with Bob Costas here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game".Bob talks about the best parts of his position and how he is able to connect with and share experiences with people in covering games and events.One thing he mentions is when David Letterman was leaving NBC for CBS he was offered by Letterman the hour slot after the Late Show to host his own show and be part of 60 minutes. He felt it was not something for him. He liked where he was at that time in his career and wanted to continue working sports and hosting the Olympics.Bob also talks about the people who helped him and mentored him along the way.We also take a look back at some moments in his career which really opened him up to opportunities.Some of the highlights:1988 World Series and the "tease" for the opening of game two of the World Series after Kirk Gibson had hit the homerun. Great story on how that moment came together.Calling the elevator races and dog sled races on "Late Night with David Letterman".Ahmad Rashad proposal on TV during "NFL Live".Being in the movie Cars as Bob Cutlass.It is a great segment to listen to the back stories.

We continue here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game" with Bob Costas.We breakdown in this segment the differences in calling a game and working as a host in the studio for Olympics and other events.Bob has hosted 12 Olympic games and has gives great background in how it all comes together and how you have to be a traffic cop in a way to host the gamesHe stresses one thing is really important knowing the history of the games and the city that is hosting. You have to make look very easy but there is a lot going on behind the scenes and producers talking in his ear as the show is moving along. You have to keep the flow going for the broadcast.Bob also talks about his favorite moments that he has called during his career.We also touch on the 1980 Olympics hockey call of Al Michaels and the importance of that moment in sports broadcasting history.Very good segment on what goes into working in sports from Bob's perspective.

We continue here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game" with Bob Costas from MLB Network.He tells of how he wound up the radio voice of the Sprits of St. Louis in the ABA. Everything about the league was wild and fun. Bob said looking back on his career his first two jobs, EHL and the ABA were some of the best times in sports he ever had.We also talk about preparing for a broadcast and how Bob gets ready to call a game on television. History of the game and sport are vital to being a successful broadcaster. Also, seasonal story lines are very important, he keep files on every team in baseball even if he won't see some teams. Information is the key to success. When he prepares for game he usually starts about 48 hours from the start of the game to get ready.Bob also stresses don't over use information. If you use about 20 percent of what you prepared during a broadcast you are in good with preparation. Always, however prepare for the unexpected. Don't get caught without knowing about something during the broadcast.This is a great segment for the young broadcasters to hear from Bob.

We catch up with Bob Costas here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game". Bob discusses his early days of playing sports as a kid in New York. Just having fun with his friends. He was cut from his high school teams but knew his future was in broadcasting. He tells of how he would listen to Red Barber, Mel Allen, and Phil Rizzuto called the games for the Yankees. Vin Scully would call the games for the Dodgers, Marty Glickman was the voice of the New York Giants. One voice really caught his attention, Marv Albert was the voice of the New York Knicks and he was only 27 years old. Bob thought wow he is so young and has this amazing job. Bob wound up at Syracuse because of the broadcasting department and in his senior year became the voice of the Syracuse Blazers in the EHL. The same league that the movie "Slap Shot" was based off of. Bob has great stories of starting out as the radio play by play voice of the team. He tells the story of Bill "Harpo" Goldthorpe on the team bus with him. It is a great listen to the beginnings of Bob's career. 

This is a special segment with Mike Hartman talking about Clark Gillies and how he helped him early in his career when he played in Buffalo. Clark was a mentor to all the players on the team and really helped them make the adjustments to the NHL as a person and player. Great listen on what it takes to help the younger guys. 

This is a segment that is important for all parents and young athletes should listen to. We continue with Mike Hartman from the Stanley Cup, New York Rangers in 1994.Mike, continues with what are the keys to success for sports and life. We breakdown what are the things you should look for into a youth sports program for your child. Tells a great story of his time of the USA Hockey development program and team building skills. Mike feels that you should know the person first and the athlete second. Get to know what the person and what they want out of experience of playing on the team. This is a very good listen to what it takes to set goals, what to expect out of the experience. How this will help in life development and have each person reach their goals and have success.

