The Hockey Think Tank Podcast

Latest Episodes:

The Top Lessons We’ve Learned from the Hockey Think Tank: 7 Year Anniversary Show - EP 389 Nov 03, 2025

Show notes

This week Topher and Jeff celebrate the 7 year anniversary of the start of the Hockey Think Tank podcast. We have learned such invaluable lessons over the years from all of the guests we have had on, the organizations we’ve worked with, and all of our listeners that have reached out. Listen for each of our top 3 lessons of all time.

In this episode we talk about:

— How resiliency is everything

— Surrounding yourself with good people

— Finding a way to stay connected to the game throughout life

— How this game is worth fighting for and we need to leave it better than we found it

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, Helios Hockey, and Crossbar!

And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

JOIN HTTU TODAY!

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FRIDAY FACEOFF - RINK RAT RENTALS?! Oct 31, 2025

Show notes

On today’s FRIDAY FACEOFF episode, Toph and Vechs bring on one of the founders of Rink Rat Rentals, Kevin McLaughlin, to discuss making hockey more affordable. His company is a hockey equipment rental company and their mission is to eliminate financial barriers to hockey participation. Go check out this amazing company!

Rink Rat Rentals

TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW!

We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

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SHORT SHIFTS - BODY CHECKING Oct 29, 2025

Show notes

On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Toph wants to talk about body checking, what the proper way is to teach it, and how to get kids exposed to it safely.

TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW!

We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

Shout out to this Short Shifts supporter: SkateTech Skate Sharpening & Equipment Repair

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How You Do Anything Is How You Do Everything: An Inspiring Conversation with Guest Caroline Harvey - EP 388 Oct 27, 2025

Show notes

This week Topher and Jeff talk with Caroline Harvey, one of the most skilled players coming up in the game. She’s a 2x NCAA champion with the University of Wisconsin, an Olympic silver medalist with Team USA, a 2x Women’s World’s gold medalist… and she’s just getting started.

In this episode we talk about:

— Playing girls only vs co-ed hockey growing up

— The USA vs Canada rivalry

— Some of the adversities Harvey has faced in her career

— How important life away from the game is in making you better on the ice

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, Helios Hockey, and Crossbar!

And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

JOIN HTTU TODAY!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

FRIDAY FACEOFF - PICKING CAPTAINS?! Oct 24, 2025

Show notes

On today’s FRIDAY FACEOFF episode, Toph wants to discuss a listener’s question; “how do you pick your captains?” We explore this topic for all age levels and suggest various responsibilities you can give them.

TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW!

We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

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SHORT SHIFTS - 2-1-2 FORECHECK Oct 22, 2025

Show notes

On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Toph wants to talk about the 2-1-2 forecheck. We talk about this aggressive system and whether or not we like it.

TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW!

We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

Shout out to this Short Shifts supporter: SkateTech Skate Sharpening & Equipment Repair

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

You Asked, Toph & Jeff Answered: Mailbag Episode - EP 387 Oct 20, 2025

Show notes

This week Topher and Jeff sit down for a mailbag episode to answer some of the questions our listeners have submitted recently. If you have a question you’d like for us to answer, DM us on our socials and we’ll include it in our next mailbag episode!

In this episode we talk about:

— “Should checking be allowed in women’s?”

— “Will the US Development League cause sanity to break out?”

— “As parents, how do we best support our 14U player being named captain of his team?”

— “True or false, 5 years from now, our sport will be better than it is today”

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, Helios Hockey, and Crossbar!

And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

JOIN HTTU TODAY!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

FRIDAY FACEOFF - HALF SHIELDS IN COLLEGE & WOMEN'S PRO?! Oct 17, 2025

Show notes

On today’s FRIDAY FACEOFF episode, Toph wants to talk about whether players should or should not be allowed to wear half shields starting in college, both on the men’s and women’s sides.

TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW!

We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

SHORT SHIFTS - INTANGIBLE THINGS THAT SCOUTS LOOK FOR Oct 15, 2025

Show notes

On today’s SHORT SHIFTS episode, Toph wants to talk about the intangible things that scouts look for in players - because the scoresheet isn’t the only thing that catches recruiters’ attention.

TEN MINUTES ON THE CLOCK STARTING NOW!

We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

Shout out to this Short Shifts supporter: SkateTech Skate Sharpening & Equipment Repair

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

Rethinking How We Develop Younger Hockey Players to Increase Retention Rates with Guests Judd Stauss & Tyler Palmiscno, East Grand Forks, MN Model - EP 386 Oct 13, 2025

Show notes

This week Topher talks with Judd Stauss and Tyler Palmiscno, of East Grand Forks, Minnesota. Stauss runs the youth hockey program in their area and Palmiscno is the head coach of last year’s boys high school hockey state champion team. Seven years ago, they started a unique squirt-level pilot program that other areas are starting to model. The program does half-ice for ages 10 & below and no travel hockey for the first half of the year.

In this episode we talk about:

— Striving to increase retention rates throughout age groups

— How to structure practices to optimize development

— Finding compromise in the half-ice / full-ice debate by doing both in season

AND SO MUCH MORE!

Thank you to our title sponsor IceHockeySystems.com, as well as Train-Heroic, Helios Hockey, and Crossbar!

And thank you to our AMAZING LISTENERS; We appreciate every listen, download, comment, rating, and share on your social sites!

JOIN HTTU TODAY!

Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.