The Hockey Journey Podcast

I am excited to introduce my next guest, Shaun Goodsell, from the Mental Edge. I have had the pleasure of knowing Coach Shaun for nearly 20 years now, and I have witnessed the incredible impact he has had on the lives of his clients. Shaun and his team have coached, trained, and mentored nearly 2,000 students and clients through Mental Edge. Their mission is to empower people to achieve their full...

Get ready to be inspired by an incredible story that is sure to tug at your heartstrings! In my next interview, I had the privilege of speaking with Easton Schultz, the founder of the Hudson Wisconsin Special Hockey Program, and let me tell you, his journey is nothing short of remarkable. Easton's story began when he was diagnosed with sensory processing disorder at four. Despite his challenges, h...

Today Coach Lance pays tribute to the Minnesota Blades AAA Hockey Club, John Arko.  For nearly two decades, there's been a Pitlick wearing a Minnesota Blades jersey, and Coach Lance has been on the ice helping develop the next group of passionate Minnesota hockey players. The "Pitlick Crew" spent many hours traveling to compete in weekend tournaments or high-performance festivals, bringing to...

Hey hockey fans! In this episode of the Hockey Journey Podcast, we're chatting with the one and only Coach Lance Pitlick. He's here to talk about the end of the winter hockey season and the importance of doing a post-season evaluation exercise. Coach Pitlick emphasizes the significance of reflecting on the season and learning from mistakes to improve as a player. Whether you're a seasoned pro or j...

In this episode of The Hockey Journey Podcast, Coach Lance shares his  current daily routine with his listeners. Though some of his students  have labeled it as weird or extreme, Coach Lance believes it is a  necessary routine to maintain his mental and physical health. Aside from  discussing his daily routine, Coach Lance also shares how he  acquired a strong work ethic a...

Ladies and gentlemen, put your skates on and get ready to glide into our next interview! I am thrilled to introduce a man with ice in his veins and a business on his mind. He's the one, the only Josh Healey! This Canadian-born hockey star has been hitting pucks since his days in Alberta, and now he's making waves in his 7th season as a pro with the San Diego Gulls. But it's not just his slapshot t...

We have an exceptional guest on the upcoming show, Mira Jalosuo, whose outstanding hockey career speaks for itself. With 2 National Championships under her belt at the University of Minnesota, she is also a 2 Time Olympian and a 5 time Women's World Championships Bronze medalist. Despite having started organized hockey in the 6th grade, she has achieved so much in the US and Europe, which is truly...

My next guest on the show is Barbero Caico, who was recently introduced to me by my oldest son, Rem. I'm grateful that Rem made the connection for several reasons. Firstly, Barbero is an amazing person, and our correspondence so far has been really enjoyable. Secondly, I always love talking to people who are passionate about something, especially when it comes to health and wellness. If learning f...

Ladies and Gentlemen, fasten your seatbelts and get ready for an electrifying journey as we welcome the one and only Erik Westrum! This hockey superstar has blazed a trail of excellence throughout his career, earning a coveted D1 scholarship to the University of Minnesota, dominating in the AHL and NHL, and finishing his career with five triumphant years in Switzerland with Ambri-Piotta. Since ret...

My next guest is Bret Hedican and man, does he have a hockey journey?  His star began to shine when he reached his senior year of high school, experienced a 7-inch growth spurt, did his hockey opportunities began.  It started with a D1 scholarship to St. Cloud State University, a roster spot on the 1992 USA Olympic hockey team, a Stanley Cup ring with the Carolina Hurricanes, retiring ha...

As we settle into the new year, with hopefully a slightly new and improved daily routine, I always think it's a good idea to take a few minutes and go over in our heads, our relationship with mistakes, hardships or failures.  It is a relationship you know, and the better we can understand it and how those few words we try to avoid, for some at all costs, are the critical stepping stones to ou...

My next guest is former professional hockey player turned entrepreneur Sebastien Fortier. Since its inception in 2003, OneHockey is regarded as the premier hockey tournament experience provider worldwide, and Mr. Fortier is the captain of that ship.  You'll learn how he might have been secretly groomed or inspired to be dominant in the youth hockey tournament sector by watching his fathe...