We catch up with Mike Hartman who played in the NHL for 13 years and won a Stanley Cup with the New York Rangers in 1994. He talks about his time playing hockey in Michigan as a youngster and going to Red Wings games with his dad. Was fun and good times with his friends. As Mike was moving along he played with Jimmy Carson who starred in the NHL as well played for the Compuware hockey teams in Michigan. He decided at 16 to put all his eggs in his basket and go to the OHL. He felt it would be the quickest way to the NHL. Was very tough being an American and going to play in Canada. Mike had been recruited by Michigan State but decided to chase his dream. Jimmy Dellavano of the Red Wings called him one day and helped him in his development as a player. Told him all the things he needed to do to improve his game and make him a better player. Don Luce of the Buffalo Sabres drafted him and he made the team out of training camp. Scotty Bowman was the coach at the time and had a way of doing things when coaching. It is a great listen to how Mike climbed his way to the NHL.

We finish with Kenny Albert here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game", show.Kenny discusses the influence his father Marv Albert had on his career in broadcasting. He went to work with his dad to all kinds of games and saw  how the business of broadcasting worked. He did stats for his dad on games and learned how to prepare for games as an announcer. It is a great listen to Kenny and the highlights of his career. 

We continue with Kenny Albert here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game". In segment two of three we discuss how Kenny prepares for a game. He explains how he studies leading up to the games he will be working and the important details he takes time to put together. Kenny says he "over prepares" for the games because it is better to have tons of information than not enough. We also discuss working with a partner in the booth and creating chemistry between him and the analyst. Kenny said he had worked with over 225 different analysts in his career. It is a great listen to how things come together for him when working on games. 

We begin a new season here on flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game" with Kenny Albert of Fox Sports, MSG Rangers Radio, and the voice of hockey on TNT Sports.Kenny tells us of his passion at a very young age for wanting to be a broadcaster and getting a tape recorder for his 5th birthday. He played all sports growing up on Long Island, hockey was his favorite. He tells us why he chose NYU for his college and how it really helped him in his career path. Kenny also had a head start in high school with broadcasting all kinds of games and getting "reps" announcing games. One great piece of trivia for Kenny, he holds the distinction of scoring the first goal in the history of the NYU club hockey team. Kenny goes on to tell about his time in Baltimore with the Skip jacks in the AHL. It was a great two years in the AHL for him and learning how to really call games. Kenny tells a great Barry Trotz story on a road trip with the team. It is a great start to season two of flexxCOACH's "Inside the Game" with Kenny Albert.

We finish with Kurt in segment five and we discuss youth hockey and coaching. Kurt talks about what is happening with the college game and the junior game and how it has changed the game in ways college coaches have to like. He also talks about what he looks for in a player when putting team together. One thing he stressed is that someone is watching you and how you interact with your teammates, coaches, parents, referees, and the competition. He looks for character in a person. Good people he can coach and work with. One other area is travel hockey. Kurt feels that if you son or daughter is going to play fourth line on a triple "A" team you better to drop down to double "A" to get more ice time, more special teams play. It will be a positive experience for you player and their development will be enhanced and the next year or two years later will be ready for the triple "A" level of play. We close with Kurt suggesting that USA Hockey should really have a program for coaches on how to be a better coach. More of seasonal program than a weekend somewhere to get your different level of coaching certification. Teach coaches how to work with all the kids and not just the top players but building a team from the lesser players to the top ones. Kurt has great insights to building a team  concept. 

In segment four with Kurt Kleinendorst we talk about the aspect of how to coach. How you plan for a season what are the keys you need to have ready for your season. He breaks out how they coach systems in the NHL and AHL for the players so they have an understanding of how things work. In other leagues you are coaching to the strength of your team. In the college level it is more about the development and how things operate. The youth level is tough because kids are playing on two teams and sometimes you may not have all the players for a practice so you have to make adjustments. Kurt touches on his time as an assistant coach with the New Jersey Devils and working with Larry Robinson and Slava Fetisov. He learned a great deal from them while there. It was his first time being an assistant coach so there was a learning curve for him. One thing that was amazing to him was between periods in the NHL you only have 18 minutes before you have to go back out for the next period. The coaches only have about 8 to 9 minutes to make adjustments. Not a great deal of time. Also, during the game action you are picking up on things and you are really focused on what is going on. It is a grind to coach at the top levels of hockey and sports. It is a great listen as to the inner workings of coaching. 

