New England Hockey Journal’s RinkWise

Pro Scout Mark Mowers and Author Bruce Haas on the “Great Game!”

We have a fun two-parter in this edition of the podcast this week. First, we hear from Mark Mowers, pro scout for the Minnesota Wild. He shares his journey to scouting, which included playing for UNH and the Boston Bruins. Then we’ll talk with veteran youth hockey coach Bruce Haas about his book “Great Game! D1 College Hockey: People, Places, Perspectives,” an award-winning book on men’s Division 1 college hockey.

RI’s Saint Ms Matt Plante and Devin Rask Talk Team Building

Matt Plante and Devin Rask are co-directors of the Rhode Island Saint Ms at Mount Saint Charles Academy in Woonsocket, Rhode Island. A top hockey program with teams at the 14, 15, 16 and 18-U levels, this podcast delves into the backgrounds and experiences of both Rask and Plante. The extended discussion covers their insights into hockey, the attributes they seek in prospective players and other key topics related to the rise of the Saints program on the ice and in the classroom.

BK Selects’ Chris Collins Talks Culture and Commitment

Chris  Collins, the Bishop Kearney Selects program director, joins us to talk about his philosophy for winning at the Rochester, New York, school. Collins has had a long history in the sport at many levels, including playing as a star at the BC Eagles, and is now looking for students with character, good grades and a strong commitment to the team’s culture. 

Coach Paul Mara on His Journey to Leading the Boston Pride

We’re joined in studio by hockey veteran Paul Mara, head coach of the NWHL’s Boston Pride. Coach Mara grew up in Belmont, Massachusetts, and worked his way through the NHL, including a stint with the Bruins. He’s now leading the women of the Boston Pride, and provides insight on his latest challenge, as well as players to look out for.

Hockey Veterans Teach Young Talent New Way To Train

We’re lucky to have three experienced veterans of the game on who are now giving back to young hockey players. Torrey Mitchell, Pete “Swaggy P.” Lenes and Kevin Sneddon, all of whom played or coached at various levels of the game, are now working at Elev802, a Vermont-based company dedicated to helping young hockey players achieve their potential. Visit elev802.com/camp to learn about their hockey camps around the country.

Dartmouth Asst. Men’s Hockey Coach Troy Thibodeau

Troy Thibodeau joins Kirk to talk about his fascinating journey to coaching at Dartmouth College and why he loves the off days from hockey as much as game days. Prior to joining Dartmouth, Thibodeau spent the last three seasons as part of the coaching team of the Tri-City Storm in the USHL. The Danvers native has made stops at UMass Lowell, Merrimack College and Wentworth.

UMaine‘s Ben Barr on Building a Winning Culture

Ben Barr, first-season head coach of the University of Maine Black Bears, joins Kirk Luedeke to talk about his rising career. Coach Barr, a graduate of RPI, has been working with collegiate teams for 15 years. He shares with us the lessons he has learned along the way, including how he helped to lead the UMass Minutemen to their first national championship this past April and his strategy for building the Black Bears.

New Jersey Devils Chief Amateur Scout Mark Dennehy

We’re joined by Mark Dennehy, Chief Scout, Amateur Scouting, for the New Jersey Devils. Dennehy is a familiar face to New England hockey fans, having played four seasons at Boston College and coached for 13 seasons at Merrimack College. Now, he shares with us what it is he’s looking for at the professional level as well as his experiences with great players along the way.

Kent Hughes - Quartexx Management

Kent Hughes, managing director of Quartexx Management. joins the show to talk about what he looks for in players to represent. He discusses with host Kurt Luedeke about his experiences with young hockey players and his advice: "Dream big and don't have a fear of failure."

Episode 6 – Cushing Academy‘s Steve Jacobs and Paul Pearl

Cushing Academy’s Steve Jacobs and new boys hockey coach Paul Pearl join NEHJ's RinkWise podcast.