The PHPA Podcast

Alex Adams is a former professional hockey player who has founded Hockey Knowledge Consulting which teaches the foundational building blocks of hockey IQ. Alex discusses the differences from playing junior hockey to college and to pro, how his pro hockey journey began, lessons learned from some of his previous coaches including Dale Hawerchuck, and how he helps teach these same lessons to today&#3...

Former PHPA Player Representative and Executive Committee Member, Chuck Thuss, reviews his playing career from College to pro, then turns to discuss his personal experience dealing with mental health.  Chuck now champions mental health causes and, along with the PHPA, is rolling out a new Assistance Program exclusively for PHPA Alumni to assist players improve their overall wellness. A must-l...

PHPA Alums Andy Sutton, Daultan Leveille, and Andy Alberts discuss their roles and experience working with Verbero Hockey, a leader in customized sports equipment and apparel for over a decade.  The trio explains how they got involved and why other players would thrive in a sales role with Verbero, including the earning potential for Sales Representatives.

Stanley Cup and Calder Cup Champion John Grahame joins the PHPA Podcast to discuss his illustrious 13-year pro career, as well as his post hockey business ventures which includes co-founding TriSearch, an award winning talent recruitment firm.  John shares how this type of role is perfectly suited for many current and former players.

The PHPA sits down with Dysin Mayo of the American Hockey League's Tucson Roadrunners to discuss his involvement as a PHPA Player Representative, winning the Memorial Cup with the Edmonton Oil Kings in 2014, being drafted by the Arizona Coyotes, what it's like to attend an NHL Training Camp, and working his way up the hockey ladder from Junior to the ECHL, to the AHL, with his sights set on making...

Perhaps one of the most fascinating yet overlooked aspects of the professional sport landscape is the subject of workers' compensation for injured athletes. Barbara Wagner has been a Workers' Compensation attorney for both the PHPA and NFLPA for over 30 years, and shares her perspective and experience on the workers' compensation process including why it is important for athletes to understand the...

InStat Hockey now provides the opportunity for American Hockey League  and ECHL players, as well as PHPA Alumni, to access the full InStat  Hockey platform, providing users with unprecedented detailed game-by-game analytical reports and corresponding video content.  A true game-changer in player  development. North American Director of InStat, Mark Yates, along with former PHPA...

Peter Lang from Post Game Brewing Company discusses how he brought a hockey themed beer, Locker Room Lager, to market, partnering with the  Professional Hockey Players' Association, creating sales roles for current and former PHPA Members, and giving back to the PHPA Redline  program.

Randy Hall experienced a unique journey and career path before landing  the role of Officiating Manager for the National Hockey League.  From being a firefighter, a Coach and General Manager in the Ontario Hockey League, working for the Professional Hockey Players' Association, and ECHL, to the common and uncommon  aspects of managing and scheduling officials across professional hoc...

Andrew Campbell played 11 seasons of professional hockey from 2008 -  2019 split between the NHL and American Hockey League.  He made his NHL debut with the Los Angeles Kings in 2014, was an AHL All-Star, voted Best Defensive Defenseman in the PHPA Player Voted Awards balloting for 3 consecutive  years, and was a PHPA Player Representative and member of the Executive  Committee...

Riley Weselowski is a veteran of over 12 professional hockey seasons split between the Central Hockey League and ECHL, following a 4-year career at Bemidji State University.  He was also elected to serve on the PHPA Executive Committee.  In this episode we chat with Riley about his professional hockey career, his involvement with the PHPA and Black Hills Hockey Academy, the importance of...

Joel Gustafson is the Marketing Manager from Oregon State University (OSU) and details the successful partnership between OSU and the PHPA's Career Enhancement Program,  including the various programs and opportunities available for current and former players to help prepare for a post hockey career through Oregon State's Ecampus program.

Marty Flichel is synonymous with professional hockey in Boise, Idaho following his 16-year professional hockey career.  He was also named the recipient of the 2020 PHPA Executive Director's Honouring the Past Award for his tireless contributions to the PHPA as a Player Representative and member of the Executive Committee.  Flichel discusses what he has been up to since his last season in...