We continue with Kurt Kleinendorst here on "Inside the Game" brought to you by flexxCOACH and flexxCOACH VR. Kurt leaves Providence College after four years and heads to pursue one of dreams to play in the Olympics for USA Hockey. He was a finalist for the Hobey Baker award and felt he had a good chance to make the team. Things didn't go well and he gave up on the dream. Looking back he felt he should have stayed on the team and worked harder. It is one of his biggest regrets to this day. He wound up signing with the New York Rangers and going to Tulsa in the CHL. Great back story with that team. After his time in Tulsa he headed to Europe to play and liked the larger ice surface and the experience. He retired from the game and went into coaching in Raleigh in the ECHL and started off 1-11. Thought he was going to  be fired but he talked to the team and they turned it around and had a good season. He learned a great deal that year about himself and coaching. Kurt talks about coaching and connecting with your team and players. A very good part to the segment and how you have to work with the players. 

We continue with Kurt Kleinendorst here on "Inside the Game" brought to you by flexxCOACH. In this segment Kurt discusses his time at Providence College and how by going to school for four years Lou Lamoriello helped shape Kurt and others for the rest of their lives. He breaks down how Lou was able to build a successful program at Providence and the environment for the team. One thing he stressed was attention to the little details and how they add up and bring you success. You have to learn those details as you grow. It comes from experience. It is a great listen for young players to hear how there is a way to do things to be successful. 

We are back with a new show and we talk with Kurt Kleinendorst who has been a coach for over 30 in the NHL, AHL, as well internationally, He tells of his beginnings in Grand Rapids Minnesota and playing youth hockey with his brother Scott. They played in the winters in his home town and other sports throughout the year. Just a fun time to grow up and be with his friends and enjoying the good times. Kurt didn't play travel hockey until he was in Pee Wee's. So he was really able to develop at his pace playing hockey. He had great coaches who really cared about the players and how they got the most of playing hockey. When he was in Bantams he looked up to the high school players in his town. He wanted to make the high school team and play hockey. The used to follow the teams in the WCHA and CCHA but it was the high school guys in his eyes who were the ones he wanted to be. One thing that was instilled in him was a strong work ethic from his mom and dad. If you worked hard you would benefit from the hard work. It would pay off. His senior year of high school was when he really came into his own and started really draw interest from University of Wisconsin and Providence College. He chose Providence because his older brother Scott was there and felt it was the right fit for him. How his brother wound up there at PC was due to Lou Vario calling Lou Lamoriello and telling him about these two brothers in Minnesota who were getting looks but not many offers to play college hockey. It is a great story in segment one. Enjoy the interview. 

In segment four we discuss with Brian, his grandfather and father and their influence in sports. Brian's grandfather was the trainer to the Milwaukee Bucks in the 1970's and he father was an assistant coach for Lou Lamoriello and a professional hockey coach in the ECHL. One thing that he learned from them is little details vital to success and add up to what needs to be done for success. Brian said he inherited his "chip" on his shoulder from his grandfather. He said he always played with an edge when competing in tennis and sports. Brian also had others influence him. One person who gave him a great piece of advice, "Treat everyone fairly but not equally" when coaching. This comes from Kurt Kleinendorst who coached Brians dad and played for his dad at Providence College. He also touches on meeting and talking to Ivan Lendl about how approached his time on the tour and how he coaches players today. Brian had the pleasure of working for Chris Evert and one thing that separated her from others was her mind set. Her compete level was very different than most. She was competitive in everything. That is what made her a champion. 

In segment three we go into what it takes in college and other levels of tennis. You always want to be working on areas that need improvement in the game. One concept that Brian uses for players is the 70-30 rule. 70 percent of your game is solid and 30 percent need improvement. You always work on all aspects but keep the 70 percent strong and improve on the 30 percent. Play to your strengthens mentally and physically. He also goes into what it is like to play on tour in tennis. How difficult it is to compete on tour, it is an 11 month grind to play. One the big issues is cost for tennis. A very good look into how the game of tennis is operated. 

