Built From Steel Podcast

Summer training doesn’t need to be complicated but it does need to be intentional. In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy break down 5 ways hockey players can make their summer training more successful . From building a plan and training with purpose to developing your body off the ice, recovering properly, and staying consistent without losing your summer, this episode gi...

Every hockey family reaches a point where they're faced with more opportunities than they know what to do with. Showcases. Spring hockey. Invitational tournaments. Skills camps. Identification camps. "You've been selected" emails. But which opportunities actually help your development and which ones are simply selling the dream? In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , E...

The 2026 OHL Priority Selection is officially in the books. In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy break down the draft from every angle from the emotions families experience during draft weekend to the realities hidden beneath rankings, draft lists, and public opinions. Using real draft data and examples from the 2026 class, they discuss what OHL teams actually value, how...

In this special episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , we release the full NCAA Coaches Roundtable from the inaugural Matterhorn Fit All-Path Ontario Showcase . Following the Welcome Reception, six NCAA coaches and staff members sat down to answer questions from players, parents, and coaches about recruiting, player development, academics, the transfer portal, NCAA eligibility, and what they ar...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy use the story of Tom Brady's unlikely rise from overlooked draft pick to NFL legend as a framework to explore one of the biggest questions in sports: What actually separates the athletes who make it from those who don't? From OHL Draft expectations and confidence struggles to work ethic, preparation, recovery, and accountabili...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy dive into one of the most important realities in hockey development: Everyone wants opportunity but very few players are truly prepared for it when it arrives. From building culture and setting standards to handling slumps, confidence issues, and limited ice time, this conversation explores what separates players who continue moving f...

In this special episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , we release the full Welcome Reception from the inaugural Matterhorn Fit All-Path Ontario Showcase, featuring a keynote presentation from Matterhorn Fit founder Ryan Vesce followed by an in-depth roundtable discussion with coaches, scouts, and staff from across the Ontario Hockey League. This conversation gives players, parents, and coaches...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy reflect on the youth hockey journey from a different perspective: what happens when the ride is finally over. From OHL Draft day emotions and junior hockey realities to parenting through youth hockey, camps, coaching changes, agents, and role acceptance, this conversation explores what actually mattered and what didn’t looking back on...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy tackle one of the biggest questions in youth hockey development: When should players move from A/AA to AAA and how much does it actually matter? From the pressure parents feel to “move up” early to the reality of how players develop over time, this conversation breaks down what truly separates good players from great ones. The episode...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy take a hard look at one of the most misunderstood parts of the hockey journey: what it actually takes to make it and why most players don’t. From Exceptional Status in the OHL to junior camps, draft results, and long-term outcomes, this conversation breaks down the gap between perception and reality. They dive into the mindset parents...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, we break down one of the biggest challenges in youth hockey today: patience. We open with a clip from NHL coach John Tortorella speaking about players wanting everything immediately — roles, opportunity, advancement — without understanding the reality of how progression actually works. From there, we dive into the current state of AAA tryouts in Ont...

In Episode 6 of our Parenting Through Sports mini-series, Eric and Andy bring everything together by defining what the role of a parent actually is in youth sports. • What does it really mean to support your child? • How do you balance being positive while still holding them accountable? • When does “pushing your kid” cross the line? • How should you handle distractions, school, and social life? •...

What should we actually be doing for skill development? In Part 5 of our Parenting Through Sports Mini-Series , Eric and Andy break down the realities of skill development in youth hockey, what actually translates to games, and how families should approach training in a world full of options. From the explosion of private coaching and “elite” training environments to the pressure of doing more, ea...

Every parent and player will face it at some point - frustration with a coach. In Part 4 of our Parenting Through Sports Mini-Series , Eric and Andy break down the realities of coaching in youth hockey, what families should actually expect, and how to handle conflict when things don’t go your way. From ice time, favoritism, and communication gaps to deeper issues like misalignment, politics, and d...

Development isn’t one-size-fits-all, and timing matters more than most people think. In Episode 3 of our Parenting Through Sports Mini-Series , Eric and Andy break down what age-appropriate development actually looks like from the earliest years all the way through U18. Using real examples and current conversations around events like the OHL Cup, they walk through what players should be focusing o...

In Episode 2 of our Parenting Through Sports mini-series, Eric and Andy dive into the most common pressures parents face navigating the youth hockey world. • When should you move to AAA? • How should you approach extra skill development? • Is spring hockey actually worth it? • Should you switch organizations or stay where you are? • Do you really need an agent? • What are the true costs: financial...

Youth sports are filled with passionate parents, but very little guidance on how to actually navigate the journey. In Episode 18 of the Built From Steel Podcast, Eric and Andy begin a six-part mini series focused entirely on parenting in youth sports. This first episode sets the foundation by addressing why parent education is one of the most overlooked parts of player development. From understand...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , we break down one of the most misunderstood areas of hockey development: in-season training . Many players and parents assume lifting should stop once the season begins. Others go to the opposite extreme - training too hard, too often, and destroying recovery between games. The reality sits somewhere in the middle. We discuss how to structure train...

This week on the Built From Steel Podcast, we share a full conversation with Brian Prout, Assistant General Manager of the Saginaw Spirit (OHL), who spent time speaking with our U16 and U18 teams about what actually matters at the next level. This wasn’t a highlight reel conversation. It was honest, direct, and educational. Brian breaks down the Five Pillars of OHL Scouting, what scouts really wat...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, we unpack one of the most misunderstood words in youth hockey: toughness. We break down the difference between physical toughness and emotional toughness, why yelling doesn’t build resilience, and how real toughness is trained through intentional adversity, not fear. Coach Andy shares his coaching philosophy, why he’s stepping back into youth coachi...

Phones are shaping today’s athletes - for better or worse. In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, Coach Eric and Coach Andy tackle one of the most relevant topics in modern youth hockey: cell phone use. From sleep disruption and social media comparison to personal branding and digital discipline, this is a balanced conversation about how devices are influencing development on and off the...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, Eric is joined by former NHL forward and current player development coach Brian Willsie. Brian shares insights from his 15-year pro career including time in the NHL, AHL, and Europe and how that experience now shapes his approach to developing youth players. From his transition into coaching and mentorship to his current work with Washington Capital...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy dive into one of the most loaded questions in youth hockey: When is it the right time to move away from home? From the pressure to chase better teams and “big-name” programs to the reality of playing with, and against, weaker players, this episode unpacks how development actually happens… and how families can make better long-term dec...

In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast, we take a deep dive into what NCAA hockey programs truly look for in players, and how USA Hockey approaches long-term development. This episode features two insightful conversations recorded live at the Matterhorn Fit All-Ivy Showcase:🎙 Matt Gilroy — Assistant Coach at Harvard, former NHL defenseman, and Hobey Baker winner 🎙 Jason Guerriero — USA Ho...

Sometimes the score doesn’t tell the real story, but your response always does. In this episode of the Built From Steel Podcast , Eric and Andy take lessons from the World Juniors and connect them directly to youth hockey. From how Latvia and other small nations compete against the best in the world, to how players should approach mismatched games at the youth level, this episode is about mindset...