Glass and Out

Brock Sheahan, head coach of the Chicago Steel, shares his journey in developing a championship-winning culture in junior hockey. He discusses innovative player development methods that prioritize situational awareness and teamwork over traditional metrics. With a focus on analytics and personalized training, Sheahan reveals how a structured coaching staff enhances individual player growth. He also highlights the importance of maintaining a positive team environment, balancing skill development with cognitive understanding, and fostering camaraderie among young athletes.

We're going outside the box for episode #163 of the Glass and Out Podcast. We're joined by Scott O'Neil, the former President Madison Square Gardens and CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, whose portfolio includes the New Jersey Devils and Philadelphia 76ers. He is also the author of the book Be Where Your Feet Are: 7 Steps to Keep You Present, Grounded and Thriving, the main focus of today's interview. In the book, O'Neil provides a humbling and vulnerable peek behind the curtain as well as a framework, anecdotes, and exercises to guide the reader towards self-discovery. It's must read for anyone looking to improve every aspect of their life. O'Neil earned his Bachelor's Degree in Marketing from Villanova University and his Master's in Business Administration from Harvard Business School. At 38-years-old, he was named the President of Madison Square Gardens and prior to that was the Senior Vice President of Team Marketing and Business Operations for the NBA. In July of last year, he stepped down as CEO of Harris Blitzer Sports & Entertainment, which included acting as an Alternate Governor for the NHL and NBA for nearly a decade. During this time, he received several awards and accolades, including Philadelphia Business Journal's "Most Admired CEO" honour in 2018. He was also named 2017's "Most Innovative Executive" by SportTechie and was recognized at Sports Business Journal's acclaimed "Forty Under 40" Awards on three occasions. Find out about the tragedy that led to him writing the book, his strategies for staying present, and why coaching his daughters basketball team is one of his proudest accomplishments.

Brandon Naurato, the assistant coach at the University of Michigan and former player development coach, shares his journey from player to coach. He delves into innovative strategies for teaching offensive hockey, highlighting the importance of quick passing and playmaking. Naurato discusses the pivotal role of video analysis in player development and his experiences working with legends in the sport. He also emphasizes the significance of structured practices and effective communication to enhance team dynamics and individual skills.

For episode #161 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic, who previews the upcoming World Junior Championship. Wheeler, who covers the NHL Draft and prospects nationally for The Athletic, is widely considered one of the top authorities in the hockey prospect community. Who better to help us get set for one of the biggest tournaments in hockey, featuring the best young players in the game! Listen as he shares an in depth review of each team in the tournament, the top prospects to watch out for, and potential breakout stars. He'll also share how he sees the groups and round robin portion of the tournament playing out, his keys to winning in a short term tournament, and of course, medal predictions.

We're joined by a coaching legend and one of the true gentlemen in hockey for episode #160 of the Glass and Out Podcast. Andy Murray's coaching career has spanned four decades, multiple countries and leagues, and every major international tournament. The Souris, Manitoba native includes representing Canada on multiple occasions, capturing six Gold Medals in six appearances at the Spengler Cup, three Gold Medals at the World Championships, and he was also an assistant coach during the 1998 Olympics. Murray spent 16 seasons in the NHL, highlighted by a 1991 cinderella run Stanley Cup Final with the Minnesota North Stars, coming just short to Mario Lemieux and the Pittsburgh Penguins. Following his dismissal from St Louis in 2010, he was announced as the head coach of Western Michigan University in 2011, a program he would oversee for 10 seasons. The topic of old school versus new school coaching tactics has long been debated. And if you look at Murray's bio, it would be easy to assume he's on the old school side. But as you'll find out in this podcast, he has always leaned into new school coaching methods, long before the shift in leadership practices that we're experiencing today. Find out about his title as "Mr. Spengler Cup," how his reputation as a tactician helped him throughout his career, and why it's important to coach out of your comfort zone.