During the podcast I always ask two questions of the guests. The first question is the best piece of advice that was given to you, who gave it to you, and do you still use it today.The second question is:What does failure teach you. Brian gave great answers to both of these questions. 

We head to the tennis courts with Brian Garber, former captain of the Boston College men's tennis team. He tells us of his beginnings in youth sports in Rhode Island and all he got out playing all different sports early in his life. When he moved to Columbus Georgia he was playing tennis and found out he was pretty good and decided to enter a tournament. He enjoyed it and that he really wanted to play tennis.When got to 8th grade it was a big year for him and an eye opener to the competitive world of tennis. His time in high school was special he learned a great deal about the game. Was the captain of his high school team all four years. One interesting fact about Brian's high school career he only lost 3 matches. As he moved along in high school, colleges started to notice him and he started to pursue schools. He was looking at schools down south and really wanted Stanford in California. One school he never thought of came to him in Boston College. Brian wanted a well rounded experience and he felt that BC could offer what he wanted in a college. The transition to college was very difficult and having to learn all different things about being a varsity athlete in college. Good start to the interview with Brian Garber. 

We continue in segment two with Brian Garber and he discusses his time at Boston College playing tennis. He talks about how it is more of a game plan and how you approach the match. Having to know everything about the opponents. The margin for error is small every point is vital to the success of the team. Brian's junior and senior years in school he had an injury and helped the team with the players, almost like a coach in a way. He liked the coaching aspect of the game and became a volunteer coach at Boston College, was a great eye opener to him on how to coach. 

We finish with Peter Taglianetti and talk youth sports and his kids playing sports and college football. We also, discuss when Peter was the coach at a small school in Pittsburgh, called Washington and Jefferson and how he took lessons and skills from the coaches he played for in his career. He breaks down what he did with his kids and how it was all about fun with them. Never an end game of schools and scholarships. More about them developing as people and how what they were doing would make them better in life. One thing he stresses is the parents need to be removed from the situation and let the coaches handle the team. If you want to get into the mix, coach the team and come off the sidelines. Great insights from a guy who was a champion in the NHL. 

We continue with Peter's NHL career and getting traded to the Minnesota North Stars and then to the Pittsburgh Penguins. It felt like old home week with the Penguins. Knew a lot of the players and it felt great to come to a team that had a great deal of talent. He was paired with Paul Coffey on defense and was out there with Mario Lemieux. Roster was filled with great guys and amazing talent. Bob Johnson was the head coach and was a great leader for the team. Peter talks about how Badger Bob had a game plan and how everyone was to fit into the plan. He said was great about him you got to know him away from hockey. Loved talking about westerns in the movies and John Wayne. Great stories about playing with Mario and how sometimes you were in awe of what he did in practice and games. It is a great segment of what Peter was part of with the Pittsburgh Penguins. 

We continue with Peter Taglianetti here on "Inside the Game" in segment three. As his career was winding down at Providence College, John Ferguson who was the GM of the Winnipeg Jets came to watch him play and Lou brought him down to the locker room at the end of the game. He told him at the end of the college season he was going to go pro. Peter really didn't grasp what was happening. When the season ended he went back to campus and he got a call from Lou Lamoriello and he told him that he just took care of his contract with John Ferguson and he was headed to the Winnipeg Jets. Lou gave him some great advice he said it was very fatherly in the way he told him. His first roommate was Randy Carlyle and he was great. A really great hockey mind and good mentor to him. Peter has a great story of his first game in the NHL as well his first shift in the playoffs versus the Edmonton Oilers. Another great segment to listen to. 

