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Glass and Out

Author: The Coaches Site

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The Coaches Site Founder Aaron Wilbur sits down with some of hockey's top coaches and leaders to learn about their journey and dissect the lessons they've learned along the way. Each episodes features key take aways for coaches of all levels. The Glass and Out Podcast is required listening for coaches looking to gain key insights from hockey's most influential leaders.
319 Episodes
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In episode 317 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome back Andrew Lord, Head Coach of the AHL's Ontario Reign. Last time we spoke with Lord he was coming off four seasons as both a player and the Head Coach of the Cardiff Devils of the UK Elite Ice Hockey League. Since that conversation his coaching stock has been on the rise. That includes a South Division title and the Jack Brophy Award as the ECHL's coach of the year during his tenure with the Greensville Swamp Rabbits and a brief stop in the QMJHL with the Halifax Mooseheads. Lord now leads the LA Kings AHL affiliate, which has him just one step away from standing behind an NHL bench. Listen as he shares the importance of finding the link between practice and game, how to manage uncomfortable conversations, and how to handle the struggles of a rebuild.
For episode 316 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome CEO of Sports Innovation Lab Angela Ruggiero. She is best known as a 4x Olympian and member of the Hockey Hall of Fame. She was a senior in high school when she played for Team USA and won gold at the 1998 Olympics in Nagano. In 2004 she won the Patty Kaizmeir Award as the top player in college hockey. She was also the first woman to play in a regular season professional hockey game in North America at a position other than goalie when she suited up for the Tulsa Oilers in a Central Hockey League game. However, her list of achievements extend well beyond her career as an athlete.  That includes time as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 2010 to 2018. She served as a member of the Executive Board of the IOC after being elected Chairperson of the IOC Athletes' Commission, the body that represents all Olympic athletes worldwide, a post which she held from 2016 to 2018. She also has an MBA from Harvard and was a senior management associate with Bridgewater Associates, the largest hedge fund in the world. Listen as she shares why learning to love adversity is key to success in life, why utilizing data in sports has to be built on trust, and why athletes are the best opportunity for corporations in the world.
In episode 315 of the Glass and Out Podcast we collaborated with Hockey Calgary for their 4th Annual Leadership Day and sat down with Flames Head Coach Ryan Huska. Huska is a good friend of The Coaches Site, having previously joined Glass and Out. He's also presented multiple times at our TCS Live event. This was a special interview complete with diagrams to showcase some of the drills and teaching progressions he's used throughout his career. It offered a fascinating look at how an NHL coaching staff manages the limited practice time they have throughout the season to prepare their team. There is a lot coaches can learn from Ryan's drills in terms of efficiency in delivering a message. Every detail is thought out and no time is wasted. Listen as he shares his favourite drills for breakouts, encouraging competition, why the skill of passing is often missing in today's player, and why it's curcial to always celebrate the small and big wins with your team.
In episode 314 of the Glass and Out Podcast we chat with Hockey Hall of Famer Jayna Hefford, who currently works as the Executive Vice-President of Hockey Operations for the PWHL.  As the person who has largely been the face of the league since it's inception in August of 2023, she has played a key role in the growth of female hockey. Her unique background prior to becoming a sports executive includes a playing career as a star on Canada's National Team, playing in five Olympics, capturing four gold medals, and 12 World Championships, where she collected another seven gold medals.  Throughout her career she has gravitated towards leadership roles and demonstrated a knack for bringing people together to achieve a common goal. Nowhere has that skill-set been more valuable than her time with the PWHL. Listen as she shares the origins of the PWHL, why female hockey is rooted in passion and why the league's upwards trajectory has created an exciting time for women's sports.
In episode 313 of the Glass and Out Podcast we visited the University of St. Thomas campus in Minnesota to chat with Tommies Head Coach Rico Blasi. Blasi's coaching career dates back to 1994 with the Wexford Raiders. He would take over the University of Miami (Ohio) program, his alma matter, at the ripe old age of 27 - and would eventually turn them into a perennial contender.  Now in his fifth season at St. Thomas, he has the Tommies on a similar track to success in the brand new Lee & Penny Anderson Arena. As you'll hear, Blasi's story is a reminder that while we're all on our respective coaching journeys, life is happening all around us.  Listen as he shares his approach to getting players to play free, why the human need for connection is a vital part of coaching, and why his favourite day of the week is "Battle Tuesdays."