Murray Williamson is a retired ice hockey player and coach, who made a significant impact on the sport. He was an All-American at the University of Minnesota in 1959 and played, coached, and managed in the United States Hockey League with St. Paul Steers. He coached the United States National teams in the World Hockey Championships in 1967, 1969, and 1971, and the United States Olympic teams in 19...

As we enter 2023, a practice that's being thought about by a lot of people worldwide is New Year's Resolutions.  Basically getting rid of something you don't like in your life and replacing it with something new that is in alignment with a better a version of you. Unfortunately, new year's resolutions don't work, as you'll hear in this episode.  But the one practice or method that h...

If you've never heard of the Chicken Soup for the Soul book series,  they're a collection of true inspirational stories about ordinary people's lives. It's been over a decade since I've read one, which prompted me to do a quick search to see if they had come out with a  Christmas version. Sure enough, there it was, A "Chicken Soup for the  Soul" Christmas. You may drive to Grandma a...

In this episode, Skating Specialist Barry Karn joins me again to finish up our conversation on How To Build An Elite Hockey Player. our conversation on How To Build An Elite Hockey Player. Every child possesses the potential to excel in hockey, regardless of their location or birth year. • Ignite a passion for hockey in young children by introducing them to the sport through exciting activities li...

This podcast episode, hosted by Coach Lance, provides a comprehensive guide for parents on how to build an elite hockey player. With insights from renowned skating instructor Barry Karn, the discussion covers everything from early development to advanced training techniques. Key Points ❄️ Building a Hockey Player: Discuss hockey parents' challenges and the lack of a clear blueprint. 🏒 Foundat...

Today I'm going to spend some time discussing becoming a Master Craftsman or Craftswoman. It could be hockey or anything that someone might pursue in life.  But what you'll soon find out, the path, the principles, and the process of chasing mastery are all the same across the board. One way I increase my knowledge of anything is by learning from experts in that particular field.&nbs...

Have you ever thought about communication much?  I mean we do it every day, in many different forms, but is it something we can improve or learn if there are some competitive advantages of being a great communicator?  I hope you'll have a much better understanding by the end of this episode. I'm a work in progress and cannot let anyone know about the subject.  But many have made com...

Now that everyone knows I'm doing podcasts, I'm getting requests to do an episode on a specific topic.  A couple of weeks ago, I was asked to do one on adversity, as a couple of my players were trying to get over a wall that suddenly appeared in their lives. But now that the winter season is rocking, the common theme being asked by these student-athletes is how to play at a higher level consi...

As the first winter snowfall has been deposited here in Minnesota, that can mean only one thing, and the hockey season has begun.  Being around the game of hockey my whole life, I was tied to a team each season, as a player till 32 years of age or as a youth hockey coach for 17 years after that. A hockey season can have so many storylines by springtime.  Individuals and teams might have...

We live in a very distracting world, and when you reflect on, let's say, the last 30 days, for me a lot of times I ponder and say to myself, "the last 30 days were a blur. I had goals I wanted to accomplish, but I was so busy that I can barely remember the days.  The needle wasn't moved much in the direction I'd hoped for, and once again, my most important objective or want in life stays as a...

You ever wonder who trains the best hockey players in the world, helping them improve their on-ice skills and skating ability?  Well today, I'll be sitting down for a chat with Andy Ness, who happens to be the Minnesota Wild's Skills Development and Skating Coach, and I want to know how he got there.   To learn more about Mr. Ness and the hockey training services he and Pro Edge Power pr...

Everyone should be settling into their season by now, some of you making the team you wanted, and others did not.  That's in the past, and we can't do anything about it now, but what we can do is react proactively and focus our attention on what's in our control.  If there's a change you want to make in your life, the odds are pretty good that you're going to have to implement a new habi...

My next guest Hans Skulstad; I've been looking forward to having him on the show because he's dedicated his life to helping others navigate through some challenging events and circumstances after earning his master's in Counseling Psychology and Marriage and Family Therapy from the University of St. Thomas. After years in the field and gaining experience in the sector, there was a gravitational pu...