In segment two we transition to Peter headed to Providence College and playing for Lou Lamoriello. He found the guys were bigger and stronger and everyone was a good player. As we have talked in the past the talent pool shrank and everyone could play at high level. Had to learn to balance classes and playing hockey in school. Freshman year he did not play much but got into games in the second half of the season. One tough thing was Peter's dad was sick and died during his freshman season. Lou protected him and kept him at school even though his dad was sick back home. Things he learned about Lou in his freshman year and stuck with him, he could anticipate what you were going to ask when it came to the team. One thing he stressed with the team, "don't think" just anticipate what is going to happen. Learn to react to each play as it unfolds. Peter tells a great story about Lou involving him and how it helped with team chemistry. It is a great listen to Peter's time with Lou Lamoriello at Providence College. 

We catch up with Peter Taglianetti, a two time Stanley Cup Champion with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Peter talks about starting his sports career in Framingham Massachuetts. His mom wanted him to play sports so he would have something to do. He was six years old when he began to play hockey and it was just for fun with his friends. Peter also played baseball which he feels was a good break for him from the game of hockey and helped in ways to think differently in sports.He mentions today how hockey has become to robotic and not enough of flow game. The over use of video at young age has hurt the development of players. Just letting them play and figuring out things helps a player grow more. His sophomore year of high school was when things started to work for him in hockey. In his junior year his coach set up a plan to keep him on the ice for the whole game and not come off. He thought was great to play the whole game but it did not help in his development because he had to save energy to play the whole game.What changed the course of his young career was playing the "Hockey Night in Boston" tournament. Back when he played only 80 players were selected to play. Mike Addessa who was the head coach at the time of RPI was his coach and saw things in his game. Steve O'Neill who was the captain of the Providence College hockey team at the time from his his hometown told Lou Lamoriello about him and said you should see him play. Lou came to meet Peter and he felt Providence was the right fit for him. Small school with small classes. He felt a big school would be too difficult to adjust. 

We end with Bret Hedican by talking about youth sports and his daughters and how he has guided them in their lives. He also talks about the importance of not specializing in one sport or activity be well rounded and do different things to have positive experiences and see what you enjoy. Learning life skills from things is vital to development and success in life. It is a great segment to end and Bret really gives some positive things to thinks about. 

As we continue with Bret Hedican we discuss how Pat Quinn coached the Vancouver Canucks in 1994 and the environment for success. Bret tells how Pat Quinn created a team that looked out for each other and the "teams" success was more important than the individuals. It made them very close and when things got difficult each player knew that their was a teammate who had their back. Made for a positive system. They almost upset the New York Rangers in 1994 in the Stanley Cup Finals because of it. Bret also talks of the same thing happening when he was with the  Carolina Hurricanes. He talks of how at one practice during the 2005-06 season everything was working perfectly. The coach Peter Laviolette stopped practice and said "If we continue to practice like this and play like this, we will win the Stanley Cup". It did happen as Carolina won the Stanley Cup in 2006.As Bret said and environment where it is set up for success positive outcomes will happen. 

We continue with Bret Hedican here on "Inside the Game' brought to you by flexxCOACH and flexxCOACH VR. March 27th, 1992 Bret played his first game in the NHL with the St. Louis Blues. It is a great story on how he got to the NHL. He goes into how it is mentally tough to play in professional sports. It takes tremendous skill and mindset to be successful. It is a grind and you are surviving everyday you are a professional athlete, very few really get the chance to stand on top of the mountain peak. When he was traded to the Vancouver Canucks in the 1994 season. It changed his career in ways he never thought. Legendary Pat Quinn had a huge impact on his life and career. He showed him how to be a professional athlete and how to play defense in the NHL. The one thing Pat Quinn stressed was accountability for the team. Bret gives a great example of it during our talk. He also, says there are three things in his mind to be a great defenseman in the NHL. 1. Be unbeatable one on one. Dump the puck in my corner and I'm going to beat you. You won't get around me. 2. Be a great passer. Make great "first" pass to the forwards on the breakout. Make a great pass to lead the forwards up ice. 3. Change this one up. Maybe in a game you decide that your going to hit the net on every shot. Your going make plays that game to help the team. Your going to work hard in practice on something you need work on. Whatever it is figure it out. 