For episode 312 of the Glass and Out Podcast we had the chance to sit down with Minnesota Wild GM Bill Guerin at September's TCS Live Minnesota. Bill is of course a two-time Stanley Cup winner as a player and represented the United States at three Olympics. Following his playing career, he joined the Pittsburgh Penguins organziation, eventually landing in the Assistant GM role. He would then be named GM of the Wild in 2019 and would add President of Hockey Operations to his resume in 2023. In addition to his role with the Wild, he led Team USA at the Four Nations Faceoff and will also be the General Manager for the upcoming Winter Olympics in Milan. Needles to say, he's got a lot on his plate and he was extremly generous with his time to join us on the show. Listen as he shares his philosphy behind team building, why winning is the standard for Team USA, and the importance of preserving the Minnesota community hockey model.
For episode 311 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome Meghan Duggan, Director of Player Development for the New Jersey Devils. While most fans may know her best as the Captain of Team USA, you may soon know her as a possible candidate to become the first woman General Manager in NHL history. Duggan attended the University of Wisconsin, where she would help the Badgers capture three National titles and captain the program in her senior season. In total, she represented the United States at three Olympics and eight World Championships, capturing eight Gold Medals. Following retirement, she joined the Devils as their Manager of Player Development in 2021 before being promoted to her current role a year later. Listen as she shares how she approaches developing hockey sense, the power of being a vulnerable leader and her aspirations to advance as an executive in hockey.
For episode 310 of the Glass and Out Podcast we were down in St. Paul for TCS Live Minnesota and had the chance to sit down with Wild Head Coach John Hynes. The coaching conference was in support of the Minnesota Wild Foundation's Skate It Forward initiative. The Wild have a goal to cover the registration fee for every first year player in the state and provide families who benefit from the program the opportunity to pay it forward by making a donation that in turn gets another youngster on the ice. Click here for more information and to donate. Hynes is entering his third season in Minnesota and will also serve as an Assistant Coach for the U.S. Men's Team at the 2026 Winter Olympics. He started out his coaching career as an Assistant Coach at his alma mater, Boston University, and has rounded all the bases in his nearly 30 year coaching journey to eventually lead three National Hockey League teams. Listen as he shares tips on designing and executing a practice plan, why performance starts with relationship building, and the importance of betting on yourself.  
In episode 309 of the Glass and Out Podcast we have the pleasure of being joined by Penn State University Head Coach Guy Gadowsky. One could argue that outside of the NHL, no hockey team in the world will receive as much attention as the Nittany Lions this upcoming season. Led by Gadowsky since 2011, the program is coming off its first trip to the Frozen Four and this offseason, recruited a ton of talent to an already loaded roster, including the consensus #1 pick in the upcoming NHL draft, Gavin McKenna. Ranked in the top 5 preseason college polls, Gadowsky had Penn State primed to make a lot of noise this season. Listen as he shares the importance of a well defined team structure, the keys to finding chemistry with high-end talent, and overcoming adversity on the way to a Frozen Four appearance.
In episode 308 of the Glass and Out Podcast we welcome Alan Letang, the Head Coach of the OHL's Sarnia Sting. Letang is still in the front 9 of his coaching career, and as you'll hear, when he decided that coaching was his chosen career post retirement, he immersed himself in all facets of the job. And it's paid off. After 2.5 seasons as an Assistant Coach in Owen Sound, he was promoted to the role of Head Coach. This would eventually lead him home to Sarnia, where he is getting set to lead the Sting for a 5th season, and one in which the expectations are high. Internationally, he has represented Canada multiple times, beginning as an Assistant Coach at the 2020 and 2023 World Junior Championships, as the Head Coach of Canada's entry at the Hlinka Gretzky Cup and finally as the Head Coach of Team Canada at the 2024 World Junior Championships. Listen as he shares his philosophy on setting players up for success after a mistake, finding the fine line between physicality and discipline, and how he's approaching the changing landscape of junior hockey.