In episode #159 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome Tomas Montén, head coach of the Swedish National U20 Team. It's the holiday season, and that means the start of the World Juniors is fast approaching. Now heading into his eighth tournament with Team Sweden (and sixth as head coach), Montén makes the perfect candidate to discuss what the tournament experience looks like through the lens of a coach. In total, he's helped Sweden capture two silver medals, one bronze, and was a part of Sweden's incredible 54-game unbeaten streak during the round robin portion of the tournament, a streak that was halted by Russia during last year's event. During his tenure, he's had the opportunity to work with some of the top young talent in the game, such as Elias Pettersson, Rasmus Dahlin, and Lucas Raymond, to name a few. At our inaugural Virtual Hockey Summit in 2020, Tomas gave an outstanding presentation on how he prepares Team Sweden for the World Juniors. It offers a ton of strategies in terms of how teach efficiently and to get your players comfortable playing in your system. In this week's episode, find out why the tournament is so special to him, how small area games have helped Sweden have success internationally, and what goes into building a fast team.

We've got a big one for you this week on the Glass and Out Podcast, as we were able to connect with Mike Babcock in person for episode #158. Babcock of course needs no introduction as one of the most decorated hockey coaches of all-time. He is the only coach to have the honour of being in the Triple Gold Club, which he's earned by winning a Stanley Cup with the Detroit Red Wings in 2008, leading Team Canada to the 2004 World Hockey Championship title and capturing gold at both the 2010 and 2014 Winter Olympics. In total, Babcock has won six distinct national and international championships throughout his career. More recently, he joined the University of Saskatchewan on a one-year term to assist his alma matter with making the transition to a new head coach. This comes after he was relieved of his duties with the Toronto Maple Leafs in November of 2019, amid controversy. It's no secret that Mike has faced some criticism from former players for coaching decisions he's made, something he has been an open book on and has had no problem addressing. Find out what he's learned during his time away from the NHL, his keys to creating a winning formula, and how he's learned to put an emphasis on the mental health of his players and fellow coaches.

In episode #157 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we're joined by Digit Murphy, President of the Toronto Six, members of the Premiere Hockey Federation (formerly the National Women's Hockey League). Murphy has a diverse and decorated background in hockey and is one the leading advocates for women's sports. She spent 22 seasons as the head coach of the Brown University women's program, capturing six ECAC Hockey titles and five Ivy League titles, and was the first female coach to reach 200 wins. She made the jump to the Canadian Women's Hockey League in 2012, joining the Boston Blades. The Blades won the Clarkson Cup in two out of her three seasons at the helm and she was also the recipient of the league's Coach of the Year award in 2014. Follow her time in Boston, Murphy was recruited by the Kunlun Red Star, the KHL team located in China, to establish a team to participate in the CWHL and assist in developing their Olympic women's team in preparation for the 2022 games. In her lone season with the Red Star, Murphy led them to the league final. On top of all that, Murphy is also the co-founder of RUTH, an organization that prepares and connects female athletes with careers in the corporate world. Find out her thoughts on progressing the women's game, the key to keeping her energy and passion high throughout her career, and her philosophy on building a culture with a new franchise.

In episode #156 of the Glass and Out Podcast, we welcome one of the most revered coaches in the history of hockey: Dave King. King began his coaching career in 1972 at his alma mater, the University of Saskatchewan. From there, he went on to coach at every level of hockey, including time in the NHL, Europe, Junior Hockey and Internationally with Team Canada. The list of King's career achievements are extensive to say the least and almost too long to list. They include a Canadian University National Championship, a WJC Gold Medal, and multiple Olympic appearances with Team Canada. On top of that, you can add being a made a member of the Order of Canada, and inductions into the Canadian Olympic Hall of Fame, the International Ice Hockey Hall of Fame, the Saskatchewan Sports Hall of Fame and the Alberta Sports Hall of Fame. Simply put, there are few coaches in hockey with his experience and knowledge of the game. Don't miss out on this must-listen from one of the legends of the game!

For episode #155, we're changing things up and revisiting one of our favourite presentations from this year's Virtual Hockey Summit. Detroit Red Wings head coach Jeff Blashill shared valuable tips for planning and executing a successful practice. During the conversation, Blashill gets into the preparation and attention to detail that professional coaches need to invest into making a great practice, a great practice. While the drills you select for a practice certainly matter, he explains that it's how you organize them within the structure of your practice, how you communicate the habits and details you want your players to pull out of each drill, and as a staff, how each coach plays a role in teaching and managing the flow of practice. It's clear the improvement and evolution of his approach has been rooted in being open minded and curious, in terms of what other coaches are doing, taking the time to watch how practices operate in other sports, and looking at how other industries educate their people and operate more efficiently. Don't miss out on this must-listen for any coach looking to improve their practice habits!