We continue with Bret Hedican here in segment two. In this segment we discuss with Bret his time with the Olympic hockey team in 1992. Was a very tough leap to play on this team and he was the only player from Minnesota to make the team. He said it was very "cut throat" with the competition. It was grind mentally everyday and you had to stay focused on what needed to be done. One of the big adjustments was the travel to play. In college you didn't have to travel except for the weekends, here on the Olympic team you were traveling internationally as well around the country to play games. You really had to learn to rest, eat right, and stay focused. When they got to the Olympics it was every Bret thought it would be. Was a great experience and Bret realized he had accomplished a goal. It is a great segment on setting a goal and working towards making it happen. 

We catch up with Bret Hedican, two time USA Hockey Olympian and Stanley Cup winner, currently part of the San Jose Sharks television broadcast team. He tells of his beginnings in sports as an undersized kid but very competitive athlete. Worked harder than all the other kids when he was growing up. Played football, hockey, and baseball. Loved all the sports he played. When he got to high school he played soccer for two seasons and then went back to football because he finally grew to compete with the other kids. Bret says one of the big things that helped him was he played all different sports and it helped with his mental side of things and the physical side for muscle growth. When he was ten years old the 1980 Olympics happened in hockey and he was determined to be an Olympic hockey player. He didn't know how he was going to do it but he set a goal and vision to make it happen. Things came together for him in his senior year of high school. He was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in the 10th round of the draft and was headed to St. Cloud State to play hockey. He did not receive a full scholarship but he took it knowing that it was the right path for him. The transition to college from high school was a huge step up and he was in and out of the line up in his freshman season. He thought he may be cut from the team at the end of his freshman year. He came back his sophomore year and switched from a forward to defensemen and things clicked better. All the hard work paid off. Bret said he had to learn what it took to be a college athlete and student. It is a great listen to hear how sometimes hard work pays off when you put in the time. #hockey #stcloudstate #sanjosesharks #stlouisblues #ccmhockey #applepodcasts #buzzsprout #audacy #amazonmusic #collegehockey #minnesotahockey #stateofhockey #flexxCOACH #flexxCOACHVR

We continue with Bruce Garber here on "Inside the Game" brought to you by flexxCOACH. Bruce talks more about Lou Lamoriello, President and GM of the New York Islanders. He tells of how Lou recruited multi-sport athletes to Providence College he felt they were better well rounded people. Quality people with great character. Bruce outlines how Lou had a plan in his life to be successful. He knew what he doing. At some point he said to himself I may not be good enough to play in the NHL but I will get there. He was beyond driven. He always told Bruce in the NHL "it is all about winning". It is that simple.Bruce says how Dave Gavitt the original commissioner of the BIG EAST, had a great influence on Lou. Mentored him in how the sports business worked from all angles. Almost like an MBA degree in sports before anyone thought of it. There were others at Providence like Mike Tranghese who also were part of the team. We end the segment with how Lou knows where people belong and how they will succeed because of Lou's guidance. He mentors without having to tell you a lot. One thing you have to be on Lou's team is "confidence"  in your abilities and drive to succeed. He as Bruce said an awesome eye for talent and character.

We continue with Bruce Garber here on "Inside the Game" brought to you by flexxCOACH. Bruce talks about his time at Providence College as a player for Lou Lamoriello. How the program was so ahead it's time in the late 1970's and early 1980's. It was operated like an NHL team. Everything you needed to be successful in the classroom and on the rink was provided for you. After his time at PC Bruce discusses playing professionally in Belgium and then playing in Johnstown PA where the movie "Slap Shot" was filmed. Great stories of his early days in pro hockey. He never thought of coaching but Lou Lamoriello saw something in him from working at the PC Hockey Camp and talking hockey with him away from the team. Lou always was testing him on different things to see how he would handle things. Bruce said "I must have passed because I kept getting more responsibilities". He had played with the Seniors and Juniors on the team and they gave him tons of respect which he appreciated. One thing he always was impressed with Lou was his ability to find top talent. One of the biggest things in his time with Lou was when they were able to recruit and get commitments from the following players. Tom Barrasso, Bobby Carpenter, and Brian Lawton. All first round draft picks in the NHL. Bruce said Lou was able to present the program to them and they liked what they saw. The "Ace" was Lou build a relationship with Bobby Orr and Bobby was so impressed how Lou build the rink and program at Providence College. Bruce said that Lou had a plan. He was way ahead of times when it came to building the Friars. It was like an NHL team. It was modeled after the Montreal Canadians and Philadelphia Flyers. Enjoy Segment Two. #flexxcoach #NHL #montrealcanadiens #philadelphiaflyers #bobbyorr #pchockey #loulamoriello #hockey #hockeyeast #providencecollege #usahockey #bobbycarpenter #slapshot #podcast #ccmhockey

