Junior Hockey

There are moments in hockey that stay with you not because of what happened on the scoreboard, but because of what they revealed about you. Not about your systems, your record, your resume, or your philosophy - about your character. About the gap between the person you believe yourself to be and the person you briefly became. Those moments don’t always announce themselves loudly. Sometimes they arrive disguised as something small, something fleeting, something that would bare

Prologue Before I begin, it’s worth clarifying the timeline. This story was written recently, but it describes something that happened more than a decade ago. I didn’t write it at the time. I carried it with me instead. Not because it was dramatic, or unresolved, or unfinished - but because it quietly shaped how I understand leadership, trust, and professional boundaries in this game. It became one of those experiences that doesn’t announce its importance right away, but slow

A Note to the Reader This piece is part of an exploration of competition, ethics, and the often uncomfortable space between the two. In hockey, we like to pretend the game is clean—that it’s only about skill, effort, and systems. But anyone who has played or coached long enough knows that isn’t true. Hockey is emotional. It’s physical. It’s imperfect. It’s played by humans under pressure. That’s why grey areas exist. That’s why gamesmanship exists. And that’s why what happens

This piece exists alongside Well, That Didn’t Go as Hoped: My Nine Months as General Manager. That earlier article was intentionally narrow. It explained why I chose restraint, why I avoided narrative, and why I prioritized stability over explanation during an active season. This piece does not revisit that decision. It examines what happened after it. Specifically, it looks at how meaning is created when a story is not told, how framing appears even in the absence of explana

There’s a moment every season when fans, parents, and even players start asking the same question:

There are two documents that mark the end of my time as General Manager for the 2025–26 season. One is a short resignation email. The other is a brief public statement shared on social media. They say the same thing. They simply do so in different ways. If you are reading this without much background, the resignation may feel understated. Possibly incomplete. That was intentional, though not for dramatic reasons. Why the Letter Is Short The resignation email was written to se

Introduction Coaching is more than drawing up systems and running drills—it’s about leadership, accountability, and making tough calls...

Introduction As a hockey coach, you are constantly making decisions that impact not only the game but also your players’ development,...

Introduction Every hockey coach, at some point in their career, will face ethical dilemmas that challenge their values, decision-making...

Elite defenders do more than block shots—they dictate the game’s tempo, disrupt opponents’ best scorers, and spark transition plays. Building shutdown defensemen requires comprehensive training in positioning, stick work, body leverage, and game sense. When your blue line is anchored by rock-solid defenders, the entire team gains confidence.

A championship-level team isn’t just about the top line or star defense pair. The “weakest” player on your bench matters, too. Elevating everyone’s skill—especially those who might see limited minutes—creates depth, fosters unity, and can produce unexpected heroes when injuries or fatigue strike.

Introduction Coaching hockey is as much about decision-making off the ice as it is about strategy on it. Every season presents new...

It’s a situation that’s more common than you’d think - but no less frustrating when you’re the one in it. Your son is trying out for another team in the same league where you coach or serve as a general manager. You’re proud of him. Curious. Maybe even a bit nervous. You just want to watch him skate. But when you reach out as a professional courtesy to let the other team’s GM know you’ll be in the stands - thinking he’ll say “Of course” - you’re met with a polite but firm: “I

Introduction In Part One, we explored some of the toughest ethical dilemmas hockey coaches face. But coaching is a never-ending series of...

Hockey is a game of speed, skill, and strategy, but it's also a game of opportunity. For junior hockey players, coaches, and parents, one of the harshest realities is that not all players are created equal. Some players have natural talent, elite-level skill, or simply a knack for making an impact in games. Others may work tirelessly in practice, be great teammates, and bring character to a team—but still find themselves sitting on the bench when the game is on the line.

It was my last year of minor hockey. You know that time—when you’re not quite an adult but definitely no longer a kid. Hormones (testosterone especially) are running high, pride is practically stitched into your gear, and you’ve convinced yourself that every single game matters more than anything else in life.

There’s a long list of things you might expect to happen during a hockey game—too many men penalties, line brawls, maybe even a fire...

There’s a sentence that’s been rolling around in my head for a while now: “One of my former teammates coaches in the NHL, one of my...

Preparation Meets Opportunity: My 2020 Coaching Interview Experience

In 2013, I watched the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish take on Western Michigan at Joe Louis Arena. While their mirror-like gold...