Former PHPA Member Rob Schremp discusses his hockey journey from his minor hockey days to the NHL and beyond, and how that led him to become the Founder of 44Vision Hockey, a company built around a Dream Team of Coaches who works individually with any players seeking to develop aspects of their game to better prepare them for the next level of the sport.

Syracuse Crunch defensemen Cameron Gaunce, who was elected to serve on the PHPA Executive Committee, chats about his experience attending the PHPA Annual Meeting of Player Representative,  playing in the NHL, playing professional hockey against his younger brother Brendan, and some of his interests away from the rink.

JT Strosnick is the Product Manager at the Upper Deck Trading Card Company responsible for the annual AHL-PHPA set. JT gives a behind the scenes look at working at Upper Deck, how a set is produced from start to finish, the collectibility of autograph cards, the uniqueness of the AHL set and how its value may increase as the players become established in the NHL, and whether the trading card indus...

Steve Carney is the Coordinator of the PHPA Career Enhancement Program (CEP), the most popular non-collective bargained program offered through the PHPA, and discusses the unique aspects and challenges of helping players prepare and transition to their post hockey career. Over 2,000 players have been part of the CEP since its inception in 1997.  The program has now expended to include educati...

Nelson Nogier is the PHPA Player Representative for the Manitoba Moose of the American Hockey League. Nogier played junior hockey in the Western Hockey League with his hometown Saskatoon Blades, and later the Red Deer Rebels, playing in 2 Memorial Cup  Championships.  He was drafted by the Winnipeg Jets in the 4th round of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft, and has split the past 4 seasons betwee...

Former PHPA Member Rob Striar transitioned from a career as a professional hockey player to entering the corporate world where he founded his own marketing and brand agency, MStyle Marketing, whose clients include some of the top brands in sports and entertainment, including the PHPA.  Rob discusses his on ice hockey journey, transitioning to a post hockey career, and his role in helping laun...

After graduating from Yale University, Brad Mills enjoyed an 8-year pro career split between the ECHL, American Hockey League, and NHL which  included many twists and turns. Mills speaks about his experience as a PHPA Player Representative and attending the PHPA Annual Meeting, moving up and down through hockey's  pro ranks, playing in the NHL and scoring his first NHL goal, being  ...

World renowned hypnotist Danny Zzzz! who puts on a show that needs to be seen to be believed each year at the PHPA Annual Meeting of Player Representatives, explains how he got started in hypnotherapy, how hypnotherapy can help not just professional hockey players but anyone in general, and shares his most life changing success story.  A fascinating, must-listen edition of the PHPA Podca...

This exclusive 1 on 1 interview with PHPA Executive Director, Larry  Landon, delves into Landon's journey through minor hockey to achieving  his dream of playing in the NHL with the Montreal Canadiens and Toronto Maple Leafs, including his hockey scholarship at RPI and playing for the legendary John Brophy.  Landon also speaks about his  27+ year career as Executive Director of...

Welcome to the first episode of the PHPA Podcast! The official podcast brought to you by the Professional Hockey Players' Association.   This episode introduces the three original hosts: Darryl Dionne, Kyle DeGiuli, and Jake Lloyd who provide a brief overview of the PHPA, the services it provides for professional hockey players in the American Hockey League and ECHL, its role in the hockey la...

Jim Wiley enjoyed an 8-year career as a professional hockey player in the NHL, American Hockey League, and Central Hockey League before embarking on a career in coaching, which led Jim to become the Head Coach of the San Jose Sharks.  He later transitioned into management, becoming the head of Hockey Operations at the Central Hockey League, before being hired by the Professional Hockey Player...

A veteran of over 9 professional seasons, Shawn Szydlowski is the PHPA Player Representative for the Fort Wayne Komets and provides an in-depth look into his hockey journey, from playing junior with the Erie Otters, lessons he learned from coach Rob Ftorek, landing in Fort Wayne, learning the  business side of the sport, as well as the cancellation of the remainder of the 2019-20 ECHL season...