Puck Academy Jack Ceglarski on Player Development, Recruiting, and Building Middlebury Hockey
Host Jason Jacobs welcomes Jack Ceglarski, head coach of Middlebury men’s hockey, for a wide-ranging conversation on development, recruiting, and leading a program in today’s changing hockey landscape.
A former SUNY Geneseo national champion and pro (Reading Royals, Indy Fuel, Huntsville Havoc), Jack shares his path from player to coach — including stops at New England College, Notre Dame, and ultimately Middlebury, where he became head coach in 2024.
Jack reflects on growing up at Governor’s Academy in a prominent hockey family and why expectations around his last name felt more motivating than burdensome. He credits multi-sport development and patience in juniors for shaping his long-term growth — and critiques today’s youth hockey culture as overly specialized, travel-heavy, and increasingly money-driven.
We discuss:
Why early specialization may hurt long-term development
The tradeoffs of modern “skills” training vs hockey IQ
Why cross-ice and small-area games matter
How he transitioned from playing to coaching
The importance of borrowing ideas and learning from mentors
As a head coach, Jack emphasizes relationships, trust, and culture. He looks for “thumb guys” — players who respond to adversity — and prioritizes character, academic fit, compete level, and winning traits over raw point totals. On Middlebury’s larger ice surface, skating and puck skill are essential.
He also shares:
Practice structure: systems early, more adaptive later
How he balances video, data, and the eye test
Why players should dominate a level before moving up
His cautious approach to the transfer portal
How NIL, the portal, and major junior shifts are reshaping the college path
Jack closes by outlining his vision for Middlebury: competing annually for NESCAC and national championships while developing complete people — not just hockey players — and encouraging families to trust their own path rather than chasing someone else’s.
Show notes:
00:00 Welcome to Puck Academy + Meet Middlebury HC Jack Ceglarski
02:36 Hockey family roots: Grandfather, dad, and early influences
04:48 Jack’s playing journey: Governors Academy to juniors, college, and pro
07:49 Pressure, expectations, and building your own name
08:58 Multi-sport development vs early specialization
12:35 State of youth hockey today: money, travel, and the Minnesota model
15:44 Skill camps vs hockey IQ: why small-area games matter
19:10 When coaching took over: deciding to hang up the skates
21:14 Coaching development: mentors, “borrowing” ideas, and learning fast
24:36 Taking the Middlebury job: culture, buy-in, and leading with care
29:52 Academics vs athletics: what it takes to get recruited at Middlebury
33:12 Choosing the right level: reclassing, juniors, patience, and dominating your league
36:08 When to Make the Jump: Timing Your Next Step
36:38 Recruiting Non‑Negotiables: Character, Community & Compete Level
37:29 Building a Balanced Roster: Different Player Types, One Team
39:22 Winning Traits Over Points: What Actually Translates
42:44 Coachability & Details: Teaching ‘Stick on Puck’ and Other Habits
44:23 Transfer Portal Strategy: Add Pieces Without Breaking Culture
48:24 The New Hockey Landscape: Major Junior, Prep Paths & Tough Tradeoffs
51:08 Practice Planning Like a DJ: Systems Early, Adjustments Later
52:59 Consistency, Accountability & Responding to Adversity
55:27 Video, Data & the Eye Test: What Tech Can’t Replace
57:22 Developing Players In-Season vs Off-Season: Who Owns What
59:23 Parents, Advisors & Communication: Recruiting the Player, Not the Handler
01:01:28 Who Gets Scouted In Person: Showcases, Shortlists & Final Eye Tests
01:02:30 Selling Middlebury & the NESCAC ‘Best Package’ Pitch
01:03:56 Where the Program—and the Coach—Go Next (and Final Advice)
Note: Editing and post-production work for this episode was provided by The Podcast Consultant (https://thepodcastconsultant.com).