In episode 307 of the Glass and Out Podcast we're joined by Head Coach of the Henderson Silver Knights Ryan Craig. Craig has had a great run with the Golden Knights organization, including being a member of the coaching staff during their inaugural season that saw them go on a Cinderella run and reach the Stanley Cup Finals. He remained on the staff for six seasons, culminating in the organization capturing the Stanley Cup in 2023. During that time he received what can only be described as a Masters Degree in Coaching as he had the opportunity to work under Gerrard Gallant, Pete DeBoer, and most recently, Bruce Cassidy.  Now heading into his third season with the Silver Knights he joins us to offer a fresh and modern perspective on leading today's player and creating winning culture. Listen as he shares why players see everything that happens with a coaching staff, how to maxmize your practice time, and why competition drives performance.
Welcome back! We kick off Season 9 of the Glass and Out Podcast with episode 306, featuring Seattle Kraken Assistant Coach Jessica Campbell. Campbell is of course getting set for her second season behind an NHL bench, after having the distinction of being the first female to be hired as a full-time NHL coach. The native of Moosomin, Saskatchewan parlayed her skating business and the experience of training NHL players in the off-season in Kelowna into the opportunity to coach professionally in Europe. It was then that Dan Bylsma, then recently hired as the Head Coach of the Kraken's AHL affiliate in Coachella Valley, reached out to interview her for the opportunity to join his staff. Two seasons and consecutive trips to the Calder Cup finals later, Bylsma was hired as Seattle's Head Coach and Campbell got the call to join him.  You can check out her IIHF Coaching Symposium presentation on Feeding the Attack by Breaking Down the PK now on The Coaches Site. Listen as she shares her keys to creating a cohesive power play, how to help players out of scoring slumps, and how breaking barriers has influenced her coaching philosophy.    
In episode #305 and finale for season 8, we had the pleasure of being joined by Calgary Flames assistant coach Brad Larsen for a live interview at our TCS Live coaching conference. As a player, the Vernon, BC native won a gold medal with Canada's U18 team, along with back to back golds at the World Junior Championships. He turned pro with the Colorado Avalanche organization, was named Captain of the Hershey Bears in just his second pro season, and would go on to play over 300 NHL games with the Avalanche, Atlanta Thrashers, and Anaheim Ducks.  He jumped right into the coach arena following his retirement. First in the AHL with the Springfield Falcons before being promoted to the Columbus Blue Jackets and eventually, being named the club's Head Coach in 2021. Today, he is on Ryan Huska's staff with the Calgary Flames.  There are so many take-aways from this final episode of the 2024-2025 season of Glass and Out.  Listen as he shares how he's learned to lean on his faith, why the standard needs to be the standard, and the importance of blooming where you're planted.
In episode #304, we revisit our conversation from 2022 with Dan Muse, freshly named new Head Coach of the Pittsburgh Penguins. At the time of this interview, Muse was Head Coach of with the US National Development Program and prior to that he spent three seasons as an Assistant with the Nashville Predators. He most recently spent two seasons as an Assistant Coach with the New York Rangers. Muse has rounded all the bases in his career and is a self-described OG member of The Coaches Site. He also presented for us back in 2022 on The Importance of the Second Player in Puck Support. Listen as he shares his philosphy of TNT, why his playing career has never deterred him from his coaching aspirations, and the important of creating chaos in practice. And go Penguins!
In episode #303, we're joined by former NHL Head Coach and upcoming presenter at June's TCS Live coaching conference Greg Cronin. Cronin was recently let go as the Head Coach of the Anaheim Ducks after spending two seasons with the franchise. He has enjoyed a remarkable and nearly 40 year run as a hockey coach, which began at Colby College and includes playing a role in getting the US National Development Team Program off the ground. After eight seasons with the New York Islanders organization, he returned home to Boston as the Head Coach of Northeastern University, the program his father captained. He returned to the NHL with the Toronto Maple Leafs and was named Head Coach of the Ducks in 2023 after a successful run with the Colorado Eagles, the Avalanches' AHL affiliate. You can catch Cronin at this June's TCS Live as he dissects individual skills on the forecheck. Listen as he shares the illumination of player development, his guide to creating reliable players, and insights into his forechecking philosphy.