We continue with Pete on his transition from playing to coaching hockey at the youth level in New Jersey. He discusses his kids playing hockey and the commitment that some are willing to make. Pete feels that kids sometimes need to play other sports and do other things to prevent burnout from playing all the time. Cross training in other sports helps by using other muscles and using your brain to think differently. Pete breaks down how he operates a practice and what he does during the season. He touches on during covid what he had to do to get creative when it came to practice with the kids. We finish with Pete talking about coaching his kids with the positives and negatives. 

We catch up with my buddy Pete LaMonica about his early days in hockey and how he really didn't play travel hockey and really got into the game during his junior and senior year of high school. He only played one year of travel hockey at the Junior "C" level. He played at Paramus Catholic because he felt it gave him more opportunities to play the game of hockey at a decent level. Pete also felt his education would be better at PC. Pete decided to play at IONA College and felt it was a good fit for him from academics to athletics. The jump in play was very good. Lot's of players who could play at the division one level but thought they would be better at the division three level of play. One thing that his coach at IONA college was ahead of his time in the mid-80's was dry land training. Frank Effinger really had the guys on the team work on conditioning and working off the ice. When Pete finished at IONA, his coach got him a tryout with the New York Rangers free agent camp. The one thing he said that he learned from these guys is how to play without the puck. He got cut but wound up in the minors playing for John Tortorella. Great stories of playing for him and how he coached his players. It is a great listen. 

We finish with Bruce Garber here on 'Inside the Game". Bruce and I discuss youth sports and what is happening today. One thing that is lost today is the "reality" of what kids can do in sports. Bruce feels  parents are out of touch with "reality". There are right ways to set up a program and when I coached with him we worked very hard to set up the program so all kids could develop and succeed. One thing Bruce mentioned was the fact don't force your kid to play. If you have tell them to go they really don't want to be there. If they come home after a practice or a game and keep playing you see the passion and desire to get better, so guide them in what they are doing. One great piece of advice Bruce talks about is when you have a few good players on a team and some of other players have not developed. The question is how do you get the players who are not there yet to come up in play. Bruce suggests to pair them with the better players and they will work harder to keep up with the better players. It will build a better team, the kids will bond, plus the kids who struggled will get better and feel better about themselves and won't quit. We end with Bruce talking about Lou Lamoriello gave him the best piece of advice in how to be successful.

We continue with Bruce Garber here in segment five and discuss his time as a head coach in hockey. HIs first job as a head coach was at Rhode Island Junior College. The job did not pay much but it was fun time with young hockey players. He really enjoyed operating his own program and working with players. We move along with Bruce and his time in Birmingham in the ECHL for the Bulls which was the New Jersey Devils minor league team in the "Coast". Great story on how he got the job and coaches he faced when he was coaching there. Great times and funny stories of being in the minors.

In segment four Bruce talks about his dad and what he learned from him. His dad was the athletic trainer for the Milwaukee Bucks when Oscar Robinson and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar were part of the team. He said he learned a lot from watching these guys all the time in 7th, 8th, and 9th grade. They used to come to his football, hockey, and baseball games to watch him play. What Bruce learned from the Bucks players is do the little things to get ready and it adds up to the big thing to win. Create positive habits and you will be successful. We close the segment on what separates the superstars from the rest of the team. Bruce feels it is work ethic. It never stops. Great players are always working on something to become better. Learn to master your craft and learn to be a professional.