In episode #302, we revisit one of our best talks from last year's TCS Live coaching conference from Cody Royle. Royle is a coach to some of the most accomplished coaches across multiple sports, along with being the author of three books, The Tough Stuff, Where Others Won't and his latest, Second Set of Eyes. He was a coach himself and has pivoted to providing coaches the sounding board and observations that nudge them towards discovering the best version of themselves. In his talk, "Coaches are Performers, Too," Royle provides tremendous insight into the importance of coaches not possessing ego, who are willing to be coached themselves. He also provides a system that supports coaches and helps them in situations in which they are experiencing negative mental health symptoms or early burn out.  Listen as he shares why coaches are the greatest source of competitive advantage, how to improve the three primary skills of leadership and why even the best coaches need coaching.
In episode #301, we welcome upcoming presenter at this year's TCS Live and Executive Director of the New Jersey Devils Youth Foundation, Kate Whitman Annis. In her current role with the Devils, she is innovating how professional sports teams engage with their local fan base to raise funds and together, serve those in need in their local community. She has had a wide ranging career including several roles in the political arena, in addition to working with multiple organizations in leading their fundraising efforts. She is also a hockey coach at heart.  In addition to coaching her four boys, Annis was the head girls hockey coach at the Pingry School, the General Manager of the Metropolitan Riveters of the National Women's Hockey League, and today is behind the bench of the Eastside High School Girls Varsity program. Listen as she shares the power that sports can have on young athletes, philosophy behind team goal setting, and learning to effectively explain a drill.
In episode #300, we celebrate the milestone with a very special guest: LA Kings Director of Goaltending Bill Ranford. Not only was Ranford one of the original presenters at our TCS Live coaching conference back in 2012, he'll be returning to the stage in June for this year's edition of hockey's premier coaching conference. And top it off, he is the childhood hero of our host Aaron Wilbur. Ranford has spent the last 19 seasons with the Kings, 17 as the goaltending coach and the last two as Director.  As a goalie, he led the 1990 Edmonton Oilers to a Stanley Cup with a Con Smythe performance. He also led Canada to the 1991 Canada Cup and helped his country capture its first Gold Medal in over 30 years at the World Hockey Championships 1994.  Listen he shares why detail and work ethic have to be the foundation of every player's game, giving new tools over change, and why goalie's need to have their own unique identity.
In episode #299, we welcome upcoming presenter at this June's TCS Live, Grizzlys Wolfsburg Head Coach Mike Stewart. At the time of this recording, he is currently preparing for his fifth season leading the Grizzlys. He has a unique origin story as a player that includes his mother discovering a loophole that would enable him to enroll at Michigan State University, without a high school diploma, and leading to being drafted in the first round by the New York Rangers. Following his retirement due to injury, he would immediately jump behind the bench as an Assistant Coach with Villacher SV of the Austrian ICE Hockey League. Now 15 seasons later, Mike has spent the bulk of his coaching career in the DEL. He remains a student of the game, and is engaged with the challenge of leading the Grizzlys, a smaller market club in a league with no salary cap, to DEL title. Listen he shares why the best coaches are the best thieves, why passing is a lost art, and why North America should adopt Olympic-sized rinks
In episode #298, we're joined by Bethany Brausen, Head Coach of the University of St. Thomas Women's program. Brausen just completed her first season with St. Thomas after taking over as interim Head Coach in November and being name full-time coach just a few months later. She is also in the process of completing her PhD in Organizational Leadership Policy & Development, and as you're about to hear, her education in leadership and organizational development is clearly woven into how she's building the Tomies program. Following her playing career that included captaining the University of Minnesota, she joined Brad Frost's staff with the Gophers as an Assistant Coach for 5 seasons, before moving across town to St. Thomas. Brausen will be joining us as a speaker at the upcoming IIHF Coaching Symposium, hosted in Stockholm during the Men's World Championship. Stay tuned for that presentation on The Coaches Site! Listen she shares why players need to create a self-governing culture, what we get wrong about real leadership, and the importance of understanding that every person has their own story.
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